Staff from Caius House, a Battersea-based Youth and Community Centre founded by students and Fellows of Gonville & Caius in the late 19th Century, earlier this term visited Cambridge where they were hosted by College Archivist James Cox, Project Officer Catriona Higgins and the Dean, The Revd Dr Carolyn Hammond.

Delrita Agyapong, the CEO at Caius House, and colleagues had a tour of the College, lunch in Hall and met the Master, Professor Richard Gilbertson. Next the group delved into the Archive, learning more from primary sources about Gonville & Caius’ association with the centre which continues to have youth and community at its heart. Caius House provides a meeting place, support and theatrical and sporting pastimes for young people aged between eight and 25. Many of its members call themselves Caians, and the charity’s trustees are mostly drawn from Caians. 

“The Caius House team travelled to Cambridge to deepen our understanding of the rich history behind the Caius name, exploring the legacy, values and traditions that continue to inspire the work we do every single day,” Delrita says. 

“This was more than just a trip; it was a chance to reflect on where we come from, strengthen our vision for where we’re going and connect the past with the future of youth and community development. The experience reminded us that legacy isn’t just inherited, it’s built through impact, purpose and people.” 

With the enthusiastic support of the Master, the Dean and the Archive team, there is an ambition to reprise the annual football match between Caius House and College students, or a similar initiative, to strengthen relationships between the groups. 

In outlining the history of Caius House on the charity’s website, it reminds readers of the pronunciation (‘keys’) and shares the founding information. Archival records show that the Gonville and Caius Mission commenced in the Yelverton district of St Mary’s, Battersea in 1892. 

“Some undergraduates and fellows from Gonville and Caius College Cambridge rented a house in Battersea and started a College ‘settlement’ where former undergraduates from the College lived and ran a range of clubs for local residents,” the Caius House website says. 

“Shortly afterward, they started a very successful boys club (and later a girls club) and found that it attracted members from the poorest and least educated young people in the area.” 

The history added that one of Caius’ most famous alumni, Edward Wilson, as a new graduate of Caius College, spent time at Caius House prior to his 1912 expedition to the South Pole alongside Captain Scott.

Photo: College Archivist James Cox, left, Project Officer Catriona Higgins, second left, and the Dean, The Revd Dr Carolyn Hammond, hosting staff from Caius House in Caius Court.