| Main Performers | The Vice Chancellor, Dr S Russell Wells - speaker
Lilian Mann - vocal,
William Lovelock,
Fernand Laloux - organ |
| Orchestra or Band | Students of Trinity College of Music (with Dr. C W Pearce, Director of Studies) |
| Set List | Solo: 'Land of Hope and Glory', Edward Elgar (Lilian Mann),
Organ Solo: 'Paean', C W Pearce (William Lovelock),
Overture: 'La Sirene', Auber (Orchestra),
'Marche Heroique', C Saint-Saens (Orchestra)
'Stately Dance', C W Pearce (Fernand Laloux, Orchestra),
'March from Henry VIII. Incidental Music', Sullivan (Orchestra),
'First Movement from the Eroica Symphony', Beethoven (Orchestra),
'Theme and Six dDversions', Edward German (Orchestra),
Suite: 'Wand of Youth', Elgar (Orchestra),
Intermezzo: 'Yellow Jasmine', F H Cowen (Orchestra),
'Two Hungarian Dances (5 and 6)', Brahms (Orchestra),
'Grasshoppers' Dance', Bucalossi (Orchestra),
'Introduction to Act III of 'Lohengrin'', Wagner (Orchestra)
Inspection of the University Contingent of the Offiers Training Corps (Vice-Chancellor),
Graduation Ceremony (Prize, Certificates, Science, Medicine, Music, Laws, Arts and Divinity, Doctors, Deans, Vice-Chancellors),
Speech (Vice-Chancellor) |
| Performance Notes | Premieres of C W Pearce's 'Stately Dance' and 'Paean', with the later especially composed for this occasion
'DEGREE DAY AT THE ALBERT HALL
WOMEN GRADUATES' DIFFICULTIES WITH THEIR CAPS
Yesterday was Degree Day at the Albert Hall. But yesterday's function was a more solemn affair than such functions are at the older universities. There were no interruptions; the Vice-Chancellor was allowed to make his speech in peace, and even the most popular graduates, with few exceptions, were hooded by the Vice-Chancellor and received their parchments without recognition from their fellow students. The Albert Hall to too big for such an intimate ceremony, and the students were too far away from what was happening thoroughly to enjoy themselves. It was like a Sunday concert, and the singing of "Land of Hope and Glory" at the close and the orchestral programme during the presentations heightened the effect.
The proceedings began at 1:30 pm with an inspections by the Vice-Chancellor of the guard of honour of the University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps, who later took their places at the back of the [dais]. The hall presented a magnificent spectacle when the various processions of presentees, with dark or scarlet robes and many-coloured hoods, and Deans of Faculty had taken their places and spread like great wings of colour for the Vice-Chancellor's procession to pass through to the dais. On the Vice-Chancellor's right hand came Dame Helen Gwynne Vaughan in her robes as doctor of science and took her place beside him on the platform.
The presentation of diplomas and degrees took a long time. The number of women who came forward was remarkable and many of them had difficulties with their caps. The procedure in the case of bachelors is that, carrying their hoods over their right arm and their caps in their left hands they kneel before the Chancellor, who invests them with the hood. Dr Wells, after the first 20 or so became quite expert, and any hoods arranged badly were presently patted into proper shape by the official standing beside him. But the ladies generally put their caps on backwards and had to rectify the mistake.
Among the doctors of medicine were two coloured brothers from Jamaica, Dr Harold Arundel Moody and Dr Ludlow Murcott Moody, the one getting a doctorate in medicine and the other in pathology, and they made striking figures in their scarlet robes. The war degrees were fairly numerous and several of the recipients wore khaki and rows of ribbons.
The Principal Officer, Sir Cooper Perry, made his report on the work of the University during the past year. For four years, he said, Presentation Day has found the University without a principal officer. He was the new holder of an old office, the restoration of which may be regarded as evidence that the time was ripe for a return to normal activities. The total admissions amounted to 6,295 as compared with 3,852 in 1913-1914. The total number of candidates for all examinations was 18,352, as against 11,920 in 1913-1914. The University's resources were strained to the utmost.
In enumerating the recent benefactions to the University, Sir Cooper Perry referred to the face that the King had consented to lay the foundation stone on May 28 of the new building in connexion with the London School of Economics. His Majesty had approved of a suggestion that at ceremonies of the University, his health should be proposed as 'Our Most Illustrious Doctor, His Majesty the King.' The Vice-Chancellor then addressed his 'charge' to the graduates.' (The Times 20 May 1920) |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1920/36) |