Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Wednesday, 06 October 2010

Today Marjorie and I attended the Durham University Matriculation Ceremony at Durham Cathedral.

We had to make a detour as our usual route to Durham was blocked by an accident, but we made it in time to meet everyone and put on the Mayoral Robes.  Mamie Simmons, the Mayor of Durham City, was my partner for the procession into the Cathedral which was full of new undergraduates for the coming year, some of whom were studying at the Queen's Campus in Stockton.  We received lovely smiles from the undergraduates as we walked down the aisle of the Cathedral as they seemed very happy to be in Durham at the University.  We took our seats on the platform and had a marvellous view of all the proceedings as the Dean of Durham Cathedral welcomed all the new undergraduates and then an undergraduate from each college signed the Matriculation book.  The Vice-Chancellor welcomed all the new undergraduates and then talked about the responsibilities of all the undergraduates to Durham City and its residents.  After the Matriculation Ceremony we all processed out of the Cathedral to again lovely smiles from the undergraduates.  We had time for a quick cup of coffee and time to talk to some of the University staff before the next ceremony.  

We had three ceremonies before we had a break for lunch.  We had to walk through a corridor of undergraduates and had a lovely greeting with high fives as we passed.  
It was a buffet lunch with the University professors before it was time for the post graduate ceremony which was in the same vein as the undergraduates ceremony, so it was quite an exhausting day as the Mayoral Robes are quite heavy.  It was a pleasant drive home as the sun was shining and the countryside looked very green, although some of the leaves on the trees were starting to change colour.