The contribution of private giving to a University’s success
Contents
5
Introduction
6
The Martin Family
8
The University of Warwick
11 The Martin Contribution
12 The Warwick Arts Centre
16 The Arts Centre Programme
17 The Mead Gallery
17 The Arts Centre Cinema
18 The Helen Martin Studio
19 The Music Centre
20 The Coull Quartet
20 Student Drama
22 The American Dimension
27 The Jack Martin Residences
28 The Modern Records Centre
31 Sports Facilities
31 The Coventry Athletics Track
32 The Sports Pavilion
32 The Tennis Centre
35 Helen Martin: A Memoir
36 Conclusion
The
Martin
Family
and the
University
of Warwick
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
4
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
T
Introduction
he importance of private gifts to American universities
iswelldocumentedandtherearemanyexamplessuchas
theRockefellergivingtotheUniversityofChicagoorSenator
Stanford’stoStanfordwhereasinglesourceofprivatesupport
playedacriticalroleinaninstitution’sinitialdevelopment.In
Britaintherecordofprivategiving,atleastinthepost-waryears,
hasbeenverymuchlesssignificant.Althoughnuffield,Wolfson
andRobinsondonationsfoundedoxbridgecolleges,universities
outsideoxbridgeotherthaneastAnglia,whichhadSainsbury’s
supportforitsSainsburyCentre,canboastnothinglikethelevel
ofphilanthropicgiftsthatremainanimportantelementinthe
livesofmanycomparableAmericanuniversities.MostBritish
universitieshavenowenteredthefieldofactivefundraising
butonlyone,Warwick,hasbeenfortunateenoughtoretaina
continuousrelationshipwithaprivatephilanthropictrusteversince
itsfoundation.Thisshortaccounthasbeenwrittentocelebrate
thisrelationshipand,ontheUniversity’sside,toacknowledgethe
supportthatThe29thMay1961CharitableTrust,setupbyHelen
Martin,hasgiventheUniversity.
Thesupporthascomeintwokinds:capitalgrantsfor
significantnewdevelopmentsandfundingonatriennialbasisfor
areasofactivityinwhichthetrusteesandtheUniversityhavehad
aspecialinterest.overaperiodof45yearsthetotalvalueofthe
Trust’scontributionhasbeenjustunder£28mat2010prices.Its
significancelieslessinthesum,generousthoughitis,butinthe
extenttowhichcapitalgiftsfromtheTrusthaveprovidedleverage
atcriticalstrategicmomentsintheUniversity’sdevelopmentwhile,
ontheincomeside,itsrecurrentsupporthasenabledtheUniversity
toestablishandmaintainactivitieswhichwereofgreatimportance
totheoveralllifeoftheUniversityandofitssurrounding
community,butwhichcouldnothavebeenjustifiediftheyhadhad
tocompetewithclaimsforthesupportofacademicactivitieswithin
theframeworkoftheUniversity’sownoverstretchedresources.
WhatmakestheTrust’scontributionssoimportantisthattheyhave
invariablybeendirectedtowardsactivitieswhichhavehelpedtogive
theUniversityitsdistinctivereputation;theUniversitywouldnot
havebeenthesameinstitutionwithoutthem.Webelievethatthis
isoneofthelargestcontinuousrecordsofprivategivingtoaBritish
universityfromasinglesourceinthepost-warperiod.û
5
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Martin Family
A 1930s’ Daimler (courtesy of Coventry Transport Museum)
P
Percy Martin
Jack Martin
ercy Martin was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1871 and
graduatedfromohioStateUniversityinmechanical
engineeringin1891.HewasonholidayintheUkafter
workingasanengineerforGeneralelectricinMilanandBerlin
when,afterachancemeetingonatrain,heagreedtobecomeworks
managerofDaimler,thenasmallmotorcarcompanyinCoventry.
By1906hehadbecomemanagingdirectorofthecompany,a
positionheheldformorethan20years;hewaslatertobecome
chairman.DuringtheFirstWorldWarheheldseniorpositions
intheMinistryofMunitionsandsatontheAirBoard.In1910he
boughtanestateontheoutskirtsofkenilworth,justacrossthe
fieldsfromwheretheUniversityofWarwickwastobefoundeda
littleover50yearslater.RetiringfromDaimlerin1935,hedevoted
himselftobreedingprizeGuernseycows.
In1902PercymarriedAliceHelenHeubleinofHartford,
ConnecticutwhomhehadmetinBerlin.Alice’sgrandfatherhad
emigratedfromBavariatotheUSandin1875,withhistwosons,
hadfoundedGFHeubleinandBro,adistilledspiritsbusinessin
Hartford.PercyandAlicehadtwochildren,JackandHelen.Jack
wenttoUppinghamSchoolandCambridgeandin1927joined
Heublein.ThefirmhadbeenhardhitbyProhibitionandmuchof
itsbusinesswasdependentonthesaleofA1SteakSauce.In1939,by
whichtimehehadbecomepresidentofthecompany,Jackbought
asmallvodkadistilleryinBethel,ConnecticutfromaRussian
emigrant,Rudolfkunnett,for$14,000.kunnetthadhimself
Helen Martin
6
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
boughttherightstotheformulaanddistillingprocessinParis
fromvladimirSmirnoffwhohadescapedfromRussiawhenhis
Moscowdistilleryhadbeennationalisedandvirtuallydestroyed
aftertheRevolution.
