Patti Wylie - (Class of 2011)


I began the research for my undergraduate History dissertation at Cambridge, and presented the paper at a conference in 2015 in honour of an academic called Margaret Spufford, who was an expert on the will records that I used for my research.


As the background to the research, there has long been a debate about the first use of transferable credit instruments: meaning written IOUs which can be circulated to others without the original borrower of the money being liable to pay the person who holds the note. Before the use of a paper currency backed by the Bank of England, there were frequent shortages of gold and silver coins in the British economy, and as a result there was a need for these written credit instruments. Since none of the original documents survive, the best evidence of when these papers began to be used like an effective paper currency was an Act of Anne in 1710, which made some of these documents (called promissory notes) transferable.


By using evidence from will and probate records preceding the Act in 1710, this paper demonstrates that credit instruments were being bequeathed to others without changing the terms, over 90 years before. Results from Maidstone in the South and Sedbergh in the North of England were very similar, showing that the same effect was happening in two very different parts of the country. This finding pushes the financial history literature away from the popular view that credit was managed mainly through personal relationships before 1710. Instead, it shows that a paper currency was effectively used by the public in 1610, many years before it was approved by the government.


Contrasting the will records to religious sermons also shows a surprising source of financial education. Several of the few remaining sermons from this period discuss the right level of interest to charge for lending money to friends and neighbours, to be consistent with Bible teachings on usury. Overall, the paper proves that a credit instruments could be used as a paper currency over 90 years before previous scholars believed.


The Old Cornelian SUMMER 2017


Cornelians’ NEWS


Alexandra Barrington - (Class of 2011)


I finished my Fine Art degree at the University of Brighton in 2015. Since then I have been pursuing my career as an artist (predominantly in abstract painting and collage) by taking part in artist markets around Brighton and London as well as organising a collaborative exhibition in Wadhurst. However, the next step in my artistic journey will take me further afield to Brazil where I have applied to take part in an artist residency for two months.


I have also been fortunate enough to have been asked to exhibit and live paint at an event in Formentera, Ibiza this October for an event called Save Posidonia. This project looks at raising money and awareness for the largest Posidonia on earth and gathering together like minded environmentally orientated artists, to share their work with the world. Feeling excited and truly lucky for this big break! www.alexfbarrington.wixsite.com/alexandraffion


Katharine McDevitt - (néeGairdner - Class of 1987)


After seven years in Sydney it's hard to believe we've been back for nearly six - although we managed a wonderful fortnight in Australia in February where I caught up with Helen Bromley Fox and Anne Pike (néeDougal). They've been a busy 6 years not least because both sons (Jono now 15½ & Marcus now 13½) were choristers 100 miles apart - Jono at Lincoln Cathedral and Marcus at King's College Cambridge. Jono ‘retired’ in summer 2016 & Marcus this year, but not before he sang the opening verse of ‘Once in Royal’ on the live Radio broadcast on Christmas Eve (not to be confused with the pre-recorded TV broadcast where he sang ‘I saw three ships’). I cannot describe the feeling of hearing that famous verse, that I'd heard so often peeling sprouts with my mother (Rosemary Gairdner née Baynham - Class of 1961) in the kitchen, actually sung by my son in the stillness of the packed candlelit Chapel.


Working full time as a Consultant Paediatrician in Peterborough with the two girls (Antonia- 10½ & Imogen (Midge) - 4) keeps me out of mischief and the 30 year reunion so brilliantly organised by Monica Reeve Tucker (née Burrough) & Annie Dunster (née Westlake) was an absolute highlight. Hiring a cottage with Anne Pike (née Dougal), Helen Bromley Fox, Fiona Donnelly (née Donny), Jessie Tweedie and Amanda Gunther allowed for a lot of late night giggles at old photos and reminiscing. Even with girls not seen since school, conversation flowed easily and 30 years just slipped away in a kind of time warp. Huge thanks to Claire Ball, Antonia Beary and all the staff and girls at Mayfield for welcoming us back.


We've just embarked on major renovations and look forward to finally having a decent kitchen complete with dishwasher and are off to France to catch Marcus' final tour complete with him singing Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. I look forward to seeing Antonia Del Mar (née Grace, Class of 1993) at the annual Grace/Gairdner cricket match in September with the Gairdner's determined to win this year and hope to get back out to Oz at Easter.


The photo shows Marcus chatting to the man who sang the first verse of Once in Royal 70 years ago in 1946 after the service.


31


OLD


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