Rosemary Murray
| Rosemary Murray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge | |
| In office 1975–1977 | |
| Chancellor | The Baron Adrian HRH The Duke of Edinburgh |
| Preceded by | John Wilfrid Linnett |
| Succeeded by | Alan Cottrell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 July 1913 |
| Died | 7 October 2004 (aged 91) |
Dame Alice Rosemary Murray, DBE DL (28 July 1913 – 7 October 2004)[1][2] was a British chemist and educator. She was instrumental in establishing New Hall, Cambridge, and was the first woman to hold the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.[3][4] [1]
Biography
Rosemary Murray was born in Havant, the eldest of six children born to Admiral Arthur John Layard Murray and Ellen Maxwell Spooner.[5] After attending Downe House, Newbury, she studied Chemistry at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She completed a B.Sc. in 1936, and received a Ph.D. in 1938[5] for her research on various aspects of isomerism.[6]
Teaching Career
Rosemary Murray went on to hold teaching positions at the Royal Holloway College, the University of Sheffield and Cambridge.[3][4] She served in an impressive array of positions throughout her career:[1]
- Lecturer in Chemistry, Royal Holloway College (1938-41)
- Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Sheffield (1941-42)
- Lecturer in Chemistry, Girton College, Cambridge (1946-54)
- Fellow, Cambridge University (1949)
- Tutor, Cambridge University (1951-54)
- Demonstrator in Chemistry, Cambridge University (1947-52)
- Tutor in Charge, New Hall, Cambridge (1954-64)
- President, New Hall, Cambridge (1964-81)
- Vice-Chancellor, Cambridge University (1975-77)
- President, National Association of Adult Education (1977-80)
- Governor and Chairman, Keswick College of Education (1953-83)
World War II
While at the University of Sheffield (1941-1942) Murray did research on organic chemistry as part of a team working for the Ministry of Supply.[6] In 1942, she joined the WRNS, rising to the rank of Chief Officer.[5] She worked at Chatham Barracks as chief officer directing demobilisation.
New Hall, Cambridge
In 1946, the Mistress of Girton College invited Murray to apply for a job at Cambridge.[5] There, Rosemary Murray played a major role in establishing New Hall, Cambridge to address the needs of women students.[2] She served as the first President of New Hall from its founding in 1954 until 1981.[4][1][2]
In 1975 she became Cambridge University's first female vice-chancellor for a two-year term during which time she introduced student representation on university committees, founded the Cambridge Society, and inaugurated the clinical medical school, the new music school, and West Road concert hall.
In 1980, Murrey published the booklet New Hall, 1954–1972: the Making of a College.[7]
In 2008, it was announced that New Hall would be renamed Murray Edwards College, in honour of the vision of its first President, Rosemary Murray, and the generosity of the Edwards family. [8]
Town and Gown
Murray served as a magistrate in Cambridge for thirty years, from 1953 to 1983, and became the first female deputy lieutenant of Cambridgeshire in 1982. She was president of the National Association of Adult Education from 1977 to 1980. She served as a member of the Committee on Higher Education in Northern Ireland chaired by Sir John Lockwood (1963–65), which led to the creation of the New University of Ulster. She was a member of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (1971–81). She was a director of Midland Bank Ltd (1978–84), and an independent director of The Observer (1981–93). [1]
Achievements
Dame Rosemary Murray was the first woman to serve as the following:
- Vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge[3][4][1]
- Founder President of the "third foundation" for women, New Hall, Cambridge[3][4][1]
- Director of a clearing bank, the Midland Bank[4][1]
- Liveryman in the Goldsmiths' Company[1]
- Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire[1]
Honours/awards
- She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1977.[6][1]
- She received honorary degrees from universities in several countries[9]
- Doctor of Science (DSc), The New University of Ulster, 1972
- Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Leeds, 1975
- Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1975
- Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), Oxford University, 1976
- Doctor of Law (DL), University of Southern California, 1976
- Doctor of Science (DSc), Wellesley, 1976
- Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of Sheffield, 1977
- Doctor of Science(DSc), The Royal Australian Institute of Colleges, 1981
- Doctor of Law (DL), Cambridge University, 1988
- In 2004, a new rose was named in her honour at the Chelsea Flower Show. [10]
- In 2008, New Hall, Cambridge was renamed Murray Edwards College, in her honour. [8]
- In 2008, New Hall's Transit of Venus garden was rebuilt as the Dame Rosemary Murray Garden[11]
Death
She died at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford on 7 October 2004, aged 91.[2][1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 "Dame Rosemary Murray, First woman to be Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University (Obituary)". The Independent (London, England). 18 October 2004.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Dame Rosemary Murray 1913 - 2004". Cambridge, England: Cambridge University. 8 October 2004.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Dame Rosemary Murray (Obituary)". The Times (London, England). 12 October 2004.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Dame Rosemary Murray (Obituary)". The Telegraph (London, England). 14 October 2004.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Rayner-Canham, Marelene F.; Rayner-Canham, Geoffrey (2008). Chemistry Was Their Life: Pioneering British Women Chemists, 1880-1949 (in English). London: Imperial College Press. ISBN 9781860949869.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Haines, Catharine M.C.; Stevens, Helen M. (2001). International women in science : a biographical dictionary to 1950 (in English). Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1576070905.
- ↑ Murray, Rosemary (1980). New Hall, 1954-1972 : the making of a college. [Cambridge]: New Hall Cambridge. p. 67. ISBN 0950710806.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Edwards Endowment". Murray Edwards College. 2009.
- ↑ "New Hall Archives : Personal papers of Dame Rosemary Murray". Murray Edwards College.
- ↑ "Launch of 'Rosemary Murray' rose at Chelsea Flower Show". Murray Edwards College. 27 May 2004.
- ↑ "Dame Rosemary Murray Garden Opened". Murray Edwards College. 12 September 2008.
External links
| Library resources about Rosemary Murray |
| By Rosemary Murray |
|---|
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None: new position |
President of New Hall, Cambridge 1954–1981 |
Succeeded by Valerie Pearl |
| Preceded by John Wilfrid Linnett |
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1975–1977 |
Succeeded by Alan Cottrell |
|