News

Pioneering Durham University college celebrates 100 years

(20 February 2009)

First women students at John's, Oct 1966

A pioneering Durham University college which was the first place in the UK to train women clergy is celebrating its one hundredth birthday.

St John’s College, which also played an inspirational role in the founding of the Fairtrade movement, will mark its centenary with a series of special events. The celebrations begin this Friday (20 February) with a public concert* in Durham Cathedral featuring the orchestra of Durham University Music Society, the College’s own nationally acclaimed chapel choir and its alumni choir, Camerata, which will launch a series of events running throughout the year. Other celebratory events marking the college’s significant social, spiritual and academic achievements include a lecture by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams. Former St John’s student and Fairtrade pioneer Richard Adams will be the guest speaker at a formal dinner. And the celebrations also include a talk by author and St John’s graduate Cathy Fox, a thanksgiving service in the Cathedral, and a number of conferences. St John’s, based in South Bailey, is one of Durham University’s smallest colleges. Founded primarily as a theological college in October 1909, it has continued to train budding theologians for the Anglican and Methodist ministry. In 1966, St John’s became the first Anglican theological college to train men and women together. Prior to this, women were only allowed by appointment as visitors for afternoon tea. Reverend Dr David Wilkinson, Principal of St John’s College, said: “Although St John’s is a small college the significant social, spiritual and academic achievements of its staff and students have made a huge impact over the past 100 years. “St John's is not simply about its beautiful location and buildings, it is a living history of men and women who discovered the excitement of learning, community, creativity and faith.” Richard Adams studied Social Theory and Administration at Durham in the late 1960s. He went on to found the organisations Tearcraft and Traidcraft in the 1970s, as well as a number of social enterprises promoting ethical business. He said: “It was at John’s that I realised that to comfort the afflicted you need to afflict the comfortable. “Creating that space, free from pressure about achieving, where ideas could flow and naturally lead to action, remains the greatest gift any college can give its students.” For over 30 years St John’s keen support for trade justice has been demonstrated in their enterprising Fairtrade shop, today called the Just World Shop. Set up in 1976 by a team of students, it is most likely the oldest Fairtrade shop in the world. While the students gave up meals to raise funds, a top floor of the college was given over to the sale of a variety of fairly traded goods. Today the shop continues to sell fairly traded goods, providing valuable support in the sponsorship of children in the developing world. *The concert this Friday (20 February), Faith is Our Victory: Celebrating 100 years of St. John’s College, is open to the public. The concert begins at 7.30, the doors open at 6.45. Tickets are available on the door or from St John’s College: 0191 334 3862, £12 adults, £8 concessions. For more information on all centenary events please visit http://www.dur.ac.uk/st-johns.college/alumni/reunions/