‘Chaucer Road Gang’ reunite for Tree Planting in Cambridge

On the 17 December 2021, nine of the ten members of the ‘Chaucer Gang’ reunited to plant a Himalayan Birch in the garden of 23 Chaucer Road, Cambridge. A plaque was also created to mark 56 years of continuing friendship.

As Janet Porter, one of the members of the ‘Gang’ who all matriculated in 1965 writes: ‘We called ourselves the Chaucer Road group as we shared two flats at 23 Chaucer Road for our second year (1966 – 67).   Five of the group remained there for 1967 – 68 and the other five of us moved back to college – sharing the top floor of Peile (and the roof!) –  but all 10 of us have remained friends and in contact ever since.”

Here are all the members of the group and what they read:

Rosie Calvert: Natural sciences with Part 2 Biochemistry

Linda Fussey (nee Skewes):  Natural Sciences with Part 2 Chemistry

Helen Brittain (nee Sanders):   Natural Sciences with Part 2 Psychology

Lesley (Lel)  Aers (nee Inglis):  English

Libby Mountford (nee Ingate):  English

Kate Watkins (nee Reed):  Music

Lydia White (nee Clark):  Moral Sciences and Psychology (currently  Professor of Linguistics at McGill)

MaryAnne Stevens:   Fine Arts

Katherine Herzberg:   Law

Janet Porter:  Medical sciences

Janet continues: “23 Chaucer Road has other connections with Newnham. The family who kindly agreed to the planting in their garden have lived there since 1902 having produced several notable alumnae. The garden is open annually to the public under the National Garden Scheme.”

The whole ‘gang’ got together again during early Summer 2022. See photo below.