PETERHOUSE
NOSTALGIA
PETERHOUSE
NOSTALGIA
Ian
Ferguson was on the staff of Peterhouse from the day it opened in February
1955 until he left as a result of ill-health in 1971.
Fergy grew up in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and was educated at St George's. After a spell in the Services during the Second World War, he gained a BSc from Rhodes University and joined the Michaelhouse staff. He taught there while Fred Snell was the Rector until Peterhouse opened.
He will be remembered with affection by many older Petreans for his commitment in the Chemistry laboratories, as House Tutor first of Grinham and then of Paget, on the shooting range, working with the school labour organisation, as Secretary of the Petrean Society, on the stage ( remember his production of Ruddigore? ), singing in the choir, and on many happy expeditions to Nyanga which he loved, and where eventually he bought property.
On leaving Peterhouse Fergy worked for a while at St Joseph's and old friends also met him when they visited the Cathedral where he sang in the choir for many years.
Fergy died in Salisbury (Harare) on 21 July 1981.
A postscript from Alan Watkins:
"Fergy - once met and never forgotten. I remember him telling us that he discovered that cyanide gas did not have any effect on him whatsoever! He had apparently been working in a lab in a lethal dose of it and when a colleague entered and promptly collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital. Many a Speech Day ceremony in the hall was semi-interrupted by the sound of an explosion from the science block. This was Fergy's prank for the day. At the end of your Peterhouse career, it was customary for the sixth formers to visit the staff houses just before the end of their last term and have a farewell drink. Most such visits were timed to end up in Fergy's flat in Paget because we knew he had a well stocked fridge!".
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