| Colleges and halls of the University of Oxford Pembroke College |
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| College name | The Master, Fellows, and Scholars of Pembroke College | |||||||||||
| Latin name | Collegium Pembrochianum | |||||||||||
| Named after | The Earl of Pembroke | |||||||||||
| Established | 1624 | |||||||||||
| Sister college | Queens' College | |||||||||||
| Master | Giles Henderson | |||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 402 | |||||||||||
| Graduates | 119 | |||||||||||
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Location of Pembroke College within central Oxford |
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| College home page | ||||||||||||
| Boat club | ||||||||||||
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.[1]
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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 its 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 in 1846, and the Hall in 1848 to designs by Exeter based architect John Hayward[3] created "Chapel Quad"—widely considered one of the most beautiful Quads in the University.[4] 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.[5]
Further 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.[4] 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).[6]
In 2010. the college began a major new development south of the main site, to which it will be linked by a bridge over Brewer Street. The new buildings are expected to be completed in 2012.[7]
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 Program, 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:
In March 2002 two Oxford fellows resigned after allegations that they had offered a place to an undercover reporter in return for a donation of £300,000. Rev John Platt, chaplain of Pembroke, and Mary-Jane Hilton, head of fund-raising, apparently attended a taped meeting where the offer was made to a journalist, posing as a wealthy banker father of a fictitious son.[8]
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.
Pembroke offers a broad range of courses, covering almost all the subject areas offered by the university; exceptions include Literae Humaniores (Classics) and Physics. In particular, the college has had a strong involvement with Economics, as well as Management Studies, being the first traditional Oxford College to appoint a Fellow in the field.[9] 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.
Pembroke is home to a JCR (undergraduate community) notable for its artistic wealth and sporting prowess. The JCR is one of the wealthiest in Oxford due to the purchase and sale of a Francis Bacon painting in the early 20th 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 Permanent Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British Representative to the European Union and Ambassador to the United States.
The college is also home to the Emery gallery and the JCR art fund, which is empowered to make significant contemporary purchases for the college.
The college has a strong sporting reputation across the university. Recent years have seen the JCR achieve particular success at rugby, 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 both sitting 2nd on the river in Summer Eights. 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.
The college has a particularly rich association with diplomacy. Thomas Randolph famously served as ambassador for Elizabeth I in Scotland from 1559, where he acquired the friendship of Mary Queen of Scots until he was accused of supporting the rebellion of James Stuart.[10]
More recently, trans-atlantic relations between the US and the UK have been markedly influenced by Pembroke alumni. John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard served as UK Ambassador to the United States from 1995-1997, before being appointed Head of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Philip Lader served as US Ambassador to the UK from 1997 to 2001. Thus in 1997, both the US Ambassador in London and the UK Ambassador in Washington were former Pembroke students.
Additionally, two former chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Richard G. Lugar, (Republican), and Senator J. William Fulbright (Democrat), were students of Pembroke, between them chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a 27 year period.[11]
Sir Peter Ricketts also served as head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2006 until 2010, and will serve as the British Ambassador to France from January 2012.
(The names of current members are followed by links to their College pages)
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