Murray Edwards College, Cambridge

Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge.[7] It was founded in 1954 as New Hall and renamed in 2008. The name honours a gift of £30 million by alumna Ros Edwards and her husband Steve, and the first President and woman Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Rosemary Murray.

Murray Edwards College
University of Cambridge
Fountain Court in July 2019
Fountain Court in July 2019
Arms of Murray Edwards College
Scarf colours: three equally-spaced narrow stripes separating two black areas towards the edge and two blue areas in the middle, the outer stripes of yellow and the central stripe of red
LocationHuntingdon Road, Cambridge (map)
Full nameMurray Edwards College, founded as New Hall, in the University of Cambridge[1]
AbbreviationMUR[2]
Established1954
Named after
GenderWomen
Sister collegeSt Anne's College, Oxford
PresidentDorothy Byrne[3]
Undergraduates360[4]
Postgraduates132[5]
Endowment£55m (2020)[6]
Websitemurrayedwards.cam.ac.uk
Student unionmecsu.weebly.com
MCRmemcr.soc.srcf.net
Boat clubmecbc.soc.srcf.net
Map
Murray Edwards College, Cambridge is located in Cambridge
Murray Edwards College, Cambridge
Location in Cambridge

History

The Paula Browne House Conference Centre (formerly the Kaetsu Centre) provides conference facilities and accommodation for Murray Edwards
Accommodation block
Library
Interior of the dome and dining hall
The Murray Edwards College porters' lodge, with the dome over the dining hall in the background

New Hall was founded in 1954, housing sixteen students in Silver Street where Darwin College now stands. Cambridge then had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom and only two other colleges (Girton and Newnham) admitted female students.

In 1962, members of the Darwin family gave their home, "The Orchard", to the College. This new site was located on Huntingdon Road, about a mile from the centre of Cambridge. The architects chosen were Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, who are known for their design of the Barbican in London, and fundraising commenced. The building work began in 1964 and was completed by W. & C. French in 1965.[8] The new college could house up to 300 students.

In 1967, one of the college's PhD students, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a researcher in the university radio astronomy group, discovered the first four pulsars, leading to a Nobel Prize for her supervisor and ultimately, for Bell Burnell herself, a position as a research professor at the University of Oxford.

In 1975, the college's President Rosemary Murray became the first woman to hold the post of vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge. Two subsequent presidents, Anne Lonsdale and Jennifer Barnes, have become pro-vice-chancellors of the University.

Following a 2005 donation of £30 million by alumna Rosalind Edwards (née Smith) and her husband Steve Edwards to secure its future, in early 2008 New Hall was renamed Murray Edwards College, honouring the first President, Dame Rosemary Murray and the benefactors.[9][10][11][12][13] There was some opposition to this as the new name incorporated a man's surname, despite the college being reserved for women students.[12] Ros Edwards had attended the college in the 1980s and made a fortune with her partner when their software company Geneva Technology was sold to Convergys in 2001.[14]

Men-only Cambridge colleges were converted into mixed-sex colleges in the 1970s and 1980s. Since the 2006 announcement that the University of Oxford's last remaining women-only college, St Hilda's, would also admit men,[15] Cambridge is the only United Kingdom university that partially maintains a female-only student admissions policy, represented by Newnham, Murray Edwards, and until October 2021,[16] Lucy Cavendish College.[17] The fellowship and staff at Murray Edwards College are recruited from all genders. There is no bar to male students frequenting the college and many are taught there by Murray Edwards' fellows.[18]

New Hall received its Royal Charter in 1972. The Arms of the college are emblazoned as follows:

Sable a Dolphin palewise head downwards to the dexter in chief three Mullets fesswise a Bordure embattled Argent

In plain English, this means: on a black background, place the following features in silver. Vertically in the centre, place a dolphin with head downwards to the left. On top, place three stars horizontally across. Bordering the arms, place a square wave representing the battlements of a castle.

