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From the Daily Mirror Feb 25th 1935:
Universities Bury The Hatchet
Bitterness Washed Away Under Village Pump
From now onwards, there will be peace between England’s two greatest universities. Cambridge will cease to jeer at Oxford: an offence will be to scoff at Cambridge.
The boat race will be rowed without bitterness- for today under a parish pump, all bitterness between the universities was washed away.
Whether Oxford will cheer for the Cambridge’s boat and vice versa is not yet revealed.
Representatives of the universities met on the village green at Sherington - exactly half way between Oxford & Cambridge and swore "eternal fidelity".
Why? Because recently Dark Blue & Light have suffered outside attacks, & it was decided that the time had come to----
"Resist all the workaday competition & lay the birch of long tradition on all other cities of learning"
The universities were represented by the editors of the undergraduate journals - Oxford by Mr Michael Asquith (grandson of the Statesman) editor of the ‘Isis’, and Mr. Michael Barsley, editor of the ‘Cherwell’. Cambridge by Mr, Frank Harvey, editor of the ‘Greensman’, and Mr. M.S.Staniland, editor of the ‘Grouta’.
Oath on the Pump
Just before midday the representatives met outside the village, exchanged greetings, separated & converged upon the green from 4 different roads to gather at the village pump.
All - with one exception - wore morning dress. The exception was Mr. William Buchan, son of the novelist.
Standing at the pump, Mr. N.E.W.Sutton (Cambridge) read a Latin prayer. Then each editor read a speech, & afterwards, placing their right hands on top of the pump, swore an oath to preserve the new found friendship.
They stepped back into line, and at a signal from the master of ceremonies Mr. Peter Dwyer (Oxford) released a dove, a symbol of the new peace.
Copies of the university papers were then placed under the pump by their editors, who solemnly pumped water over them to wash away bitterness. | 