Thepurchasewasknownas‘Jack’sFolly’inHeubleinforthe
nextfewyears.Jackhimselfwentontoamuchdecoratedcareerin
theUSArmyintheSecondWorldWar,beforereturningtothepostwarUStomarketSmirnoffvodkaasthebaseforaseriesofcocktails
whichheinvented:theMoscowMule,theScrewdriver,theBloody
MaryandtheBlackRussian.Jackwasamarketinggeniusand
createdthespecialSmirnoffimage;Smirnoff’ssalesroseto14
millioncratesbythe1960s.MeanwhileHeubleinitselfhadgreatly
expanded,purchasingkentuckyFriedChickenandvineyardsinthe
napavalleyinCaliforniaandinPortugal.Jackbecamechairman,
eventuallyretiringfromthecompanyin1975.Heubleinbecame
apubliccompanyin1957;in1982,itmergedwithRJReynolds
Industriesandin1987wasacquiredbyGrandMetropolitan.Ten
yearslater,GrandMetropolitanmergedwithGuinnesstoform
Diageo,thecurrentownersoftheSmirnoffbrand.
Helenmeantimehadcontinuedtoliveunmarriedatthe
familyhomeoutsidekenilworth.Percydiedin1958andin1961
shefollowedherbrother’sexampleinConnecticutofsettingup
afoundationoutoftheincomeshewasderivingfromHeublein
asafamilyshareholder.Thetrusteesweredrawnprimarilyfrom
thepartnersofDaffernandCoofCoventryandleamingtonSpa,
Helen’saccountants,andwereled,untilhisdeathin1984,byPhil
Mead,theseniorpartner.In1963theUniversityofWarwickwas
foundedonasitebetweenCoventryandkenilworth,anditsfirst
vice-ChancellorJack(laterlord)Butterworthwasappointed.over
theyearstheTrusthassupportedmanyinterestsineducation,but
theUniversity,appearingfortuitouslyonthesceneshortlyafterthe
Trustwasestablished,hasbeenitslargestsinglebeneficiary.
Intheearlyyearsoftherelationship,theidentityofthe
Trustanditsfounderremainedacloselyguardedsecretinorder
toprotectHelenMartinfromintrusion.WithintheUniversity
referencewasalwaysmadetothe‘AnonymousBenefactor’,the
namesuggestingamasculinedonor.HelenMartin,whowasa
cellist,hadapassionforclassicalmusic;shewasaregularattender
atconcertsintheWarwickArtsCentreintheUniversity,towhich
theTrustwastheprimecapitaldonor.ladyButterworthhas
A Smirnoff advertisement from the 1970s
kindlyprovidedabriefdescriptionofHelen’srelationshipwiththe
UniversityandoftheUniversity’searlylinkswiththeTrust(see
page35).PhilMeadbecameakeymemberoftheUniversityCouncil
andforfiveyearswastheHonoraryTreasureroftheUniversity.
AnotherTrustee,Paulvarney,wasavaluedmemberofthe
UniversityCounciloveraperiodof20years.WhenJackMartindied
in1986andHelenin1988,itwasagreedtoabandontheanonymity
oftheTrustandtoacknowledgepubliclytherelationshipbetween
theUniversityandtheMartinfamily.Thecloselinkswiththe
Trusteeshaveremained.û
7
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The University
of Warwick
T
he University was one of a group of wholly newuniversities
(eastAnglia,essex,kent,lancaster,Stirling,Sussex,york
andthenewUniversityofUlster)whichwerefoundedon
greenfieldsitesintheperiod1959-63tocaterfortheanticipated
expansionofstudentnumbersinBritishhighereducation.
Warwick’smagnificentsiteof500acres(nowextendedto717acres)
wasgivenbyCoventryCityCouncilandWarwickshireCounty
Council,andwhilethestatewascommitted,asfortherestof
highereducation,tocontributetheUniversity’srecurrentfunding,
itwasaconditionofagreeingtotheestablishmentoftheUniversity
thatthePromotionCommittee,chairedbylordRootes,whichhad
petitionedfortheUniversity,shouldraiseaprivateappealforfunds.
ThiswasataskthatlordRootesandthefirstvice-Chancellor,Jack
Butterworth,whenappointed,readilyundertook.TheUniversity
FoundationFund,whichtheyfounded,remainsacontributorto
Universitydevelopment.
Currently(2009-10),theUniversityhas21,600students,over
42%ofwhomarepostgraduatesandofwhomaround26%comefrom
outsidetheeuropeanUnion.Itisregarded,athomeandabroad,
asoneofthemostsuccessfuluniversitiesinBritain.Itisranked
consistentlyinthetoptenUkuniversitiesforteachingandresearch
inthemedialeaguetables,wasawarded,in1987,amajoreuropean
prizeforitsinnovatorymanagementstyleandhasbeenquotedbyat
leasttwoPrimeMinistersasamodelforotheruniversitiestofollow;
ithasareputationforgeneratingalargepercentageofitsincome
fromnon-governmentsources.WithitsArtsCentre,itsSciencePark,
itscommitmenttowideningparticipationandlifelonglearningand
itsinternationalfocus,ithassoughttobalanceitsinternationaland
nationalreputationwithlocalandcommunityrelevance.û
8
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
9
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Top left: Lord (Jack) Butterworth, Vice-Chancellor 1963–85. Centre: The University site
before building commenced. Bottom right: Phil Mead, Senior Partner, Daffern & Co
and Member of the University Council 1965–83
10
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Martin
Contribution
T
he initial contact with the University came about not
throughtheeffortsofprofessionalfundraisers,butasisoften
thecasewithsignificantgifts,byacombinationofgood
fortuneandtheenergyoftheindividualsconcerned.InFebruary
1963,JackButterworth,asthevice-Chancellor-electofaninstitution
thatwasexpectedtooffersomuchtoCoventry,wasinvitedto
addresstheCoventryChamberofCommerceonhisplansforthe
newUniversity.PhilMeadattendedthemeetingandimmediately
afterwardswrotetoButterworth,thenstillaFellowofnewCollege,
oxford,explainingthathehadbeenincorrespondencewiththe
thenMinisterofeducationtoproposeanationalAnglo-American
Scholarshipfund.Sincetheresponsehadbeensoslow,wouldthe
newUniversitybeinterested?Butterworth’sresponsewasnotslow
andwithinsixweeksaninitialdonationof£5000foranAnglo-USA
TravelFundhadbeenmadetothenewUniversity.
