Pro-Chancellor Robe Unveiled The magnificent new gown was generously funded by Andrew Hogg MA (1982) W hen Andrew Hogg received a call on a summer’s day in Paris from one of Trinity’s phone campaign students, the timing couldn’t have been better. ‘Away This started a journey back through the decades to reflect on the history of Trinity’s academic dress before setting out to design the new gown with the world-renowned robe from the day-job [Deputy Chairman of the maker, Rev. Kenneth Crawford. ‘The aim was Ethics Committee at TotalEnergies], I’m a to create a new robe in the Trinity tradition, member of the Burgon Society, an educational drawing its inspiration from the existing and charity that researches the design, history and past robes that people would recognise from practice of academic costume around the world. A fellow the portraits around college’, says Dr Moss. member mentioned that he’d been to a commencement Through his research, Andrew began to discover that the ceremony at Trinity and saw that the Pro-Chancellor’s Dublin Chancellor’s robes evolved from a design worn gown was in parlous condition.’ This really struck a chord by Chancellor Lord John George Beresford (1851- with Andrew so when the phone call arrived 62). Archbishop Beresford’s portrait in the from the GMB, he said, ‘I’d like to give back Dining Hall is the first to show a modern to the college, but to give something Chancellors’ robe. William Parsons, the specific. The replacement or the repair third Earl of Rosse (1862-67), used a of the Pro-Chancellor’s gown’. Provost Prendergast promptly followed up on I’d like to give back similar pattern. The Beresford gown was held in the textile collection this unique offer. to the college, but of the Ulster Museum until it was Hogg studied geology at the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity and recognises the significance of the to give something specific destroyed in 1976 by an IRA bomb. ‘It was exhibited in a fashion show in Belfast in 1960 and that is sadly the last commencement ceremony experience trace we have of it’, says Andrew. ‘But it is and the place it holds in a student’s life. ‘If you Beresford’s tastes that have carried through go to any house, there are two or three occasions in to the robe shown in the new Dining Hall portrait of life that get celebrated on peoples mantlepieces. You’ll see Chancellor Mary Robinson.’ This design has become unique framed photos of christenings, weddings and graduations, to Trinity and quite different to those worn by Chancellors so it is important to do justice to the occasion. Trinity’s Latin in other universities. commencement ceremony and Exam Hall atmosphere is just wonderful, you can’t have a robe that is falling apart.’ The Pro-Chancellors’ robes on the other hand tend to be more ornate and largely influenced by the judicial Andrew began to work closely with Dr Rachel Moss, Head of costume worn by the Lord Chancellors of Ireland in the Department, History of Art and Architecture. The first task 19th century. From the 1960s to 1998 Trinity Chancellors & was to have the tailor inspect the robe which was deemed Pro-Chancellors began to wear the same robe, based on this to be beyond repair, and required a totally new creation. legal tradition. The robe that Andrew has generously funded is a replacement of the gown first worn by Chancellors
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