St Aidan's College
Encyclopedia
St Aidan's College is a college of the University of Durham in England
. Founded in 1947 as St Aidan's Society, but able to trace its roots back to the end of the 19th century, the college is named for St Aidan
of Lindisfarne
.
St Aidan's Society had its offices at 24 North Bailey (now the bar and club of the Durham Union Society
). Some of the students lived in Shincliffe Hall, and others in lodgings. A Common Room was soon found in 50 North Bailey and chapel services held at the church of St Mary-le-Bow. The first principal was Miss Ethleen Scott, having been 'Censor' of the female home students since 1937.
In 1961 St Aidan's was reconstituted as a full 'Council College' (meaning that its governing council is a sub-committee of the University Council, the University's governing body). It moved to its present buildings on Elvet Hill in 1964, becoming one of the first of the University's 'Hill' colleges. The college buildings are in a modernist style, having been designed by architect Sir Basil Spence
, and arranged in a semi-circular arrangement surrounding a central lawn. The original design was intended to represent the hand of God holding a jewel, with the curved corridors as the fingers, the straight corridors as his thumb, and a small chapel as the jewel. However, financial constraints prevented the chapel from ever being built and later extensions to the straight section did not follow the original idea.
In 1963, Miss Scott was succeeded as principal by Dame Enid Russell-Smith
, who handed over to Miss Irene Hindmarsh in 1970. It was during her tenure as principal that it was agreed that St Aidan's should become a mixed college, and the first male students were admitted in 1981. John Ashworth took over in 1998, before achieving promotion to Dean of Colleges in 2007, at which point Dr Susan Frenk became acting principal. In 2008 work on improvements to the extensions were started. The aim was to turn previous fresher rooms into ensuite accommodation for finalists and postgraduates. In February 2009 students were allowed to tour the newly refurbished extensions, named Elizabeth Pease house.
The college membership divides itself between the Senior Common Room (SCR) and the Junior Common Room (JCR). The SCR is a self-regulating body of senior members of the university, college officers, tutors and postgraduate students. The JCR consists of the undergraduate members of the college and elects its own officers, including a sabbatical JCR President and a Bar Steward, who liaise on its behalf with the college and university.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Founded in 1947 as St Aidan's Society, but able to trace its roots back to the end of the 19th century, the college is named for St Aidan
Aidan of Lindisfarne
Known as Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, Aidan the Apostle of Northumbria , was the founder and first bishop of the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne in England. A Christian missionary, he is credited with restoring Christianity to Northumbria. Aidan is the Anglicised form of the original Old...
of Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
.
History
The college has its origins in the small group of women, known as home students, who were first allowed to study at Durham in 1895. At that time, and indeed until the Second World War, it was considered unsuitable for female students to live in lodgings: they either had to be members of a College or to live at home. The numbers were never very large; for example, in 1936 there were only five. However, a substantial increase in the number of female students after 1945 meant that the former group of home students was reorganised, emerging as St Aidan's Society in 1947.St Aidan's Society had its offices at 24 North Bailey (now the bar and club of the Durham Union Society
Durham Union Society
The Durham Union Society is a debating society founded in 1842 by the students of the Durham University. Commonly referred to as the "DUS" or "The Durham Union", it is the university's largest society with over 3,000 members...
). Some of the students lived in Shincliffe Hall, and others in lodgings. A Common Room was soon found in 50 North Bailey and chapel services held at the church of St Mary-le-Bow. The first principal was Miss Ethleen Scott, having been 'Censor' of the female home students since 1937.
In 1961 St Aidan's was reconstituted as a full 'Council College' (meaning that its governing council is a sub-committee of the University Council, the University's governing body). It moved to its present buildings on Elvet Hill in 1964, becoming one of the first of the University's 'Hill' colleges. The college buildings are in a modernist style, having been designed by architect Sir Basil Spence
Basil Spence
Sir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
, and arranged in a semi-circular arrangement surrounding a central lawn. The original design was intended to represent the hand of God holding a jewel, with the curved corridors as the fingers, the straight corridors as his thumb, and a small chapel as the jewel. However, financial constraints prevented the chapel from ever being built and later extensions to the straight section did not follow the original idea.
In 1963, Miss Scott was succeeded as principal by Dame Enid Russell-Smith
Enid Russell-Smith
Dame Enid Mary Russell Russell-Smith, DBE was a British civil servant.-Career:Born in Esher, Surrey to Arthur Russell-Smith and Constance Mary , she attended Saint Felix School, Southwold, and Newnham College, Cambridge, graduating in 1925.She was one of the first women to enter the British civil...
, who handed over to Miss Irene Hindmarsh in 1970. It was during her tenure as principal that it was agreed that St Aidan's should become a mixed college, and the first male students were admitted in 1981. John Ashworth took over in 1998, before achieving promotion to Dean of Colleges in 2007, at which point Dr Susan Frenk became acting principal. In 2008 work on improvements to the extensions were started. The aim was to turn previous fresher rooms into ensuite accommodation for finalists and postgraduates. In February 2009 students were allowed to tour the newly refurbished extensions, named Elizabeth Pease house.
Structure
Notable alumni
- Graham BradyGraham BradyGraham Stuart Brady is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West. He served as a shadow minister for Europe under four Conservative leaders before resigning in 2007 in protest at David Cameron's opposition to grammar schools...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
- Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West - Shona McIsaacShona McIsaacShona McIsaac is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Cleethorpes from 1997 to 2010...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
- Former Member of Parliament for CleethorpesCleethorpes (UK Parliament constituency)Cleethorpes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It is a marginal seat between Labour and the Conservatives...
since 1997 - Dame Caroline Jane SwiftCaroline SwiftDame Caroline Jane Swift, DBE , styled The Hon. Mrs Justice Swift, was leading counsel to the Inquiry in the Shipman Inquiry, which began in 2001....
- leading counsel to the Inquiry in the Shipman Inquiry and Justice of the High Court - Judith HannJudith HannJudith Hann at Littleover, Derby, Derbyshire, England, is a freelance broadcaster and writer specialising in science, food and the environment.-Education:...
- former Tomorrow's WorldTomorrow's WorldTomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
presenter
Sources
- Rodmell, Graham. St Aidans: from Home Students to Society to College. University of Durham, 1997. ISBN 0-9530465-0-8
External links
- St Aidan's College Durham College Prospectus
- St Aidan's College JCR JCR Website
- St Aidan's College SCR postgraduate student and staff organisation
- 2007 Aidans Reunion Unofficial details of the 2007 Aidan's Reunion
- SACRFC St Aidan's Rugby Football Club Website