Churchill College, the national and Commonwealth memorial to Sir Winston Churchill and one of the colleges of the University of Cambridge, admitted its first students in 1960. It has a special statutory bias towards science and technology because of Sir Winston Churchill’s desire to rectify the shortage of technological education in the UK.
There are several printed articles and books on the history and buildings of Churchill College which are detailed in a bibliography.
Professor Anthony Kelly has written a presentation on the College’s first generation of famous scientists which is available here. Read Presentation (PDF)
The College’s prehistory spans the 1950s: various schemes for technological education were discussed, including possible postgraduate training schemes at Cranfield Aeronautical College and Birmingham University, before a suggestion was made in 1957 to found a new college in Cambridge bearing Sir Winston’s name. The first appeal for funds was launched in May 1958, and a large part of the College’s endowment was acquired from British and American industry because of the College’s intention to maintain strong links with industry and because of its link with the name of Sir Winston Churchill.
The College Archives are a separate entity to the Churchill Archives Centre however, we have a close relationship with them and they display many of our items due to the close working relationship.
College Archives
The College’s archives are administered separately from the Churchill Archives Centre and are classified under the following categories:
Governance Records
These include records of the College’s statutes and deeds, College Council, and Governing Body. They also include papers on the admission of women as well as of some of the individual Trustees who raised funds to establish the College and undertook its early administration, such as Lord Knollys, Lord Todd and Sir John Colville.
Administrative Records
These include records pertaining to property, personnel, finances, and fundraising. They also include records relating to buildings and grounds (including the chapel), College artwork and records relating to the Churchill Archives Centre and Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States.
Academic Records
These include records relating to: students, Fellows, admissions, teaching, examinations, and degrees as well as the library and Moller Institute.
Clubs and Societies
These include records of College sports, social and dramatic clubs and societies.
They also include the records of The Churchill Group, Â (1978-1990) which aimed to promote the efficient use of graduates as employees, especially in small businesses.
Historical Reference Records
This collection brings together publications, historical articles and reminiscences, drawings and artefacts about the College, events, and people connected with it. This includes records relating to special events, a substantial collection of press cuttings and the College’s Oral History project.
The College’s Oral History Project includes a number of recordings with key founding Fellows and members of staff involved in the setting up of the College as well as further recordings which capture reminiscences of early days of the College and life/work in subsequent decades. The alumni association oral history project is also deposited with the College Archive.
Photographs
These include photographs of the following:Â students, Fellows, buildings and grounds, societies and clubs, special events, and sports events.
Personal Papers
These are chiefly papers of individual fellows relating to College administration. They include:
- Papers of Dr Norman Kendall, 1953-62, relating to the College’s prehistory, namely the schemes for postgraduate technological education at Cranfield Aeronautical College and Birmingham University which predated the decision to found a new college in Cambridge.
- Papers of Dr Kenneth McQuillen, Founding Fellow and Vice Master.
- Papers of Mr R H (Dick) Tizard, founding Fellow, Senior Tutor, Admissions Tutor and Chair of the Hanging Committee
- Papers of Dr Daphne Osborne, the first female Fellow at Churchill College and tutor to women undergraduates.
Note: the personal papers of some College Masters and Fellows are held by the Churchill Archives Centre.
Churchill College Archives Trusts
These include records of the Sir Winston Churchill Archive Trust and the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust
Contact us:
The archives are fully catalogued, and open to researchers with the exception of records containing personal, confidential or sensitive information. Plans of College buildings must be requested in advance due to security concerns. For further information, please contact:
College Archivist
Churchill College
Cambridge
CB3 0DS
Telephone:Â (01223) 336222
college.archivist@chu.cam.ac.uk
Churchill planting a tree on the College site, 17 Oct 1959. (ref CCPH 4/2).
Cartoon from the Birmingham Mail 15 May 1958 (ref. CCRF 120/1/6).
University Challenge winners 1970
Matriculation: The first post-graduate students arriving at Senate House led by Dr R. W. Hey, Praelector, 1st November, 1960 (ref: CCPH/04/001/002 p12).
