Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. It was founded in 1954 as New Hall. In 2008, following a donation of £30 million by alumna Ros Edwards and her husband Steve, it was renamed Murray Edwards College, honouring its first President,

Rosemary Murray Dame Alice Rosemary Murray, (28 July 1913 – 7 October 2004) was an English chemist and educator. She was instrumental in establishing New Hall, Cambridge, now Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, and was the first woman to hold the office of Vic ...

and the donors.

History

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 Darwin may refer to: Common meanings * Charles Darwin (1809–1882), English naturalist and writer, best known as the originator of the theory of biological evolution by natural selection * Darwin, Northern Territory, a territorial capital city i ...

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 A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe In the Middle ...

in London, and fundraising commenced. The building work began in 1964 and was completed by W. & C. French in 1965. 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 The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfre ...

for her supervisor and ultimately, for Bell Burnell herself, a position as a research professor at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...

. 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 () 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. There was some opposition to this as the new name incorporated a man's surname, despite the college being reserved for women students. 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. 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, 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, Lucy Cavendish College. 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.

Arms and logo

New Hall received its Royal Charter in 1972. The

Arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

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 original site of Cambridge that dates back to Roman times. 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 colours featured are black and white. The black represents wisdom, whilst the white represents truth, purity and sincerity. The college coat of arms is displayed on 'stash', college branded clothing and items. Murray Edward's students can be identified by this coat on their college puffer jacket, sweatshirt or other stash item. 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'. 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 original name of the grounds now occupied by the college, which was formerly known as The Orchard, a large house part-owned by Norah Barlow, granddaughter of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...

. 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. 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 Valerie Louise Pearl (née Bence; 31 December 1926 – 29 January 2016) was a British historian who was noted for her work on the English Civil War. She was the second President of New Hall, Cambridge. Life Pearl was the daughter of Cyril Bence, ...

, 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, 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. 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. * 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. 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). 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 now 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. The theme of the presented garden was the Transit of Venus, and was awarded a Bronze Flora medal in the Chic Garden Category. After the show, this garden was recreated in a slightly larger form and is now displayed beside the library. As part of the Cambridge tradition of

May Week May Week is the name used in the University of Cambridge to refer to a period at the end of the academic year. Originally May Week took place in the week during May before year-end exams began. Nowadays, May Week takes place in June after exam ...

, 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 Stephan Körner, FBA (26 September 1913 – 17 August 2000) was a British philosopher, who specialised in the work of Kant, the study of concepts, and in the philosophy of mathematics. Born to a Jewish family in what would soon become Czechosl ...

graduate studentship for studies in philosophy, classics or law.

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. Donations have continued since, and the Art Collection now contains work by many famous women artists, including: * Gillian Ayres * Fiona Banner * Wilhelmina Barns-Graham * Sandra Blow * Helaine Blumenfeld * Judy Chicago * Eileen Cooper * Tracey Emin * Mary Fedden * Elisabeth Frink *

Guerrilla Girls Guerrilla Girls is an anonymous group of feminist, female artists devoted to fighting sexism and racism within the art world. The group formed in New York City in 1985 with the mission of bringing gender and racial inequality into focus within ...

* Maggi Hambling *

Barbara Hepworth Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth (10 January 1903 – 20 May 1975) was an English artist and sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism and in particular modern sculpture. Along with artists such as Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, Hepworth was a lea ...

Nicola Hicks Nicola Hicks (born 1960 in London) is an English sculptor, known for her works made using straw and plaster. Biography Hicks studied at the Chelsea School of Art from 1978 to 1982 and at the Royal College of Art from 1982 to 1985.Falconer, Morga ...

* Lubaina Himid * Chantal Joffe * Mary Kelly (artist) * Cornelia Parker *

Emily Patrick Emily Patrick (born 4 October 1959) is a British figurative painter. Biography Patrick grew up on a sheep farm in Kent. She studied architecture at the Architectural Association and Cambridge University. She paints in oil and tempera on ge ...

* Barbara Rae *

Gwen Raverat Gwendolen Mary "Gwen" Raverat (née Darwin; 26 August 1885 – 11 February 1957), was an English wood engraver who was a founder member of the Society of Wood Engravers. Her memoir ''Period Piece (book), Period Piece'' was published in 1952. Bi ...

* Paula Rego * Shani Rhys James * Bridget Riley *

Cindy Sherman Cynthia Morris Sherman (born January 19, 1954) is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Her breakthrough work is often co ...

* Julia Sorrell * Jo Spence * Rose Wylie

Presidents

New Hall

*1964–1981:

*1981–1995:

*1996–2008: Anne Lonsdale

Murray Edwards College

*2008–2012: Jennifer Barnes *2012–2013: Ruth Lynden-Bell (acting) *2013–2021: Barbara Stocking *2021-present:

Dorothy Byrne Dorothy Byrne is a Scottish journalist, television executive and academic. She is the current President of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. Prior to this, she was Editor at Large at Channel 4 Television, where she previously served as Head o ...

