Robinson College, Cambridge

Encyclopedia : R : RO : ROB : Robinson College, Cambridge

Robinson College, Cambridge
Full name	Robinson College
Motto	-
Named after	Sir David Robinson
Previous names	-
Established	1977
List of Oxbridge sister colleges>Sister College(s)	St Catherine's College
Warden	(Anthony) David Yates
Location	[Grange Road]
Undergraduates	385
Postgraduates	105
[Homepage]	[Boatclub]

Robinson College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge.

It was founded after the British philanthropist David Robinson offered the university £17 million to establish a new college in Cambridge: this is still one of the largest donations ever accepted by the university. Robinson later gave his college another £1 million, on the occasion of its official opening. The first graduate students and fellows joined the college in 1977. Undergraduates (20 of them) were admitted in 1979, but significant numbers only began arriving the following year. The college was formally opened by The Queen in May 1981.

Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students, of either sex. Despite maintaining some Cambridge traditions, such as Formal Hall, the college has tended to avoid others: for example, it is one of the few colleges that allows its students to walk on the grass in the college gardens. Robinson is in general less formal and traditional than most of the other colleges in the university.

Designed by the Scottish architectural firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, Robinson's main buildings are distinctive for the generous use of red bricks in their construction (one and a quarter million of them.) Of particular note are the library and chapel, the latter with stained-glass windows designed by John Piper. Located a ten minute walk west of the city centre, behind the University Library, near the science buildings in West Cambridge and the arts faculties on the university's Sidgwick Site, the college stands on a 12.5 acre wooded site. Within its grounds are Thorneycreek House and Cottage, accommodating graduate students, and Bin Brook, which once supplied water to the Hospital of St. John (now St. John's College), flows through the college gardens. A number of second-year students live in college-owned accommodation elsewhere in Cambridge, most notably a terrace of six houses ("Romsey Terrace") off the city's Mill Road. The main entrance to the college is via a drawbridge-like ramp which is accessible to wheelchair users, and there are also some special facilities for those with physical or visual disabilities.

With its modern facilities and comfortable accommodation (with most of the rooms on the main site being en-suite), Robinson is also one of Cambridge's most important conference centres, and always hosts a number of conferences during the summer months when the undergraduate students are away on their long vacation. Unlike some of the older colleges, Robinson does not own large amounts of land which can be used as a source of income; thus the ability to host conferences represents an important asset to the college from a financial perspective.

The Needham Research Institute is also located within the college grounds.

Student life

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Like other colleges, Robinson provides its students with social facilities such as a JCR/MCR, TV room and bar. Due to its other role as a conference centre, the college is equipped with two auditoria that are available for student use during term; the larger one in particular being frequently used by the college's film society and "Brickhouse Theatre Company" (dramatics society.) There is also a purpose-built party room ("The Bassment"), dedicated to hosting college "bops" and other entertainments. Musical talents are catered for by way of the music room, CD library and chapel. A wide range of college-based societies are on offer for Robinson members, and there are also several sports teams, covering most major sports; everything from waterpolo and cricket to rowing and rugby.

Notable alumni

• Greg Hands, politician
• Charles Hart, songwriter and musician
• Konnie Huq, television presenter
• Rebecca John, television presenter and journalist
• Marc Quinn, artist
• Robert Webb, actor

Notable fellows

• Professor Morna Hooker, Emerita Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity and first female holder of the Cambridge D.D..
• Professor Sir Jack Lewis, Lord Lewis of Newnham FRS, inorganic chemist and first Warden

External links

• [Sketches of the college from Cambridge Art]
• [Robinson College Students' Association]
• [Robinson College MCR] (Graduate Society)
• [Robinson College May Ball website]

References

• College website and links followed within, particularly the "college information" section: [link]

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