Obituary: Professor R. P. Winnington-Ingram

WE WERE fortunate to be first- year students in the Classics Department at King's College London when Professor Winnington- Ingram was appointed to the Chair of Greek there in January 1953, write Diana and Brian Sparkes (further to the obituary by PH Easterling, 23 January).

He immediately endeared himself to us all by his enthusiasm for his subject and for the interest he showed in what we were doing as students. His most memorable lectures were those on Greek drama; they were erudite, wide- ranging and inspiring. A fever for Greek drama took hold of us, and we soon formed the idea that we would 'put on a play' - in the original Greek. Our choice fell upon Euripides' Hippolytus. Winnington-Ingram was interested, but wary. At least, no obstacles were put in our way to building the stage set on the balcony of the departmental library overlooking the Strand. As there was no hall available in college to mount the play, we ostentatiously hired the Twentieth Century Theatre in Notting Hill Gate. Few saw the production, but it was favourably reviewed. The following year room was found in college for the next production, and the King's Greek Play has continued as an annual event for nearly 40 years.