ABSTRACT
Nina was a marvellous friend, indeed my best friend at Oxford, and we remained close until her death. She made Somerville a memorable experience for me, though what I remember most of all is that we had a blast. She had the most brilliant and enquiring mind I have encountered. She “read” modern languages, but yet knew more about PPE (Politics, Philosophy & Economics—my subject) than I ever learnt! She had a commanding presence, but was never bossy or arrogant; she was generous, with a marvellous sense of humour, and was intellectually ahead of us all. She was a very popular president of the JCR (Junior Common Room, equivalent to a Students’ Union). An unforgettable three years, including haunting tobacco shops for cigarettes, in short supply in those post war years! And what was the pub we frequented regularly? I forget! She introduced me to squash and chess (and regularly beat me), and her home in Cornwall was my home during my time in the UK. One long vacation was spent bicycling through the Highlands of Scotland in some appalling weather; never shall I forget the Moor of Rannoch. We went climbing on the Isle of Skye. Another vacation, we worked for a travel agency (run by the husband of the Principal of Somerville, Janet Vaughan) 130escorting schoolchildren across Paris, putting them on trains to join French families . . . or, for all we knew, the white slave traffic. I don’t think we lost any.
