Postcards, an invitation and lists of chapel services have been discovered behind a fireplace during restoration of First Court – offering a fascinating snapshot of life at Christ’s in the early 20th century.
Several items can be linked to the last known student occupier of the room, Ian S. Osborn. He came to Christ’s from Sheffield in 1919 to study engineering. College records show Osborn occupied room K2 in 1921-22 and paid £6 10s rent plus £2 11s 6d for his furniture.
Osborn was a keen sportsperson who played rugby, was a member of the shooting club and became a well-known mountaineer and member of the Alpine Club. He began his climbing career at Cambridge University Mountaineering Club encouraged by Christ’s Fellow, Dean, and mountaineer Revd A. V. Valentine-Richards, who College records show occupied rooms close to Osborn’s.
One of the postcards found was sent to Osborn by a friend Eric from Adelboden, Switzerland in January 1922. Eric wrote: “Having a very jolly time here. Plenty to do. Quite like skiing. Having nice weather but it is snowing to-day.”
As a former pupil of The Leys School in Cambridge, Osborn also received an invitation to a performance of ‘The Headmaster’ there in February 1922.
In 1927 Osborn became a director of Samuel Osborn and Co, Ltd, the Sheffield steelworks founded by his grandfather. He died after a short illness in 1936, having just climbed Dent Blanche, one of the highest peaks in the Swiss Alps.
As well as the Chapel cards, a programme for a production of ‘The Magic Flute’ at the New Theatre Cambridge in December 1911 was also found.
Archivist, Dr Lucy Hughes said:
“We might imagine that these items were displayed, propped up on the mantelpiece and then accidently fell down behind and remained lost for a century. These buildings have long histories, and their fabric can remain untouched for generations – so sometimes when things are lost, they can stay lost for a long time!”
Fiona Colbert, Records Manager, who carried out additional research said:
“It’s been fascinating to make these discoveries and piece together details about the people and the time they were here at Christ’s.”
After Osborn moved out, his room became a College Office used by the Bursar and more recently was known as the Old Law Library. Now it is the temporary home of the College Porters while the next stage of the First Court renovation takes place.
Builder Luke Johnson, who found the items, said:
“I’m used to finding things like postage stamps and newspaper cuttings, but I still get a thrill from these little bits of history.”
Scroll through below to see a selection of the items discovered.
