A trip down memory lane

The College welcomed Jen Cato for a tour of Queens' with The Revd. Dr Jonathan Holmes (Fellow & Keeper of the Record). Jen was joined by her daughter, Rebecca, and daughter’s partner, Sam.

Jen is the granddaughter of Dr John Archibald Venn (President 1932-58). Her mother, Elizabeth Avis Bethea Fay Venn (otherwise known as Betty) was the adopted daughter of Dr Venn and his wife, Lucy. Betty lived in the Lodge from the day of her adoption in 1931. She loved growing up in the College and later got married in Chapel.

Dr Venn grew up in Cambridge, was the President of the Cambridge Antiquarian society, a magistrate and member of the Borough and City Council. His family had connections with the University – his grandfather was a Fellow and Dean of Queens’ and his father was the President of Gonville and Caius, as well as the creator of the Venn diagram. Initially, Dr Venn served as the Junior Bursar. He was then responsible for admissions up until the Second World War when the Bursar was called away for service and Venn took over his duties. As President, he had enormous ambition for the College and was invested in modernising the College buildings and providing residences to students, including the Fisher building which was constructed during his term in 1935-6.

After she married, Betty and her family moved to New Zealand in 1949 but they returned to Cambridge in the 1960s when her husband was studying. Betty would often take Jen to visit Queens’ where the staff and Fellows would welcome them in like family. Jen recalls seeing Archibald Brown (Fellow 1921-1977), the Director of Studies in Engineering. Planted in her memory is the generous plate of chocolate eclairs he gave to them.

Jen, Rebecca and Sam visited the Lodge, the family's old home, where they took a photo in that garden which mirrors Betty’s portrait taken some time between 1931-33. They also had a tour of the Old Hall and the Chapel. The purpose of their trip to the UK is primarily to retrace steps in Betty's early life and meet new-found family on her side. 

A full biography on Dr Venn can be found in the College Record