Pembroke College, Oxford

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Colleges and halls of the University of Oxford
Pembroke College

Pembroke College Hall over the Chapel Quad

                     
College name Pembroke College
Latin name Collegium Pembrochianum
Named after The Earl of Pembroke
Established 1624
Sister college Queens' College
Master Giles Henderson
JCR president Chris Bennetts
Undergraduates 408
MCR president Sabrina Badger
Graduates 119
Pembroke College, Oxford (Oxford (central))
Pembroke College, Oxford

Location of Pembroke College within central OxfordCoordinates: 51°45′00″N 1°15′28″W / 51.750062, -1.257827
College home page
Boat club
Image:Pembroke crest.PNG
The lodge and the entrance to Pembroke College in Pembroke Square. Samuel Johnson had rooms on the second floor above the entrance, as an undergraduate in 1728.
The lodge and the entrance to Pembroke College in Pembroke Square. Samuel Johnson had rooms on the second floor above the entrance, as an undergraduate in 1728.
Samuel Johnson's desk, in Broadgates.
Samuel Johnson's desk, in Broadgates.

Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2007, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £45.5 million.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

In the early seventeenth century, the endowment of Thomas Tesdale - a merchant from nearby Abingdon - and Richard Wightwick - a clergyman from Berkshire - enabled the conversion of the Broadgates Hall, which had been a University hostel for law students since it construction in the fifteenth century, to form the basis of a fully fledged college. The letters patent to found the college were signed by King James I in 1624, with the college being named after William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain and then-Chancellor of the University.[2]

Following its foundation, the college proceeded to expand around Broadgates, building what is now known as "Old Quad" in the 1600s. Built in stages through the seventeenth century out of the local Cotswold limestone, space restrictions saw the south-side of the Quad built directly on top of the old City Wall. A Chapel was built in 1732, and the introduction of further accommodation and the Hall in the mid-nineteenth century created "Chapel Quad" - widely considered one of the most beautiful Quads in the University.[3] The Chapel was designed and built by William Townsend, although the interior was dramatically redesigned by Charles Kempe - a Pembroke graduate - in 1884. Pembroke alumnus Dr. Damon Wells is a significant benefactor of the College over many years; he enabled the restoration of the Chapel in 1972, and continues to support the Chaplaincy and History Fellowship. The Chapel which is still used for regular worship bears his name.[4]

The most recent expansion of the college came in the 1960s, after the closure of Beef Lane to the north of Chapel Quad. The private houses north of the closed road were acquired by the College in a piecemeal fashion and reversed so that access was only possible from the rear. The new area is now known as "North Quad", which was formally opened in 1962.[3] A modern annex was built near to college on the banks of the Isis at Grandpont, provides accommodation for almost a hundred undergraduates, usually those in their final year. The building is commonly known as "The GAB", after being named after the diplomat Sir Geoffrey Arthur - a former master of the college (1975-1985).[5]

Samuel Johnson was one of the College's more famous alumni, though he did not complete his degree (he was later awarded an honorary degree by the University); lack of funds forced him to leave Oxford after about a year and a half. Two of his desks and various other possessions are displayed around the college. James Smithson, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. (despite him never having visited the United States) was an undergraduate at Pembroke, under the name "James Lewis Macie" — he changed his name to that of his natural father after the death of his mother. Meanwhile Senator J. William Fulbright, who established the Fulbright Fellowships, was a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke in the 1920s.

Although he had been an undergraduate at Exeter College, J.R.R. Tolkien was a Fellow of Pembroke from 1925 to 1945, and wrote The Hobbit and the first two books of The Lord of the Rings during his time there.

Among the College's more recent Masters was Roger Bannister, the first man to run the mile in under four minutes.

Pembroke was described by John Betjeman, in Summoned by Bells:

How empty, creeper-grown and odd
Seems lonely Pembroke's second quad
Still, when I see it, do I wonder why
That college so polite and shy
Should have more character than Queen's
Or Univ, splendid in the High.

[edit] Coat of Arms

The arms of Pembroke College were granted by the College of Heralds on 14 February 1625, the formal blazon describing it as:

“Per pale azure and gules three Lyons rampant Argent, in a Cheife party per pale Argent and Or, in the first a Rose Gules, in second a Thistle of Scotland proper”.

Both James I, as founder of the college, and the Earl of Pembroke are commemorated in the arms. The former, representing the union of the crowns as James I of England and James VI of Scotland, is symbolised by the rose (of England) and the thistle (of Scotland). The three lions rampant are taken from the Earl’s personal coat arms.

[edit] Courses

Pembroke offers a broad range of courses, covering almost all the subject areas offered by the university. In particular, the college has had a strong involvement with Management Studies, being the first traditional Oxford College to appoint a Fellow in the field.[6] The college has maintained a close relationship with the Saïd Business School and with an intake of eight students per year, has more Economics & Management undergraduates than any other college.

The release of the 2006-2007 Norrington Table showed Pembroke increasing more places than any other college, moving up from 23rd to 10th.[7]

[edit] The JCR and MCR

Pembroke is home to a JCR (undergraduate community) notable for its artistic wealth and sporting prowess. The JCR is the wealthiest in Oxford due to the purchase and sale of a Francis Bacon painting in the early twentieth century (see below), and has used those funds to support a socially progressive student support scheme and an impressive artistic acquisition programme. The MCR is housed in a suite of historic rooms and is noted for its connections with a wide range of nations. Its current patron is Lord (John) Kerr, former head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ambassador to the United States.

The college is also home to the Emery gallery and the JCR art fund, founded by the sale of a Francis Bacon painting for £400,000, which is empowered to make significant contemporary purchases for the college.

[edit] Sport

The college has a strong sporting reputation across the university. Recent years have seen the JCR achieve particular success at rugby, and cricket, football, hockey and darts. The MCR has been particularly strong at women's boxing, polo and cricket.

Pembroke College Boat Club is one of Oxford's strongest boat clubs, with the men's and women's boats currently sitting 2nd and 3rd on the river in Summer Eights respectively. The 2007 Men's VIII was made up of Fergus Barratt (cox), Will McFarland (stroke), Jonathan Ross, Christopher Morris, Mark Evans, Andy Roberts, Phillip Howard, Ari Freisinger, and James Gillies (bow). In 2003, Pembroke became the first college to win the "Double Headship Trophy" for having both men's and women's Eights head the river.

[edit] Notable former students

See also Former students of Pembroke College.

[edit] Academics, fellows, and teachers

Pembroke College Chapel Quad in the snow (February 2007).
Pembroke College Chapel Quad in the snow (February 2007).

(The names of current members are followed by links to their College pages)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pembroke College Annual Report 2006/2007
  2. ^ History - Pembroke College, University of Oxford. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
  3. ^ a b Buildings - Pembroke College, University of Oxford. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
  4. ^ Chapel History - Pembroke College, University of Oxford. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
  5. ^ Geoffrey Arthur Building - Pembroke College, Oxford. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
  6. ^ Pembroke College Course Guide: Economics & Management
  7. ^ "Towering intellects maintain Oxford college’s top ranking", The Times, 2007-08-04. Retrieved on 2007-08-06. 

[edit] External links

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