Itwasthisspeedofreaction,informalityofstyleand
ambitiontosupportnewprojectsthatbroughtthetwosides
togethersoquicklyandinsuchatrustingrelationship.each
sideinfluencedtheother:theTrustees,ofwhominitiallyHelen
Martinwasone,hadavisionofthesortsofprojectstheywould
support,butwerewillingtobeinfluencedbytheUniversity’s
ideas;theUniversitywasreceptivetothedonor’sinterestsand
wasimaginativeinadaptingthemtotheUniversity’sambitions.
Bothsidesonlywantedthebest;athisfirstmeetingwithJack
Butterworth,PhilMeadsaid,“Universitiesarelikefootballclubs:
youhavetobeinthefirstdivision”andnoprojectwasembarked
uponthatdidnotbothaddsomethingnewtotheUniversitybut
alsoemphasiseitsambitiontobecomeoneofBritain’sleading
universities–inwhichithasbeensingularlysuccessful.û
Planning the University
11
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Warwick
Arts Centre
T
his has been the major project supported by theTrust
andwasundoubtedlytheclosesttoHelenMartin’sown
interests.AlthoughCoventryhadbuilttheBelgradeTheatre
aspartofitspost-warre-development,thiswasalongwayfrom
theUniversitycampusandhadalimitedrepertoire.Therewas
noconcerthallintheCoventryandWarwickshirearea,and
evenBirmingham,atthattime,couldoffernohighquality
concertfacilities.Americanuniversities,ontheotherhand,had
demonstratedhowtheatresandconcerthallsonuniversitycampuses
couldinvigorateuniversityculturallife,integrateuniversities
withtheirlocalandregionalcommunities,andemphasisethata
universityeducationcouldoffermorethansimplyacademicstudy.
visitingtheUnitedStatesasaguestoftheMartinfamily,Jack
ButterworthandPhilMeadvisitedtheHopkinsCenteratDartmouth
Collegein1964.ThiswastoprovetheinspirationfortheArtsCentre
atWarwick(seeladyButterworth’saccountonpage35).
TheWarwickArtsCentre,thebiggestmulti-artscentre
intheUkoutsidelondon,wasbuiltinfourstages:thefirst,
comprisingtwotheatres,aconferenceroom,anensembleroom
andmusiccentre,wascompletedin1974;thesecond–aconcert
hall–wascompletedin1981;thethird–acinema,artgallery
andbookshop–wascompletedin1986,andthefourth–the
refurbishmentoftheButterworthHall,includinganextension
containingadditionaldressingrooms,andanewrehearsaland
creativespace(‘TheHelenMartinStudio’)–wascompletedin2009.
Forthefirststage,theTrustpaidforthetheatresandthemusic
facilities(about75%ofthetotalcost),forthesecondtheroofandthe
acousticfacilitiesfortheHall(abouthalfthetotalcost),forthethird
thegreaterpartoftheartgallery(about75%)andforthefourththe
TrustspearheadedtheUniversity’sfundraisingcampaignwitha
donationof£500,000whichencouragedothermajorfoundations,
trustsandmanyindividualdonorstocontribute.
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
13
T h e m a rTi n fa m i ly a nd T h e univer siT y of wa rwic k
Dr C L Brundin, Vice-Chancellor
1985 – 1992, Yehudi Menuhin
and Lord Butterworth at the
naming of the Butterworth Hall
in 1987
for the opening of stage 1,
the Trust brought leonard
Bernstein from the us, who
conducted one of his own
compositions; it brought
riccardo muti to conduct
the Philharmonia orchestra in the inaugural concert in the
concert hall in 1981, and in 1987, it brought yehudi menuhin, who
conducted the warsaw sinfonia at the concert at which he formally
named the concert hall ‘The Butterworth hall’ in honour of the
university’s first vice-chancellor. it also persuaded Peter donohoe
to go to hamburg to select a new steinway piano which it also paid
for (and donated specifically in memory of helen martin) for the
Butterworth hall in 1990. donohoe subsequently gave the inaugural
recital on the new purchase. in 1993, 1994 and 1995, it gave £850,000
as a private sector contribution to secure a £3m lottery grant for
a complete refurbishment of the complex. it has also contributed
significantly to the classical music programme.
when the project was first conceived helen martin
asked that the building should “make a distinctive and exciting
contribution to the architecture of the university; it is hoped that
the amount available will enable a distinguished building to be
designed not limited by the present rectangular conception of the
buildings which it has been necessary to design within the norms
of the uGc”. Jack Butterworth secured the assistance of sir Peter
hall (the director of the royal shakespeare company) and John Bury
in designing the theatre and its remarkable backstage facilities:
stage 1 received a riBa award in 1975. miss martin went on to
hope that the building would provide “a forum for the university
and the community to enjoy cultural events of the highest order”.
in particular, she believed that the arts centre should play an
important role in bringing music, her own great interest, to the
university. The arts centre attracts around 300,000 visitors a year
with audiences drawn from across the midlands region and beyond.
