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| Colleges of the University of Cambridge New Hall (until 1 May 2009); Murray Edwards College (from 1 May 2009) |
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| College name | New Hall (until 1 May 2009); Murray Edwards College (from 1 May 2009) | |||||||||||||||
| Named after | Dame Rosemary Murray, Ros and Steve Edwards | |||||||||||||||
| Established | 1954 | |||||||||||||||
| Location | Huntingdon Road | |||||||||||||||
| Admittance | Women only | |||||||||||||||
| President | Dr Jennifer Barnes[1] | |||||||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 360 | |||||||||||||||
| Graduates | 77 | |||||||||||||||
| Sister college | St Anne's College, Oxford | |||||||||||||||
| Official website | ||||||||||||||||
| Boat Club website | ||||||||||||||||
Murray Edwards College is a women-only college in the University of Cambridge. It was founded as New Hall in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the UK and when only two other colleges (Girton and Newnham) could admit women students.
Unlike many other colleges, New Hall was founded without a benefactor and did not bear a benefactor's name. However, it was announced in June 2008 that New Hall will soon be renamed in memory of its first President Dame Rosemary Murray, and alumna Ros Smith (Mrs Edwards) and her husband Steve Edwards who had recently made a donation of £30 million[2] to the College. It is proposed that the college be renamed Murray Edwards College legally on 1 May 2009 although the new name is being used until then.[3][4]
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Background
New Hall was founded in 1954, housing sixteen students in Silver Street where Darwin College now stands. By 1962, thanks to the generosity of members of the Darwin family who gave their family home, the Orchard, to the project, the College had a new site on Huntingdon Road, about a mile 'up the hill' from the centre of Cambridge. The architects, Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, had been chosen and funds were being collected. Building began in 1964 and the new college was completed in 1965. It could house up to 300 students.
With the conversion of the last men-only colleges into mixed colleges in the 1970s and 80s, many people questioned whether New Hall would remain a women-only college. However there continues to be demand for women-only colleges.[5]
The college is home to the second largest collection of women's art in the world. The New Hall Art Collection can be regarded as unique in this country and is visited, consulted, written about and photographed by art historians and others excited by the talent and originality displayed by so many contemporary women artists.
Both fellows and students value the college's creation of a unique community that is liberal, outgoing, relaxed but academically adventurous. Undergraduates have often chosen to stay at the college during graduate studies, as they come to appreciate its informal atmosphere and friendly community. Although it is not as wealthy as the older colleges, it offers free formal halls each week to graduate students and maintains a modest fund for graduate research.
Arms and Logo
New Hall received its Royal Charter in 1972. The Arms, which are in use to this day, are emblazoned as follows:
- Sable a Dolphin palewise head downwards to the dexter in chief three Mullets fesswise a Bordure embattled Argent
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.
In addition to the arms, the college has a new logo to mark its proposed transition from New Hall to Murray Edwards College. It is based on the design of the interior of the dining hall, known as the Dome. It is called the 'spark' and symbolises the modern, open and youthful outlook of the College.[6][7]
Alumnae
- Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, DBE, now Research Professor, University of Oxford, formerly researcher in the university radio astronomy group who discovered the first four pulsars
- Dame Barbara Stocking, DBE, Director of Oxfam
- Dr Julia King, CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Aston, Birmingham
- Joanna MacGregor, concert pianist
- Tilda Swinton, Academy Award winning actress
- Sue Perkins, comedian
- Lisa Burke, TV weather presenter
- Claudia Winkleman
- Mishal Husain, BBC World News Anchor
- Frances Vernon, novelist
- Clare Lawrence, actress
- Professor Dame Jessica Rawson DBE, FBA, Warden of Merton College, Oxford
References
- ^ A New President for New Hall
- ^ 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.
- ^ Official site FAQ
- ^ Record £30 million gift provides a bright future for Cambridge College University of Cambridge Press release 18 June 2008
- ^ "Students back women's colleges". BBC News (2003-10-13). Retrieved on 2008-03-26.
- ^ Official site FAQ
- ^ Official Logo Image
See also
 The Kaetsu Centre provides prestigious new conference facilities and accommodation for New Hall. |
 Accommodation block |
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