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 the founder Dame Rosemary Murray, and alumna Ros Smith (Mrs Edwards) and her husband Steve Edwards who had recently made a donation of £30 million^[1] to the College. The college will be renamed Murray Edwards College legally on 1 May 2009 though the new name will be used informally until then.^[2][3]

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.^[4]

Murray Edwards is home to the second largest collection of women's art in the world. The 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. Murray Edwards' undergraduates have often choose to stay at the college during graduate studies, as they come to appreciate its laid-back atmosphere and friendly community. Although it is not as wealthy as the older colleges, Murray Edwards offers free formal halls each week to graduate students and maintains a modest fund for graduate research.

Arms and Logo

Murray Edwards, as New Hall, received its Royal Charter in 1972. The Arms, which are in use to this day, are emblazoned as follows:

Interior design of the Murray Edwards Dome.

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

The black castellation round the arms marks Murray Edwards' 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 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.^[5][6]

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

References

See also

• Category:Alumni of New Hall, Cambridge
• Category:Fellows of New Hall, Cambridge
• New Hall Boat Club