There are some people whose name alone evokes the idea of Somerville – Emily Penrose, Dorothy Hodgkin and Janet Vaughan among them.

This Saturday, we will remember the life of another woman who, for countless Somervillians, will evoke the same indelible associations with their College. Our beloved friend Liz Cooke would, of course, have hated being spoken of in such grand terms. But after more than thirty years serving as the lynchpin between Somerville and its alumni, Liz more than justified such comparisons. As Dame June Raine put it in her condolence message, ‘Liz Cooke was the very epitome of all that Somerville stands for – doing the right thing and doing the thing right.’

We look forward to celebrating Liz’s memory with you tomorrow (including those watching via livestream), and welcome any further donations in support of the Liz Cooke Fellowship in History. You’ll find more news and events from Somerville below.

Liz Cooke