It is with profound regret that I must report the retirement of Mary Cain from her position with the Law Library as of next Friday, 28 November. Many of our fellow Golden (or silver…) Oldies will recall Mary in previous incarnations as English tutor, Student Assistant, & Central Library After Hours Supervisor. It may be that other, new & exciting incarnations – or metabolic transmigrations, perhaps – are yet to come. Others may recall her as a long-serving member and office-bearer of AUS, representing our proletarian interests in the eternal class (and sometimes, gender) struggle. Some – not always from within the Library – may remember her tireless work on University committees. Some may also recall her as a party girl, always ready to make up a posse to descend upon the staff club after work, or to consume contraband liquor on non-licensed premises. Their memories may, of course, be faulty. I remember her as a bright-eyed, cheerful, intelligent-looking person who popped up for the first time when we were shifting the Law Library from Level 6 of the Jas Hight Building to its present location. I think she may have been dragooned into helping with that enterprise – perhaps after taking the Queen’s Shilling from the bottom of her quickly quaffed tankard….

It was at that time that Mary joined us under the Skull & Cross-bones in Law, and since then, she has been an indispensable staff member. She has been gracious in the face of requests to vary her hours of work a number of times to suit what then appeared to be the imperatives of the Library. She has offered long, patient, and kindly guidance to new & bewildered staff members. She has undertaken most of the tasks that a Law Library can present, and has excelled in them all. She has cluttered her damn desk with irrelevant literature relating to other disciplines. She has offered her utterly loyal support throughout her long years of servitude under my merciless whip.

I shall miss her very much.

Muggle