The black castellation round the arms marks the college's location on Castle Hill. The three stars are borrowed from the Murray coat of arms, while the heraldic dolphin symbolises a youthful spirit of exploration and discovery, and a kindly intelligence.

The college had designed a new logo to mark its transition from New Hall to Murray Edwards College. It was based on the design of the interior of the dining hall (the "Dome") and was called the 'spark'.[19][20] However, on consultation with its alumnae, the college decided to continue to use its arms in official materials.

Buildings

Like many of the other Cambridge colleges, Murray Edwards College was not built all at one time but expanded as the need arose, over several time periods. The college therefore has several accommodation blocks of differing styles. In order of construction:

  • Orchard Court (also known as Old Block) recalls the name of the grounds now occupied by the college, which was The Orchard, a large house part-owned by Norah Barlow, granddaughter of Charles Darwin. It is divided into the Wolfson, Nuffield and Spooner Wings, named after donors to New Hall during its first few decades. Part of the original structure was designed in the 1960s and completed in 1965.[21] In 2009, part of this block was refurbished to improve fire safety and living standards. Some student rooms are split across two levels, meaning they have a bedroom upstairs and a separate living space downstairs. Many of the rooms have access to a shared balcony.
  • Pearl House (formerly known as New Block), named after Valerie Pearl, the second president of the college. The building was constructed with funding from the Kaetsu Foundation. All rooms are en suite. Wheelchair access is available to each floor via the central lift. Opened in 1994,[22] this is where first year undergraduates are accommodated. Unlike most colleges at Cambridge, the building offers fully equipped kitchens, baths and a lift.
  • Buckingham House. The current building was a replacement for another building of the same name that stood on this site, and was opened in 2001.[23] All rooms are en suite. The building is wheelchair accessible and has a lift. Contains a 142-seat auditorium which is used for lectures, film festivals and concerts.[24]
  • Canning and Eliza Fok House is named after the Hong Kong entrepreneur Canning Fok and his wife Eliza Fok, who donated the funds for constructing this accommodation block. All rooms are en suite. The building is wheelchair accessible and has a lift. Opened in 2008.[25] Canning and Eliza Fok House is specifically built to accommodate the growing population of graduate students at Murray Edwards, and has a large shared kitchen/living area between 8 bedrooms.

The first buildings of the college on Huntingdon Road were designed by the architects, Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, and are listed Grade II* (particularly important buildings of more than special interest).[26] This includes:

  • The Dome, which features some of the artwork the college is famed for, as well as a rising servery (a bar that rises from the floor for special events). This is where the cafeteria is located. Students take their meals here, including Saturday and Sunday brunch, often cited as the best brunch in Cambridge. Formals are held here, once a week on a Tuesday.
  • Fountain Court, which can be accessed from the bar and looks into the library, and features an illuminated fountain and waterways. Tables and chairs are put out there in warmer months as well as displays of flowers.
  • The Library, which was designed to reflect the interior of a Cathedral. Students can request heaters, blankets, tea, coffee and biscuits as they study. Yoga sessions, arts and craft and a variety of other welfare events are held here and it is open 24/7.

Gardens

The college gardens have an informal style, initially planned and planted by the first president, Dame Rosemary Murray. The gardens include a greenhouse originally belonging to the estate of the Darwin family, where banana plants are grown during the winter months.

In 2007, Murray Edwards College (then New Hall) became the first Cambridge College to participate in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.[27][28] The theme of the presented garden was the Transit of Venus, and was awarded a Bronze Flora medal in the Chic Garden Category.[29][30] After the show, this garden was recreated in a slightly larger form beside the library.

As part of the Cambridge tradition of May Week, the college hosts an annual garden party that is popular with students from across the university. The garden party features a new theme each year and is well received by those in attendance. In Michaelmas (the Autumn/ Winter term), the college celebrates 'Apple Day' in the gardens, a day of autumnal activities such as apple picking, cooking, crafting and bonfires.