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra at the opening concert in the refurbished Butterworth Hall, October 2009
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
‘Diary of a Madman’, the Arts Centre, Autumn 2010
Vladimir Ashkenazy, conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra at the
Arts Centre in October 2010
The Arts Centre Programme
Itwasalwaysrecognisedthattoprovideinternationalquality
performancesresourceswererequiredoverandabovewhatwas
availablefromtheboxoffice,Universityfundsandconventional
Artssubsidies.Fromitsopening,therefore,theTrusthasmade
anannualcontributiontotherunningcostsoftheArtsCentre,
initiallytosupportconcertsandthefeespayabletoartistsand
orchestras,andlater,anadditionalsumtosupporttheprogramme
ofexhibitionsintheMeadGallery;from1983,fundswerealsomade
availabletosupportachildren’sprogramme.
The Arts Centre programme has been particularly notable
foritsclassicalconcertseriestowhichthePhilharmoniaorchestra
with conductor vladimir Ashkenazy, the Hallé and the City of
Birmingham Symphony orchestra have been regular contributors.
Helen Martin herself regularly attended these concerts, and a seat
in the Butterworth Hall was always unobtrusively reserved for
her. In the 21st century, the Arts Centre’s programme has had an
increasingly international dimension: there is a long association
with Peter Brook’s company, Théâtre des Bouffes du nord; the
Maly Theatre of St Petersburg performed Chekhov’s‘Uncle vanya’
in Russian, in 2005; Riccardo Muti visited the Arts Centre again
to conduct a gala concert in celebration of the University’s 40th
anniversary, and in March 2010 the Butterworth Hall was the
venueforauniqueconcertbytheRoyalPhilharmonicorchestraof
music by Shostakovich conducted by the composer’s son, Maxim.
TheTrust’stotalcontributiontotheArtsCentreprogramme
hasnowreachedaround£217,000peryear.Itrepresentsthe
indispensabledifferencebetweenaprovincialandaninternational
qualityprogramme.
16
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Mead Gallery (above and right) and (below right) a still
from the Australian animated film ‘Mary & Max’
The Mead Gallery
Builtin1986,theMeadGallerywasnamedafterPhilMead
(HelenMartin’saccountant),anditwasonhisinitiativethat
theTrustprovidedrecurrentsupportforthisimportantproject.
TheGalleryisaseriesofwhitecubes,andshowsaprogrammeof
contemporaryandmodernartwhichhasnationalsignificance.
Itisparticularlyknownforitsprogrammeofcommissionsof
newwork:forexample,artistPhyllidaBarlowmadeasculpture
fillingtheentirespaceinashowthatlaterfeaturedinthe
catalogueofheronepersonexhibitionattheSerpentineGallery,
london,in2010.TheMeadalsodevelopsexhibitionsthatexamine
aperiod,ortheworkofparticularartists:incollaborationwith
theUniversityofSussex,amajorexhibitionoftheworkofliliane
lijn,whose ‘Whitekoan’isoneofWarwick’sicons,washeldin
2005.TheMeadalsoprovidesanexcellentopportunityforHistory
ofArtstudentstolearnatfirsthandaboutcommissioningand
curatingexhibitions.
The Arts Centre Cinema
Bysupportingtheconstructionofacinemaduringthethird
stageoftheArtsCentre’sconstruction,theTrustprovidednot
justtheUniversitybutthelocalregionwithanimportantnew
amenity.TheArtsCentrehasoneoftheforemostindependent
cinemaprogrammesintheUk,presentingabespokeprogramme
ofcontemporaryandclassicfilmsfromaroundtheworld.Thisis
supportedbyavitalandinnovativeeducationprogrammewhich
engageswithaudiences,filmmakersandacademics.Thecinema
attractslargeandappreciativeaudiencesandisanimportantpart
oftheUniversity’sengagementwiththelocalregion.
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Helen Martin Studio
TheHelenMartinStudiowascreatedasthefinalpartofthe
redevelopmentoftheButterworthHallin2008-9.Itisawhite-box
rehearsalspace,ofdoubleheightandwithenoughfloorareato
accommodateafullsymphonyorchestra.Withasprungfloorand
lightfloodinginfromitslargecornerwindow,itprovidescreative
spaceforahugerangeofactivities.Inparticular,ithasprovedtobe
anidealenvironmenttobringartiststogetherwithlocalchildren
andtheirteachers.Aparticularsuccesswasaweeklongworkshop
(picturedbelow)where16localboysworkedwiththedance
company‘StanWon’tDance’tomake,shareandenjoydance.This
projectwaspartoftheArtsCentre’s'BoysDancing'programme
whichhasbeenawardedthelondon2012‘InspireMark’.
