Harry Lucas Travel Scholarship
Each year, The Cripps Hall Trust distributes up to £2,250 amongst successful applicants for a Travel Scholarship. This programme was set up in memory of the first Warden, Harry Hillgrove Lucas (HHL) and the Travel Scholarship programme is named after him.
These HLTS awards are available to current student residents of Cripps Hall (and past residents who are still students and maintain a connection with the Hall). They are designed to assist with a specific project which would otherwise not be possible due to financial considerations. The project might involve travel (whether as an individual or in an organised group), study (not course-related) or another type of activity which would provide personal development benefits to the individual and ideally benefit others as well.
About Dr Harry H. Lucas
Dr. Harry Hillgrove Lucas was appointed the first Warden of Cripps Hall in 1959, having previously achieved recognition as the Warden of Wortley Hall. In both roles he set out to foster a special Hall ethos based upon a sense of community and fellowship. Students were supported and recognised for their academic endeavours, but were also encouraged to develop broader skills and values. Harry’s vision was that students would, in this way, not only realise their full potential as individuals, but then also use this advantage to help others less fortunate than themselves and make a positive contribution to society at large.
Harry was a senior member of the French Department at the University of Nottingham. He had studied in France before the 1939-45 war and, during the Second World War, he saw action in France. This combined two of the interests to which he was to devote a good deal of his later life, namely the French language and the army. He was also a very keen sailor. Even after he retired from university life he undertook regular summer cruises with his yacht crewed by students, graduates and associates of the Hall.
As a magistrate he developed a deep understanding of young people who “got into trouble”. After his retirement he devoted much time and energy to a scheme to get more youngsters involved in sail-training as a way of building character and team spirit.
Harry was a person who was keenly concerned with the welfare of fellow human beings. He was always ready to identify the best in people, often despite their own efforts to hide this side of their character. He became a founder member of the S.D.P. in the hope that it would become a humanising element in the political life of the country. He had a strong sense of justice and was keen to imbue this to all those around him.
The Cripps Hall Trust was a particular brain-child of Harry’s and in turn the Trustees have established the annual Cripps Hall Trust Harry Lucas Travel Scholarship (HLTS) awards in honour his memory.
Reports from scholarship winners
