Duncan Robinson

Born 1943. Came to Cambridge in 1962 as an undergraduate reading English at the University of Cambridge, Clare College. He discovered Kettle’s Yard in 1963 by accident whilst resting in the adjacent St Peter’s churchyard. He was asked by Jim Ede to stay behind for tea and from then he was hooked on the place. Kettle’s Yard was crucial to him in determining his future direction. At the end of three years in Cambridge he went to Yale University on a two-year scholarship.

When he came back to England with his new wife, Jim and Helen put them up for a short while at Kettle’s Yard until they found their own accommodation. He went on to help Jim Ede run Kettle’s Yard and to chair the exhibitions committee. Duncan worked at the Fitzwilliam Museum and was curating exhibitions at Kettle’s Yard in his spare time. Duncan went on to be Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum and retired in 2007. At the time of interview he was Master of Magdalene College.