18
T h e m a rTi n fa m i ly a nd T h e univer siT y of wa rwic k
The Music Centre
The university has never had an academic music department,
but since its earliest days it has had a director of music to direct
the playing of music as a university cultural activity. The music
facilities within the arts centre have always given centrality to
this role. warwick has developed a remarkable range of high
quality musical activity which has resulted in prizes being won in
international festivals by the chamber choir and in British festivals
by the wind orchestra, the symphonic wind ensemble, the Big
Band and the Brass Band (one of the highest ranked student bands
in the uk). The centre has also commissioned works for the student
ensembles, who regularly tour in the uk, europe and india. in 2005
a grant of £45,000 by the Trust enabled the centre to purchase a
range of world music instruments (samba drums, sitar, tabla, dhol
and african djembe) which has added a further dimension to the
students’ musical experience.
one of the most imaginative steps was the proposal by the
then director of music in 1981 that the Trust should create a series
of music scholarships to reinforce the talent already available for
students wishing to study non-musical disciplines who were willing
to devote time either to orchestral or choral work or to playing
in local churches. some of these music scholars have gone on to
full-time musical careers. for example, warren mailley-smith
(law 1994-97), who held a keyboard scholarship, is now regarded
as one of the uk’s leading concert pianists and confirms that the
opportunities he enjoyed as a result of his scholarship “far exceeded
my expectations and transformed my career outlook from fledgling
lawyer to concert pianist”; his contemporary, matthew Jones, who
held a music scholarship while studying mathematics, is now
Professor of music at Trinity college of music london. Perhaps
more importantly, however, the scheme has reinforced the extent
to which warwick has been able to offer something more than
a narrowly academic university education. The music centre’s
alumni groups – the Phoenix orchestra and the Phoenix singers
(who performed in the millennium dome at easter 2000) – and its
continued success in performing in the wider local community
to support local fundraising projects, and in international
competition, is testimony to the enthusiasm students bring to
its activities.
19
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Coull Quartet on their appointment as the University’s Quartet in
Residence, 1977 and (right) the current Coull Quartet
The Coull Quartet
In1976theTrusteeswerepersuadedtosupporttheappointment
ofaresidentquartetwhowouldusetheopportunitytobuildan
internationalreputationbutwhowouldalsogivemusiclessonsto
studentsandplayintheUniversityorchestra.Forthelast33years,
theCoullQuartethasbeeninresidence,whilealsoperformingand
broadcastingextensivelythroughouttheUk,theUSA,Western
europe,theFareast,SouthAmericaandAustralia.TheUniversity
takesprideinthewaytheyhavedevelopedtheirinternational
reputationwhileatthesametimeintegratingthemselvesso
successfullyintotheUniversity’smusicallife.
Student Drama
Theproximity,facilitiesandexpertiseoftheArtsCentrehave
encouragedstudentdramaatWarwicktoflourish.Thefirststage
oftheArtsCentre(1974)specificallyprovidedforadramastudio
andimmediatelyraisedtoanewleveltheopportunitiesforstudent
dramaatWarwick–previously,studentproductionshadtakenplace
onthegroundfloorofBenefactorsResidence.WarwickStudents’
Unionnowsupportsawholerangeofdramagroups,coveringall
aspectsofperformanceexperience.In2010Warwickstudentswon
severalawardsatthenationalStudentDramaFestivalandthey
regularlyperformattheedinburghFestival.û
20
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Warwick University Dramatic Society’s award-winning production of ‘The Bog of Cats’, 2010 (photograph by peter marsh/ashmorevisuals)
21
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The American
Dimension
T
he Trust’s first gift to the University was for a USA Travel
Fund,emphasisingHelenMartin’sowninterestinfostering
closelinksbetweentheUkandtheUSA,ofwhichherown
familywassuchanexemplar.Intheearly1960s,withanexpansion
ofstudentnumbersforecast,Ukuniversitieswerewatchingwith
envythedevelopmentofUShighereducation,andtheinauguration
ofPresidentkennedygavepublicimpetustoawishforcloser
educationalandculturallinks.Theprovisionofstudentresidences
wasthekeytogettingWarwickstartedbecauseitsruralcampus,cut
offbybusjourneysfromthemainpopulationcentresofCoventry
andleamingtonSpa,neededstudentlifeafterlecturestofeellikea
community.TheAppeal,ledbylordRootes,hadnettedsufficientto
buildafirsttrancheof600rooms(theRootesResidences),butitwas
feltthatthesewereill-adaptedtousebyUSstudents.
Sothefirstmajorcapitalgiftof£195,000,madebythe
TrustinFebruary1965,wasforastudentresidence,laternamed
Benefactors,specificallyintendedtohouseUSexchangestudents
andanequalnumberofBritishstudents.HelenMartin’swishwas
thattheresidenceshouldbeof“substantiallyhigherstandardsof
accommodationandconstructionthanisprovidedinanormalhall
ofresidencebuiltfrompublicfunds”,andthat“allroomswillbe
morethanusuallygenerousinsizeand,inparticular,thereception
areasandthebedroomswillbedesignedtoprovideapleasant
environmentasfaraspossibleinthebestAmericantradition”.The
existenceofsuchapurpose-builtfacility,providingaccommodation
for72students,gaveWarwickauniqueadvantageandlaunched,
withpanache,exchangeschemeswithagroupofveryhighquality
USuniversitiesandcolleges,includingtheUniversityofCaliforniaBerkeley,Chicago,SouthCarolina,Swarthmore,Tulaneand
Wisconsin-Madison.
