,(1),(1).png)
My name is Carolyn Jones, and I am immensely proud to serve as the Legacy Officer at the University of Liverpool. I cherish my role, as it allows me the privilege of connecting with our wonderful legacy supporter community. Today, on the anniversary of her passing, I would like to pause and remember the remarkable Miss Joan Kenworthy, and her affiliation with Liverpool.
For those readers, who are not well acquainted with Miss Kenworthy, Joan was appointed an Assistant Lecturer in Geography at the University of Liverpool in 1960 and was promoted to a Lectureship in 1963 and to a Senior Lectureship in 1973. In 1966 Miss Kenworthy was additionally appointed Warden of Salisbury Hall, also assuming responsibility for Morton House in 1974. In 1977 Joan left Liverpool to take up the position of Principal of St. Mary's College, University of Durham.
Joan was one of the first people I connected with, and she was a great source of inspiration and knowledge, not only to me but to all who knew her. I could spend the next several minutes writing about Joan in my words, but when I thought upon this, I thought it might be more meaningful for you to read her own reflections in an email which was sent to me in July 2019.
.jpg)
"Please accept my very best wishes for your work with Liverpool University. Thank you very much for writing. I am certain you will enjoy your work. The University has a very special place in my heart.
Please forgive a very long story to follow!
I came to Liverpool as a temporary Assistant Lecturer in Geography in 1960, temporary because I was appointed for one year to stand in for Dr Stan Gregory, who went to teach at the University of Sierra Leone on secondment for that year. I had graduated from St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1955, spent two years (1956-58) as a postgraduate in East Africa, and had two one-year appointments at St Hugh's College, Oxford (standing in for my former tutor who spent the year in Australia) and at Bedford College, London. Then Robert Steel, who had been appointed to the John Rankin chair in Geography, and who had taught me in Oxford, asked me to come to Liverpool.
What a lucky young woman I was!
I had been invited to become a tutor in University Hall, but the hall was closed when I arrived in Liverpool, and I was put up in Dale Hall until it opened. The warden, Miss Elizabeth Leese, was a very grand lady. She asked me where I had been previously, and I gabbled out that I had kept moving about. 'Oh, my dear,' she said, 'I do hope that doesn't continue.'
The then second-year geography students were by chance unusually small in number – there were about 23 of them. The norm then was about 35, so the Department made extra offers for the following year aiming for 40 and in the end, they got 60!
I was kept on, after being interviewed by the Dean of Arts, Kenneth Muir, and committee (the Social Science Faculty didn't yet exist).
Then, in 1965, I was invited to become warden of University Hall. I knew from hearsay that I was probably the last stop as there had been others who had been asked. I told the Vice Chancellor that I was interested – but only if I could continue as a full-time academic like the male wardens, but he refused, saying 'young ladies need more care' - so I declined saying that I was too young at 32 years old, to risk my academic career.
However, in 1966, I was appointed Warden of Salisbury Hall, and, at my insistence, as a full-time academic. Colleagues in Geography were not too pleased but soon found that I did not neglect my work in the Department.
I later shared wardenship of Morton House - with Dr Macmillan of McNair Hall, but only for a short time until he took on Mountford Hall. Hall Wardens were ask to serve on the University Senate and, as the only woman, I was put on every committee possible including staffing, finance, choosing a public orator and honorary degree nominations. It was an excellent experience!
I served on the Building Committee for the Carnatic Halls for 11 years under Bertram Nelson, and I was responsible for persuading the University to build a free-standing porter's lodge and common room, as those halls were built without. They were built using what was known as System Building, every tiny detail had to be agreed in advance. What fun we had touring in a bus to visit similar building methods elsewhere on Merseyside.
Our architects were the firm Manning and Clamp from London. They had won the prize for their plans for the Carnatic Site, and over many years we developed very good relationships with them. I could tell you many stories about how we coped in the initial weeks as we had to move in before the building was completed!
After many very happy years in Salisbury Hall and later also Morton House - the first Halls being female-only and the second being mixed - I moved to Durham as Principal of St Mary's College, but it won't surprise you that I left much of my heart in Liverpool. I return every year to meet what remains in touch of that small group of geographers of 1959-62, who were indirectly responsible for the development of my career.
I keep in touch with a few of my younger colleagues in the Department and in the Halls. I came to the 40th celebration of the establishment of the Carnatic Halls (I have a photograph of when I cut the cake).
After this long email, you will no longer be surprised that I am leaving a gift in my Will to help students. I don't dare to think how many Liverpool students were in my care.
Very badly missed among so many other former staff is Reg Davis (English Department and Warden of Gladstone Hall) who founded the Friends of the University of Liverpool, which was eventually taken over by your department.
With my very best wishes,
Joan"
If you have any fond memories of Joan, and would like to share them, please send me an email at: carolyn.jones@liverpool.ac.uk I'd love to hear from you!