Remembering Janey
The Fundraising and Alumni Team are always happy to welcome alumni back to campus. In January, we opened the doors of the Boat House on Marygate for a special alumni reunion. Over the last year alumni Sarah Boani and Sam Weerasinghe have been busy working with the Fundraising & Alumni Team and York St John University’s Boat Club organising a boat naming ceremony for Jane Hunter.
Jane Hunter, nee Brothwell, first graduated from York St John, then College of Ripon and York St John, in 1991. After graduating, Jane had a flourishing career in the army and returned to York St John to complete her PhD in Education. Sadly Jane passed away in 2021 and was posthumously awarded her PhD during the Class of 2021 graduation ceremonies at York Minster.
During Jane’s time at York St John as an undergraduate, she was the Ladies Rowing Club Captain for the Boat Club. A keen rower and an active member of York St John’s chapel, Jane was a valued member of the York St John community.
The world’s toughest row
Friends and family have continued to keep Jane’s legacy alive through her passion for rowing. In November 2023, Jane’s loved ones were invited to a boat renaming ceremony at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. The boat was renamed ‘Colonel Jane’ in honour of Jane’s work for the Army’s Education Corp and to support their charity, which she was passionate about.
In December 2024, Jane’s boat will compete in the world’s toughest race across the Atlantic Ocean. The race will take place over 45 says and the Oarsome Army Educators will row from the Canary Islands to Antigua. To find out more about the race, visit the Oarsome Army Educators’ website.
To continue Jane’s YSJ legacy, a group of Jane’s close friends and YSJ alumni organised for one of the Boat Club’s boats to be named in Jane’s honour. On Saturday 20 January, over 40 alumni and loved ones of Jane gathered at the Boat House to mark the unveiling of Jane’s boat.
‘A fitting tribute to such a beautiful and funny human who inspired so many throughout her life’
Christopher Wilson – York St John Alumni
Boat naming ceremony
Alumni travelled from across the country to gather near the River Ouse and share memories of Jane. Sam and Sarah opened the ceremony by thanking everyone for attending. We also heard from the current Club President and Vice President of the Boat Club, Lilly and Millie, as well as Jane’s children, Mary and Ben.
Sam opened the ceremony with a reminder of Jane’s character and the impact she left on York St John:
‘Jane was a popular student at St John’s and was elected ladies Captain from 1988-89 and President from 1989-90 and went on to row in many head of the river races and club regattas during her time in York. Every weekend she would always ride her bike down to the boat house and head out on the river with her rowing friends. Jane, Janey, or ‘Brotty’ as she was often affectionately known was an inspiration to us all. She lived for each moment, she was kind, loving, loyal and so very funny – there was never a dull conversation with Jane!’
Sam Weerasinghe
Ian Pendall, previous Club President of the Boat Club who rowed alongside Jane in the later 1980’s and early 1990’s, also provided a heart-warming tribute to Jane. Opening with Walt Whitman’s ‘O Captain! My Captain!’, Ian shared his stories of Jane and rowing memories. From Jane’s election win to the ‘Jane Brothwell’s I Spy Book of Bishops’, Ian shared his dearest memories of Jane and their time at York St John.
‘She taught me that you should be generous, don’t try and do it all yourself and get the expertise of those who know a bit more about the subject than you and all will be well.’
Ian Pendall
After an emotional round of speeches, attendees gathered to witness the unveiling of ‘Janey’. The boat will be used in future competitions and will be a staple of the Boat House’s equipment.
The Boat Club also received a framed photograph of Jane and the rowing crew from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s to add to their heritage display in the Boat House. You can read more about the Boat House’s heritage display in a previous blog post.
As well as memorabilia, the Boat Club were presented with a fundraising cheque to help the club maintain their boats and help current students to access rowing. The fundraising currently stands at an astonishing £946. This fundraising for the Boat Club and current students would not be possible without the generosity and kindness of our alumni community. A huge thank you to everyone who has donated in Jane’s memory. Please visit the JustGiving page to find out more about the fundraiser.
Despite the cold January weather, the boat naming ceremony was a success and afterwards continued sharing their stories of Jane in the Minster Inn on Marygate.
Memories from the day
It was an amazing day and Jane would have said ‘what a lot of fuss’! but secretly she would be chuffed to bits knowing that ‘Janey’ would be rowing up and down the River Ouse!
Sam Weerasinghe (York St John Alumni)
Well rowed Janey!
Ian Pendall (Past Club President)
Jane was much loved, and I hope she looks down on the River Ouse and smiles when she sees ‘Janey’ row by.
Sarah Boani (York St John Alumni)
A huge thank you to Jane’s family, York St John Boat Club, Sam, Sarah and Ian for their work and for allowing us to be part of this special ceremony.
If you were not able to attend or would like to look back on the ceremony, the unveiling of Jane’s boat is available to watch on YouTube.
Note: We would also like to credit Sam, Sarah and Ian for their quotations and images.