22
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Benefactors
Residence, 1967
23
T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
ThemostimmediatebeneficiaryofthenewUSATravel
FundwastheHistoryDepartmentwhichunderthelateSirJohn
Hale,thefoundingprofessor,initiatedaschemein1966under
whichWarwickHistorystudentsstudiedforatermatoneofthese
USinstitutions,whileanequalnumberofstudentsfromthese
institutionscametoWarwick.Inthelongrun,thisschemeproved
nottobesustainable–Warwickchangeditssyllabustorequireaone
yearperiodaway,studentgrantregulationschangedandUSinterest
inandfinancialarrangementsforstudyingabroadalsochanged
–buttheflowofstudentstoandfroacrosstheAtlanticcontinues
tothisday.ThegenerousannualdonationfromtheTrustprovides
travelfundsforundergraduatesspendingayearinnorthAmerica
aspartoftheirdegreestudiesandalsoforpostgraduatesattending
conferencesintheUSAorundertakingresearchinlibrariesor
archives;theexchangeprogrammehasbeenexpandedandnew
exchangeagreementsinaugurated–forexample,withColumbia
University,newyork.In2009-10,studentsfromWarwick’s
DepartmentsofHistory,PoliticsandInternationalStudies,
Philosophy,economicsandenglishandfromtheWarwickBusiness
SchoolwereenabledbytheAmericanStudyandStudentexchange
SchemetotraveltotheUniversitiesofCalifornia,WisconsinMadison,Columbia,Connecticut,SouthCarolina,Georgetown,
RichmondandtheWhartonSchoolofBusinessattheUniversity
ofPennsylvania.
ThebenefittoWarwickstudentsoftheseexchangeschemes
hasbeenconsiderable.Anearlyexampleofthewayitinfluenced
theirinterestscanbeseeninthecareerofChrisClark,whowentto
AmherstCollegein1972andwroteanessaythereon‘TheRailroad
SafetyProblemintheUnitedStates,1890-1920’whichwaspublished
inanacademicjournalwhilehewasstillanundergraduate;he
subsequentlywonaHarknessScholarshiptodoaPhDatHarvard.
ReturningtotheUk,hetaughtattheUniversityofyorkwhere
helaterbecameaprofessor.In1998,hewaspersuadedtoreturn
toWarwickasprofessor,andaftersevenyearsintheHistory
DepartmentmovedtotheUniversityofConnecticut,wherehe
currentlyteachesAmericanhistory.Thisstoryfindsechoesinthe
experiencesofamuchlaterstudent,lydiaPlath,whoin2002-3
wenttoUClAontheHistoryexchange.Here,shealsodevelopeda
loveofUShistoryandwentontodoanMAandPhDinthissubject
atWarwick.oncompletingherPhDinJuly2009,shespentayear
onateachingfellowshipinWarwick’sHistoryDepartmentandhas
nowgonetotheUniversityofGlasgowonatwoyearlectureship.
Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, USA
Americanexchangestudents–ofwhomaround30peryear
continuetocometoWarwick–alsobenefitedfromthescheme.
onestudentfromReedwrote:“TheWarwickexchangeisunique
…becauseexchangestudentsaretreatedthesameasBritish
students…Welived,studied,travelledandinteractedwiththe
entirestudentpopulation,unlikemanyprogrammesthatsegregate
exchangestudentsfromtherestofthestudentbody”.Another
formerAmericanexchangestudent,MarkBogatin,describes
“awonderfuljunioryearabroadatWarwickUniversity”,after
whichhewentontostudycomparativeliteratureandisnowa
partnerintheUSlawfirmBogatin,Corman&Goldthatspecialises
inentertainmentandintellectualpropertylaw.Anotherexample
ofimpactwaswhenaWisconsinprofessorwrotebacktoWarwick
ofthe“indispensablecontributions”twoWarwickstudentshad
madetohiscourseonslavery:Julieleadbetter,whowas“adept
atraisingissuesinaprovocativewayandsupportingherpoints
withargumentswhichforcetherestofustorethinkhistoricaland
contemporaryissuesraisedbythereadings”andSimonelliott,“our
in-housesceptic”whoinsistedon“lookingcarefullyatempirical
evidenceavailableinthereadingstotestthelimitsofabstractor
theoreticalstatements”.TheWarwickalumnigroupsintheUS
comprisenotjustWarwickstudentsnowworkingthere,butalso
AmericanstudentswhodiscoveredWarwickwhentheyenlistedon
theexchangeprogramme.Suchexperienceschangeyoungpeople’s
lives,theircareeraspirationsandthewaytheylookattheworld.û
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Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
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The Jack Martin
Residences
B
y 1986 the University had reached a critical point.
Ithadperformedoutstandinglywellinthefirst
comprehensiveassessmentofthequalityofresearchin
Britishuniversities,finishinginthetopsixintheresearchleague
tables,butitsabilitytoexpanditsstudentnumberswaslimited
byitsinabilitytobuildmoreresidencesofanappropriatequality
atrentswhichstudentscouldafford.TheTrustmadetwograntsof
£500,000each,whichrepresentedtheadditionalfigurewhichthe
Universityneededtobuildaresidentialcomplexofover400places
witheachstudentroomhavingitsownensuitebathroomfacilities.