The students at Murray Edwards are encouraged to enjoy the gardens and walk on the lawns, meaning it is common to spot students sunbathing, studying, taking picnics or even relaxing on the small beach that is erected in the Summer. The gardens are maintained by professional staff, and recently also by fellows and students. Since 2012, gardening allotments have been provided for fellows, undergraduates and postgraduates for growing herbs and vegetables, in addition to the flowers and herbs already planted by the gardeners.

Studentships

The college maintains a fund for graduate research, including the Stephan Körner graduate studentship for studies in philosophy, classics or law.[31]

The Women's Art Collection

Murray Edwards is home to The Women's Art Collection (known until 2022 as the New Hall Art Collection), the largest collection of women's art in Europe, and the second largest in the world (the largest being the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.).

The artwork can be seen throughout College, and students are encouraged to request pieces to be brought into their bedrooms as decoration.

The New Hall Art Collection was started in the early 1990s, when New Hall had few pieces of art and most of them were portraits of old gentleman. The college president wrote to 100 women artists and asked each to donate one piece of art, and more than 75% of the artists approached agreed to give a piece of work.[32] Donations have continued since, and the Art Collection now contains work by many famous women artists, including:[33]

Presidents

New Hall

Murray Edwards College

Notable alumnae

See also

References

  1. "The Edwards' Endowment". Murray Edwards College website. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  2. University of Cambridge (6 March 2019). "Notice by the Editor". Cambridge University Reporter. 149 (Special No 5): 1. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  3. "Dorothy Byrne admitted as President of Murray Edwards College". Murray Edwards College. University of Cambridge. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  4. "Undergraduate Admissions: Murray Edwards College". University of Cambridge website. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  5. "Key Facts and Figures: Board of Graduate Studies: Board of Graduate Studies". University of Cambridge website. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  6. "Annual report and Financial Statements Year ended 30 June 2020" (PDF). Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  7. Walker, Timea (20 January 2022). "Murray Edwards College". www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  8. "New Hall Archives". Janus. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  9. Polly Curtis "After 50 years as plain old New Hall, Cambridge college gets a £30m donation – and a new name", The Guardian, 18 June 2008. Retrieved on 18 June 2008.
  10. "Official site FAQ". Murray Edwards College'. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  11. "Record £30 million gift provides a bright future for Cambridge College". University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  12. Wilce, Hilary (27 August 2008). "Cambridge alumnae protest at plans to rename New Hall college". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  13. Curtis, Polly (17 June 2008). "After 50 years as plain old New Hall, Cambridge college gets a £30m donation – and a new name". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  14. Sabbagh, Dan (7 March 2001). "American software group buys Geneva Technology for $700m". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  15. Martin, Nicole (8 June 2006). "St Hilda's to end 113-year ban on male students". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  16. "Lucy Cavendish to become mixed-gender college, admitting students from age 18". Varsity Online. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  17. "Single-sex colleges: a dying breed?". HERO. June 2007. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. "Can sisters still do it by themselves?". The Independent. London. 1 August 2002. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  19. "Official site FAQ". Murray Edwards College'. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  20. "Official Logo Image".
  21. "Orchard Court". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  22. "Pearl House". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  23. "Building and Refurbishment Projects". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  24. "Buckingham House". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  25. "Canning and Eliza Fok House". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  26. "The Buildings". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  27. "New Hall to achieve Cambridge first at Chelsea Flower Show". University of Cambridge. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  28. "Chelsea Flower Show 2007". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  29. "The Transit of Venus". BBC. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  30. ""New Hall over the moon at Chelsea Flower Show 2007."". University of Cambridge. 23 May 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  31. "Murray Edwards College – Graduate Funding". Murray Edwards College. Archived from the original on 7 September 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  32. "What's the point of a museum of art by women?" The Guardian (London). 28 July 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  33. "New Hall Art Collection". Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  34. "Dame Barbara Stocking DBE elected as fifth President". Murray Edwards College website. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  35. Johnson, Jamie (10 May 2018). "Liv Garfield wins business woman of the year title". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 11 May 2018.

52.2142°N 0.1086°E / 52.2142; 0.1086 (Murray Edwards College)

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