Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

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Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Full name	Fitzwilliam College
Motto	Ex antiquis et novissimis optima The best of old and new
Named after	Fitzwilliam Museum, named after Richard Fitzwilliam - disputed, named after Fitzwilliam Street, original location
Previous names	Fitzwilliam Hall [Non collegiate] (1869), Fitzwilliam House [Non collegiate] (1924)
Established	1966
List of Oxbridge sister colleges>Sister College(s)	St Edmund Hall
Master	Prof. Robert Lethbridge
Location	[Storey's Way]
Undergraduates	474
Postgraduates	180
[Homepage]	[Boatclub]

Fitzwilliam College (usually called 'Fitz') is a college of the University of Cambridge. The college was formed out of the Non-Collegiate Students Board in 1869. This body was based at Fitzwilliam House, opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum . The Non-Collegiate Students Board eventually evolved to become Fitzwilliam College in 1966. Female undergraduates were first admitted in 1979.

The main grounds of the College are sited off Storey's Way, towards the north-west of Cambridge. Its buildings are of contemporary design, in contrast to many of the University's other colleges. The first college courts and central building (comprising the library, dining hall, junior common room and bar) were completed in 1963 and were designed by Denys Lasdun. The original intention was for these buildings to constitute the 'back' of the college, and as funding became available, the college grew to the south, with New Court (1985), Wilson Court (1994), and finally 'completed' with Gatehouse Court (2003) giving the college a new frontage, and the new Auditorium building, with some of the best facilities in the University. The college surrounds the building called The Grove (1813) which has rooms for some fellows and graduates. The Chapel (1991) is an excellent example of modern architecture. The college is also well-known for its beautiful gardens, which are excellently kept all year around.

Fitzwilliam College

Fitzwilliam College is less popular with the traditional Cambridge elite, being a little away from the main tourist centre, and with rather less imposing architecture. However, the college is closer to flourishing West Cambridge where the university is concentrating the departments on mathematics, pure sciences and technology. The college's less traditional image help to attract students who have the image of Cambridge being an elitest university. The membership is largely state school based, usually comprising around 70–75% of undergraduates - however many of these are students drawn from provincial grammar schools and the leading comprehensive schools in the Home Counties, so is somewhat less balanced than the figures suggest.

The Music Society is particularly strong, and Fitz is the only college in Cambridge to have access to a professional string quartet, the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, in residence at least once every term. As well as its own Chapel Choir, the college is home to numerous other singing groups, including Fitz Barbershop, and the Sirens, both well-loved throughout the university. Fitz is also heavily involved in the Orchestra on the Hill, whose membership is drawn from the 'hill' colleges, performing large scale works on at least a termly basis.

'Fitztheatre', the 'hill' college drama society is based at Fitzwilliam's auditorium, one of the largest and best equipped in the University, newly opened in 2004.

Outside the Huntingdon Road Entrance on a snowy March day

Sports teams play a large part in college life; the college is particularly strong in football, having won the league in 2005 (winning every game on the way) and Cuppers in 2006. There are also a number of academic societies.

Notable alumni include former Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont, the Labour MP for Leigh and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Home Office Andy Burnham, Liberal Democrat politicians Vincent Cable and Julia Goldsworthy, the former prime minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, Indian revolutionary Subhas Chandra Bose, cricketer Derek Pringle, cricket journalist and broadcaster Christopher Martin-Jenkins, late singer/songwriter Nick Drake, prominent historian David Starkey, author Giles Foden, television writer Brian Dooley and journalist/author Ahmed Rashid.

The [2006 yearbook is online].

See also

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