Remembering Andrew Fowles

“Every time my Cambridge story is told, it will always start with the smiling Porter at the flagpole of Wolfson College: Andrew Fowles.” - Wolfson student

When Andrew Fowles first applied for a job at Wolfson College in 2013, he went for a role in the kitchen. After a long career in the NHS, working in both the UK and Australia, Andrew’s post-retirement ambitions included working at a Cambridge College. His grandfather had been Head Porter at Emmanuel College in the 1950s, and Andrew set his sights on a position at Wolfson. But after his interview for Kitchen Porter, his interviewers knew they had stumbled upon the perfect candidate—for a different role. A month or so later, a position opened as a Porter in the Porters’ Lodge, and HR reached out to Andrew to ask him to apply. In 2013, Andrew joined Wolfson as a Porter, becoming Senior Porter in 2017 and Head Porter in 2021, following in his grandfather’s footsteps more than 60 years later. 

“Andrew embodied everything that Wolfson stands for. His presence made everything better, everyone felt safe: like they belong here because of how warm and welcoming he was. He was there for you in your happiness and stood by you like a rock in times of crisis.” – Wolfson student

Andrew was part of the fabric of Wolfson: a beloved colleague, an outstanding Head Porter, the warm and welcoming person so many students remember as their first face of the College. And his life beyond Wolfson was rich and full: of cooking, art, swimming, rescue dogs, travel—often with his wife, Jo-Anne, a Nurse Consultant at Papworth NHS Trust, and his son and daughter. In an interview from 2021, Andrew talked about all the adventures he’d had with his family, all over the world. “Recent highlights have included,” said Andrew, “hiking high above the Cinque Terre and relaxing in the Hammam Al Andalus in Granada. Driving the perimeter of Australia, drifting over the Great Barrier Reef in a glass bottomed boat, standing on top of Table Top mountain in Cape Town, and flying over Vancouver in a seaplane.” As an avid swimmer, next on his to-do list was to swim in the famous infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, the rooftop pool that hangs hundreds of feet above the city. 

“It’s so difficult to put into words how much of an impact Andrew made to us as our colleague and friend. For so many staff and students he was the first person to make them feel home at Wolfson. We are reeling from his loss and I don’t know if it’s because of how integral he was here, because of the time with him we’ve lost, or because he was such a huge part of our daily life. We suspect, however, that it’s mainly because of who he was as a person: unique, warm, kind, supportive, hilarious, person-centred, and our friend.” – Wolfson staff

Andrew passed away suddenly in February, a few days after returning from a trip to Australia with his wife. This tragedy has left the Wolfson community in shock and grief, as we mourn the loss of both a colleague and a friend, and we mourn for Andrew’s family. The outpouring of support from across the College—from staff, students, alumni, and Fellows, both in Cambridge and abroad—underlines the profound impact Andrew had on those around him, a testament to the enduring imprint he leaves on all those who were fortunate enough to know him. Andrew will be forever missed, and forever remembered: as a Head Porter, a family man, a friend, and a traveller who celebrated the world, one swimming pool at a time. 

“Andrew, we miss you terribly, but the way you made staff and students feel will stay with us, and inspire us to keep looking after each other, just as you did.” – Wolfson Fellow