Latest news with #TrixieBaker
Euronews
31-03-2025
- Euronews
Missing Cambridge College clock hand returned nearly a century after student prank
ADVERTISEMENT A large clock hand stolen in a student prank has been returned to a Cambridge university after almost a century. Under cover of darkness on one night in the 1930s, prankster Geoffrey Hunter Baker – a modern language student who studied in Cambridge from 1934 to 1937 - and an unknown undergraduate student replaced the hands of the chapel clock at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, with cardboard replicas. Baker kept the hour hand, while his accomplice held onto the minute hand. Baker's daughter, Trixie Baker, inherited the hour hand from her father when he died in 1999. 'These worked very well until it rained,' Trixie Baker said, referring to the cardboard replicas. Late last year she returned it and the hand now sits in the College Archive alongside other tales of student pranks – known as 'rags'. College archivist James Cox said: "Learning of student escapades is part of the College's long and varied history." "While we don't encourage students to take part in such pranks, I am happy to learn about them years later, when no-one has been hurt and no permanent damage has been done - and they've graduated!" The minute hand remains missing and Gonville and Caius College has asked that anyone who has any information about its whereabouts should contact the College Archive. Where's the minute hand? Gonville and Caius College Gonville and Caius was first founded as Gonville Hall by Edmund Gonville, Rector of Terrington St Clement in Norfolk, in 1348. It was re-founded in 1557 by John Caius as Gonville and Caius College - and it's had its fair share of jokers. Other daring pranks include the 1921 gun caper, which saw Gonville and Caius students remove a German artillery gun from a nearby square and display it in Caius Court. Then there's the 1958 van debacle, when enterprising engineering students from the college placed an Austin Seven van on the roof of Senate House - Cambridge University's ceremonial building where graduation ceremonies take place. 'A' for effort.
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
About time? Hour hand returned to Cambridge University after 1930s prank
The hour hand of a university chapel clock that was taken in a student prank and replaced with a cardboard copy has been returned almost a century later. Trixie Baker inherited the hour hand on the death of her father, Cambridge graduate Geoffrey Hunter Baker, who died in 1999 aged 83. Geoffrey and an unnamed fellow undergraduate had taken the clock hands from Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, under cover of darkness and replaced them with cardboard copies. 'These worked very well until it rained,' Trixie said. The college replaced the hands and it appears the perpetrators of the prank were not known until now. The pranksters took a hand each – the minute hand remains missing. Trixie returned the hour hand to Gonville & Caius, the fourth oldest college at Cambridge University, on a visit late last year. The college archivist, James Cox, said: 'I was delighted to welcome Trixie to the college and to receive the clock hand.' It now resides in the college archive alongside other tales of student pranks – known as 'rags'. 'Learning of student escapades is part of the college's long and varied history,' he said. 'While we don't encourage students to take part in such pranks, I am happy to learn about them years later, when no one has been hurt and no permanent damage has been done – and they've graduated.' Trixie's father started as a modern languages student at Gonville & Caius in 1934 and graduated in 1937, with the prank happening during this time. Gonville & Caius was first founded as Gonville Hall by Edmund Gonville, rector of Terrington St Clement in Norfolk, in 1348. It was refounded in 1557 by John Caius as Gonville & Caius College. In 1958, engineering students from the college were responsible for placing an Austin Seven van on the roof of Senate House, Cambridge University's ceremonial building where graduation ceremonies take place. In 1921, Gonville & Caius students removed a German artillery gun from a nearby square and displayed it in Caius Court.
BBC News
28-03-2025
- BBC News
Cambridge student clock prank solved nearly 100 years later
A large clock hand stolen in a student prank has been returned to a university after almost a Hunter Baker and an unknown undergraduate student replaced the hands of the chapel clock at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, with cardboard replicas one night in the 1930s."These worked very well until it rained," said his daughter Trixie Baker who inherited the hour hand from her father when he died in last year she returned it and the hand now sits in the College Archive. College archivist James Cox said: "Learning of student escapades is part of the College's long and varied history. "While we don't encourage students to take part in such pranks, I am happy to learn about them years later, when no-one has been hurt and no permanent damage has been done - and they've graduated!"In 1958, engineering students placed an Austin Seven van on the roof of Senate House, Cambridge University's ceremonial building where graduation ceremonies take College replaced the hands as the pranksters had kept one Baker started as a modern languages student at Gonville and Caius in 1934 and graduated in 1937, with the prank happening during this with information regarding the still missing minute hand has been asked to contact the College Archive. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Cambridge College student prank finally resolved after 100 years
A century-old prank involving a Cambridge University chapel clock has reached its conclusion with the return of a pilfered hour hand. The hand, originally taken sometime around 1923, found its way back to Gonville and Caius College thanks to Trixie Baker, who inherited the timepiece artifact from her father. Geoffrey Hunter Baker, a graduate of the college, orchestrated the prank with a fellow student, removing the clock hands under the cloak of darkness and replacing them with cardboard replicas. Each student kept one of the original hands as a memento of their undergraduate escapade. Mr. Baker passed away in 1999 at the age of 83, leaving the hour hand to his daughter. The return of the hand marks the end of a chapter in the college's history, highlighting the enduring legacy of student pranks and the unexpected journeys of historical artifacts. 'These worked very well until it rained,' Ms Baker said. The College replaced the hands and it appears the perpetrators of the prank were not known until now. The minute hand remains missing. Mr Baker started as a modern languages student at Gonville and Caius in 1934 and graduated in 1937, with the prank happening during this time. His daughter returned the hour hand to Gonville and Caius, the fourth oldest College in Cambridge University, on a visit late last year. It now resides in the College Archive alongside other tales of student pranks – known as 'rags'. College archivist James Cox said: 'I was delighted to welcome Trixie to the College and to receive the clock hand. ' Learning of student escapades is part of the College's long and varied history. 'While we don't encourage students to take part in such pranks, I am happy to learn about them years later, when no-one has been hurt and no permanent damage has been done – and they've graduated!' Gonville and Caius was first founded as Gonville Hall by Edmund Gonville, Rector of Terrington St Clement in Norfolk, in 1348. It was re-founded in 1557 by John Caius as Gonville and Caius College. In 1958, engineering students from the College were responsible for placing an Austin Seven van on the roof of Senate House, Cambridge University's ceremonial building where graduation ceremonies take place. In 1921, Gonville and Caius students secretly spirited away a six-ton German artillery gun from Jesus Close and displayed it in Caius Court. Anyone with information about the missing minute hand is asked to contact the College archivist via the College website.