Notable alumnae

File:Launch of IYA 2009, Paris - Grygar, Bell Burnell cropped.jpg, Astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell File:Tilda Swinton by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg, Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton File:Mishal Husain.jpg, BBC journalist Mishal Husain File:SusanP.JPG, Comedian Sue Perkins * Manel Abeysekera, diplomat * Baroness Haleh Afshar, professor in politics and women's studies at the University of York *

Regina Barreca Regina Barreca (born 1957) is an American academic and humorist. She is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of English literature and feminist theory at the University of Connecticut and winner of UConn's highest award for excellence in ...

, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of English Literature at the University of Connecticut, Author * Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, astrophysicist who discovered the first four pulsars * Helen Cooper, literary scholar *

Sarah Coakley Sarah Anne Coakley (born 1951) is an English Anglican priest, systematic theologian and philosopher of religion with interdisciplinary interests. She is an honorary professor at the Logos Institute, the University of St Andrews, after she stepped ...

, theologian and philosopher *

Liv Garfield Olivia Ruth Garfield (born 10 September 1975) is a British businesswoman. She is the chief executive of Severn Trent, and formerly the chief executive of Openreach, a BT Group business. Early life Olivia was raised in Harrogate. Her parent ...

, chief executive of Severn Trent Water and youngest female CEO of a FTSE 100 company. *

Amika George Amika Sara George (born 4 October 1999) is a British activist who campaigns against period poverty in the United Kingdom. Life Amika George, who has Indian heritage, is from Edgware in north-west London. She studied Indian colonial history ...

, activist and founder of the #FreePeriods campaign against period poverty *

Roma Gill Roma Gill OBE, M.A. Cantab., BLitt. Oxon. (29 September 1934 – 3 August 2001) was a British academic, writer and noted scholar on the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe. She edited more than 30 texts including three in the Oxford School Marl ...

, academic and literary scholar * Jane Heal, philosopher, Emeritus Professor *

Angela Hobbs Angela Hunter "Angie" Hobbs (born 12 June 1961) is a British philosopher and academic, who specialises in Ancient Greek philosophy and ethics. She is Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. Early lif ...

, philosopher, and Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the

University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield (informally Sheffield University or TUOS) is a public university, public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its history traces back to the foundation of Sheffield Medical School in 1828, Firth C ...

* Mishal Husain, newsreader for

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

* Julia King, engineer and former Vice-Chancellor,

University of Aston Aston University (abbreviated as ''Aston''. for post-nominals) is a public research university situated in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK's firs ...

* Clare Lawrence, actress * Helen Macdonald, prize-winning author of '' H is for Hawk'' *

Joanna MacGregor Joanna Clare MacGregor (born 16 July 1959) is a British concert pianist, conductor, composer, and festival curator. She is Head of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music and a professor of the University of London. She is currently artistic direc ...

, concert pianist, conductor, and composer *

Philippa Marrack Philippa "Pippa" Marrack, FRS (born 28 June 1945) is an English immunologist and academic, based in the United States, best known for her research and discoveries pertaining to T cells. Marrack is the Ida and Cecil Green Professor and chair of ...

, immunologist known for her T cell research * Hattie Morahan, actress * Elizabeth Norton, writer and historian * Maggie O'Farrell, winner of the 2020 Women's prize for fiction. * Sue Perkins, comedian * Dame Jessica Rawson, art historian, former Warden of

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ...

* Josie Rourke, artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse and film director * Susan Sherratt, archaeologist *

Elizabeth Slater Elizabeth Slater (13 June 1946 – 11 September 2014) was a British archaeologist specialising in archaeometallurgy. She was the first female professor of archaeology appointed by the University of Liverpool, where she held the Garstang Chair in A ...

, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Liverpool * Dame Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam, former president of the college (elected in 2013) * Tilda Swinton,

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

-winning actress *

Carina Tyrrell Dr. Carina Tyrrell (born 24 October 1989) is a British-Swiss public health physician, investor, and philanthropist who is a former Miss England and Miss United Kingdom. Tyrrell graduated from the University of Cambridge with first-class honours, ...

, British-Swiss public health physician and former Miss United Kingdom of Miss World * Frances Vernon, novelist * Nicola Walker, actress * Claudia Winkleman, TV presenter and journalist *

Vicki Young Vicki Young (born ) is a British journalist. She has been the deputy political editor of BBC News since October 2020. She was formerly the chief political correspondent and has contributed to BBC coverage of seven general elections. She has o ...

, Chief Political Correspondent of

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Colleges of the University of Cambridge Women's universities and colleges in the United Kingdom Educational institutions established in 1954 1954 establishments in England Domes