TheTrust’sgenerositywasimportantforanumberofreasons:first,
itenabledtheUniversitytoexpanditsstudentnumbers;second,
itsetanewstandardforstudentresidencesattheUniversity,
whichhasbeencontinuedin3,000furtherresidentialplaces
oncampus;andthird,itprovidedacrucialfilliptothegrowing
vacationconferencetradebecauseitofferedhotelstandardrooms
incloseproximitytotheUniversity’sexistingdiningandrestaurant
facilities.Areportcommissionedonlyayearbeforehaddescribed
theArtsCentreas“thejewelinthecrown”fortheUniversity’s
conferencebusiness.In2008-9,theUniversityvacationconference
trademadeasurplusofover£1m.Thesesurplusesarereinvested
backintoresidential,cateringandconferencefacilitiesenabling
studentrentstoremainatafigurebelowthenationalaverage.û
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Modern Records
Centre
I
Sir Anthony Kenny (centre),
Chairman, British Library Board,
opening the Modern Records
Centre, July 1993, with Professor
Sir Brian Follett, Vice-Chancellor
1993 – 2002 (left) and Mr Rodney
Chase, Managing Director, BP
n 1990, the University was one of a select group of
universitiesinvitedtobidtoattracttheBPArchive,oneofthe
mostsignificantbusinessarchivesintheUk.BPhadofferedto
payforanewbuildingandpaytherunningcostsforthearchive
tobemovedoutoflondon.TheUniversityhadbuiltupaModern
RecordsCentrecomprisingthearchivesofallthemajortrades
unions,theTUC,theCBIandmuchothermaterialofhistoricaland
politicalimportance,butthiswashousedinadequatelywithinthe
Universitylibrary.FindingmorespacefortheCentrewasalready
animportantacademicprioritysoastobeabletocompetewith
oxbridgeandlondonincreatingresearchcollectionsandattracting
graduatestudentstotheUniversity.TheTrustoffered£500,000to
matchasimilarsumfromtheUniversitytobuildanewModern
RecordsCentrewhichwouldincorporatetheBPArchive.This
persuadedBPtoselectWarwickoverCambridgetohouseitsarchive
andanewcombinedModernRecordsCentrewasbuiltadjacentto
theUniversitylibrary.TheUniversitynowhasthelargestcollection
ofmodernarchivalmaterialoutsidelondonandisabletoprovide
superbworkingconditionsforvisitingscholarsaswellasitsown
staffandresearchstudents.AnewgrantfromtheTrustof£50,000
willenabletheCentretomakeitsarchiveevenmoreaccessibleto
usersthrougharangeofnewdigitalandphysicalmeans.û
The Modern Records Centre is
home to the National Cycling
Archive
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The Modern Records Centre
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Sports Facilities
T
he Trust’s contributions to the development of sporting
facilitieshaveallcombinedastrategicelementaswellas
helpingtheUniversitytobeabletoprovideopportunitiesfor
sportwhichmatchthoseoftheperformingarts.
The Coventry Athletics Track
TheUniversityhadinheritedafairlydilapidatedrunningtrackat
WestwoodwhenitmergedwiththeCoventryCollegeofeducation
in1978.In1982itwasapproachedbytheathleticsclub,Coventry
GodivaHarriers,suggestingapartnershipwiththeclubwhich,led
bythefatherofDavidMoorcroft,thentheworld5000metresrecord
holder,hadalreadyraisednearly£100,000tofundanewrunning
track.ThepartnershipwasextendedbytheinclusionofCoventry
CityCouncilandeachofthepartnersagreedtocontribute£100,000
tobuildingthenewfacility(towhichtheTrustcontributedhalf
theUniversity’sshare).AspartoftheagreementCoventryGodiva
HarriersmoveditsclubhouseuptoadjointheSportsCentre
atWestwoodandtheUniversityopenedthetracktoextended
communityusebytheCoventryschools.1984sawtheopeningofthe
400metre‘olymprene’trackwhenSebCoeranamileatthetrack
in3.54minutes.After15yearsthetrackwasreplacedbyan8-lane
floodlit‘Mondo’tracksimilartotheAthensolympictrack,oneof
onlythree‘Mondo’tracksintheUk.Butthe1983developmentwas
importantforotherreasons:itcementedtherelationshipbuiltup
withtheCityCouncilfollowingthelaunchoftheWarwickScience
Park;itopenedupasignificantnewfacilityforcommunityuse
ofthecampus,anditprovidedasignificantenhancementofthe
Westwoodsite.
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
The Sports Pavilion
AstheUniversitygrewintheearly1990s,itbecameclearthatits
earlydecisiontositetheplayingfieldsontheCoventrysideof
thecampuswasinthelongertermlikelytoconstrainUniversity
development.Itwasthereforedecidedtotransfertheplayingfields
acrossGibbetHillRoadtotheWarwickshirepartofthesiteandopen
uptheCoventrylandfornewacademicbuildings.Thiswasacostly
butcriticallong-termstrategicdecisionfortheUniversity.TheTrust
hadpaidfortheoriginalsportspavilionontheCoventryland(now
demolishedtomakewayforthefirstfruitsofthenewpolicy,an
extensiontotheInternationalManufacturingCentreandanew
buildingforComputerScience)andmadeagiftof£250,000which
coveredhalfthecostofanewandelegantsportspavilion,designed
byMichaelCain,ontheWarwickshirelandwhichhasenabledthe
newsportsfieldstobeopenedupforuse.
