Social Life and Marriage

Abstract

Hal, while a research student, was described as an eligible bachelor; tall, polite, handsome and most considerate. This was noticed by Lady Rose Thomson, wife of Trinity College’s Master. So she asked Hal to accompany her daughter, Joan, to a local Hunt Ball and although he thought the evening was a near disaster, it finally proved successful. Joan was not very bright academically and always accompanied her Nobel laureate father on his extensive travels. The Hunt Ball was a gathering for the local aristocracy and very, very “County,” so appearance was of supreme importance. Hal therefore carefully prepared his tail suit, with white waistcoat and bow tie. At the last moment, the waistcoat’s buttons could not be found, for the cleaner had not returned them, and there was no time to obtain others. So Hal had no choice but to call to collect Joan, wearing an ordinary dinner jacket and black tie. Horror of horrors, he was the only man at the ball wrongly dressed. But Joan took it in good part, enjoyed her evening and nothing further transpired, for Hal had recently met his future wife, Freye, a student at Girton College of Cambridge University. In those days, every college was a single sex establishment and the men students at Cambridge far outnumbered the girls.