No. 139
The Trusty Servant
Sixty-seven years of Gregorian Service
Colleagues and pupils pay tribute to the lives of Jennifer Margaret Gregory 1938- 2024( CoRo, 69-99, Head of Biology, 78- 88) and John Martin Gregory 1936 – 2025( CoRo, 62-99). Short Obituaries are also published on page 23.
Jeremy Douglas( Coll, 88-92; CoRo, 04-) recalls the practical genius of Martin Gregory:
Martin Gregory retired in 1999( along with Jennifer) after 37 years of teaching physics to Wykehamists( including me, in 1988). A couple of years later, Tom David( CoRo, 83-07) and some CS boys began cataloguing equipment that had accumulated in the department since Science School was built in 1903. Science was taught originally in Flint Court and some items – including the Natural Philosophy and Winchester Board currently in the physics corridor- were brought over from there when Science School became operational. It is because we are lucky enough not to have been relocated since then that we have so much historic equipment representing over a century of science teaching at Winchester.
Martin was on hand to identify and enlighten Tom about many of the objects being catalogued and, after Tom retired in 2007, he continued to provide us with( often first-hand) details of equipment used across the sciences( not just physics). As part of a Lockdown project in 2020 Martin recorded audio commentary on 23 items from our collection, which can be listened to at winchestercollections. co. uk /? collection = cat _ science-collection A few years earlier he made a series of videos with us demonstrating many pieces of unusual kit for the first time in decades – an education for us even as we produced them!
Martin also provided fascinating back stories to our equipment at various events including a visit from the Scientific Instrument Society and numerous Heritage Open Days. I particularly remember working with him to set up our Branly coherers and mirror galvanometer for a BBC4 documentary on Victorian science in 2019, and his unparalleled exposition of the classic“ jumping ring” demonstration which went well beyond what any A-level syllabus would require.
Martin and Jennifer were hugely important to Win Coll, teaching for 67 years between them( a memorial clock is installed above the wind tunnel in Science School), and loyal friends and volunteers for many more. We miss them greatly.
Jon Cooper( CoRo, 86 – 11; Head of Biology, 88 – 00; HoDo G, 00-07) writes fondly of Jennifer:
I first met Jennifer in the prerefurbished Biology Department in Science School in May 1986. I was there for a job interview to teach Biology and Chemistry. We met in a wide corridor with a polished hardwood floor; we introduced ourselves and shook hands. She looked me straight in the eye and I looked back at a slim, stylish and confident Head of Biology who consummately took control of the
The plaque on the Gregorian Clock in Science School Left: the clock mounted above the wind tunnel in Science School
interaction. She gave me a quick tour and I was impressed with her spotless and extensive department and her crisp, no-nonsense approach. I had stepped off a long overnight flight from Canada the day before where I had been doing some post-doctoral research and teaching at the University of Alberta. I felt a little under-prepared but when we got to her office, and she started the main interview, I began to relax a little. I later learnt that the ability to put people at their ease was another of her gifts.
Jennifer had given up a promising career in cell biology research and teaching to join her husband Martin at Winchester, becoming the first female appointment,( the first female appointment was Gertrude Morwenna Trevaldwyn, who taught Biology May – Oct 1947 covering for Eric Lucas( CoRo, 35-51) while he went off to teach in Kenya.). Jennifer was the first full-time female science don.
She was part-time at first from January 1969, and then full-time in September. Her astonishing knowledge of biology was not only confined to cell and molecular biology but covered all aspects of the broadest science. She considered Medicine to be a branch of Biology,
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