The Tennis Centre
ThethirdcontributionthattheTrusthasmadetotheUniversity’s
sportingfacilitiesechoesthegiftfortheCoventryAthleticTrack.The
Universityhadforlongsoughtideasforfundingindoortenniscourts
andtheTrustgave£150,000toa£2.5mprojectjointlyfundedbythe
University,thelawnTennisAssociationandSportenglandWest
Midlandswhichprovidesfourindoorcourts,fourfloodlitoutdoor
courtsandchangingroomsontheWestwoodsite.Itwasopenedin
november2008bytheMinisterforSport,GerrySutcliffeMP.once
again,communityuseliesattheheartoftheprojectandtheTennis
CentreisnowestablishedasanlTASatelliteCentrereflectingits
importanceasanationalteachingandcoachingcentre.û
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Helen Martin
A Memoir
I
husband,Jack,sayingenthusiastically:“ThisiswhatIwant
forWarwick.”
WhenwesawHelenagain,shewasobviouslypleasedwith
theeffectofourtravels.Bythen,Irealisedhowmuchthelinks
withherbrotherandwithAmericameanttoherandhowmuch
shereliedonmusicinherhouseinkenilworth.
Helenalwayspreferredtoremainanonymousandwas
totallysilentabouthergiftstotheUniversity.MorethanonceI
heardhersaytoJack:“Whatisityouneed?”
Insubsequentyears,shecameregularlytoconcertsinthe
ButterworthHallandwewouldsitnearherandtalktogether.on
manyoccasionsIintroducedhertomembersoftheUniversity's
academicstaffwhowerealwayspolitebutsoonmovedawaytotalk
tosomeonelessretiring.ofcourse,theyhadnoideathatthey
weremeetingtheUniversity’s ‘AnonymousBenefactor’.
IdofeelthatHelenwouldbequietlypleasedthatthenew
additiontotheButterworthHall(theHelenMartinStudio),
intendedformusicrehearsalsandforyoungpeopleinCoventry
andWarwickshire,istobenamedafterher.HelenandJackboth
wantedtheArtsCentretoplayasignificantpartinthelifeofthe
region,inadditiontothevaluetostudentsandstaff.Itisafitting
memorialandwayofthankingherfortheunparalleledsupport
shegavetothevisionoftheUniversityofWarwick.û
have a clear memory of Helen Martin as a slender,
elegantlyquietladyofuncertainage,whoremainedthesame
overthe25yearsweknewher.SheusedtocometotalktoJackat
ourkenilworthRoadhome–thevice-Chancellor’slodge–orwe
wenttoseeherinherhouse‘TheSpring’upinkenilworth,where
shelivedalonewithherdogs,herCharolaiscattleandwhereshe
cherishedhergarden.Irememberagrandpianoinhersitting
roomandlaterrealisedhowmuchsheenjoyedmusic.
WefirstmetHelenwhenPhilMeadsaid(veryearlyin
Warwick’sdays):“Iwantyoutomeetsomeonewhowouldliketo
hearyourplansforthisnewUniversity”.Thesubsequent
conversationmusthavetriggeredsomeideasbecause,shortly
afterwards,thefourofus–MurielandPhilMead,JackandI–were
invitedtoAmericaforthreeweeks“tomeetJack(Martin)”,the
brotherwhohadjoinedthefamilyfirmthere(Heublein)after
leavingthefamilyhomeinkenilworth.
Ajourneyhadbeenarrangedforthefourofus,mostlyin
JackMartin’saeroplane,toneworleans(famousjazzsingersand
clarinetplayersonBourbonStreet).WealsospentadayatTulane
UniversityandsawtheSchoolofDrama,nodoubtsowingthe
seedsforWarwick’sdepartmentinlateryears.ontoMexico,
niagaraandfinallyConnecticut,wherewestayedwithJackinhis
long,lowranch-likehomewithseveralpeacocksstruttingthe
lawnsorsittingontheroof.WeweretakentoseetheHeublein
DistilleryandsawSmirnoffvodkabeingmade.AdayatDartmouth
College,whenwesawitsArtsCenter,isaclearmemoryandmy
DorisButterworth,november2010
[TheladyButterworth]
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Conclusion
T
his account of the Trust’s contribution to the
developmentofWarwickisnotintendedtobecomprehensive
buttoshowhowprivategivingcanmakeadifference,how
itcanbroadenaUniversity’sagendaofactivities,accelerateits
growth,andhelpittorealiseitsmostoptimisticobjectives.In
particular,theclearemphasisthatitscontributionshouldbe
aimedatmakingsureWarwickwas“inthefirstdivision”(to
quotePhilMead)–thecreationoftheArtsCentre,betterquality
residences,linkswithmajorAmericanuniversities,the
rehousingoftheModernRecordsCentre,outstandingfacilities
andsupportformusicandsports(noneofwhichcouldhavebeen
achievedoutofstatefunding)–hasfuelledtherealisationof
theUniversity’sownambitiontobeaninstitutionofnational
andinternationalstanding,andnotjustanotheruniversityin
theMidlands.Butwhatisremarkableaboutthisstoryisthe
coincidenceofpurposebetweenHelenMartinandherTrustees
andtheUniversityauthoritiesoversuchalongperiod,beginning
withtherapportandmutualregardthatdevelopedbetweenJack
ButterworthandPhilMeadandcontinuingthroughrelationships
whichexisttoday.û
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Degree Ceremony, Butterworth Hall, 2010
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T H eM A RTI nFA M I lyA nDT H eUnIveR SIT yoFWA RWIC k
Lakeside Residences, built on the University’s recently developed Warwickshire land (courtesy of Edmund Lim)
38
Designed by Mustard (www.mustardhot.com)
Printed by Banbury Litho
Published by the University of Warwick
November 2010
The Martin Family and the University of Warwick
(Second Edition)
By Michael Shattock with Roberta Warman
ISBN 978 0 902683 98 3