Newnham’s oldest alumna has died peacefully at the age of 103.
Penny Hubbard, Newnham’s development director, led the College tributes to Rae Scott who read Geography from 1929-1932 and got a 2:1 in both parts of the Tripos.
Mrs Hubbard, who travelled to The Gardens Care Home in Darlington to meet Miss Scott in September, said: “Rae was a great pioneer.
“Only two colleges accepted women and the female students were heavily outnumbered by the men.
“She was a very keen rower and her crew’s blades from 1932 have been put up in Newnham’s Porters’ Lodge to inspire future members of our boat club.
“I spent a very happy hour with Rae in September going through her old photo albums.
“There were some marvellous sepia photographs showing elegant young people on punts, picnicking and celebrating birthdays. It was a great privilege to meet such an inspiring and intelligent woman.”
Newnham’s archives show that Miss Scott lived in Old Hall and that also in her year group was Jacquetta Hawkes, a leading archaeologist and Elizabeth Ayrton who carved out a career as a cookery writer.
Speaking about her time at Newnham earlier this year, Miss Scott said: “I enjoyed university very much, I lived at the College and I had my own bedroom and lots of friends.”
Miss Scott was born in Hebburn, South Tyneside, on February 15, 1911. She taught at schools across the North-East after she left Cambridge and became the deputy head of what is now Hummersknott Academy in Darlington.
Always fiercely independent, she spent a lot of time travelling and stayed in her own home until she was 100 and drove until she was 96.
Miss Scott died on October 26. A service will be held for friends in The United Reformed Church, in Darlington, on Friday, November 7.