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St Anne's College, Oxford

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox residential college St Anne's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1879 and gained full college status in 1959. Originally a women's college, it has admitted men since 1979.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It has some 450 undergraduate and 200 graduate students and retains an original aim of allowing women of any financial background to study at Oxford. It still has a student base with a higher than average proportion of female students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The college stands between Woodstock and Banbury roads, next to the University Parks.

In April 2017, Helen King, a retired Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, took over as Principal from Tim Gardam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web About the College > Helen King elected as Principal of St Anne's College.</ref> Former members include Danny Alexander, Edwina Currie, Ruth Deech, Helen Fielding, William MacAskill, Amanda Pritchard, Simon Rattle, Tina Brown, Mr Hudson and Victor Ubogu.

History

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Society of Oxford Home-Students (1879–1942)

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What is now St Anne's College began as part of the Association for the Education of Women (AEW), the first institution in Oxford with that aim. It then became the Society of Oxford Home-Students.<ref name="history">Template:Cite web</ref> Unlike other women's associations, the society had no fixed site, instead offering lodgings in houses spread across Oxford. This allowed students of various financial backgrounds to study at Oxford, as the cost of accommodation in women's halls was often prohibitive.<ref name="history"/> In the early 20th century, the college housed some students in hostels managed by Catholic and Anglican nuns. Springfield, St Mary was managed by Anglican nuns of the Community of St Mary the Virgin in houses in Banbury Road where they, and other hostels, "had to exercise control over their students according to the rules of the college".<ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Other hostels were run by Catholic nuns: the Society of the Sacred Heart in Norham Gardens, the Sisters of Notre Dame in Woodstock Road and the Society of the Holy Child Jesus at Cherwell Edge in St Cross Road.<ref name=VCH>Template:Cite web</ref> Springfield St Mary was advertised in 1985 in Country Life Magazine as being for sale.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

From 1898 till 1906, the Society of Home Students saw some of its members in residence at Wychwood School, then situated at 77 Banbury Road. They were supervised by Miss Margaret Lee who in 1913, was appointed Tutor to the Oxford Home Students, holding this position until she retired in 1936.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Olive Middleton in 1915 (back row, far right) - at Gledhow Hall, the estate of her cousin, Baroness Airedale.jpg
Society of Oxford Home-Students member VAD nurse Gertrude Middleton (standing back row, 2nd from right) beside her sister-in-law (seated on arm of couch) Olive Middleton in 1915 at Gledhow Hall

Early students of the college included the great-great aunt of Catherine, Princess of Wales. Anglican nun and VAD nurse Gertrude Middleton (1876–1942) lived in college accommodation at Banbury Road having commenced her studies at Oxford in 1900. Her sister Margaret Middleton (1880–1900) was due to study at Oxford alongside her but drowned earlier that year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The first woman Hon. Lady Secretary of the Association for the Education of Women was Charlotte Green whose husband T.H. Green had also acted as secretary to the association in the 1870s. Her husband having died, Charlotte, a social reformer, resolved to "do what my Husband wanted me to do — to make friends with working people and help them if I could that way".<ref name=jjjj>Template:Cite ODNB</ref> From 1894 to 1921 Bertha Johnson, a daughter of Robert Bentley Todd and wife of Reverend Arthur Henry Johnson, historian and chaplain of All Souls College, was the Principal of the Society. An emphasis on social work saw the Society of Home-Students work with the Lady Margaret Hall Settlement; the Principal of the Society from 1940 to 1953, Eleanor Plumer, had previously been Warden of the Mary Ward Settlement (1923-1927).<ref>Email from college archivist "In our published history of St Anne’s - https://oac.web.ox.ac.uk/st-annes-college - [Histories - Ruth Florence Butler and M H Prichard, Saint Anne's College: A History (Oxford, Privately Published, 1957) and Marjorie Reeves, St Anne's College, Oxford: An Informal History (Oxford: St Anne's College, 1979)] there are references to the Society of Home-Students working with the Lady Margaret Hall Settlement and the Principal of the Society from 1940 to 1953 (Eleanor Plumer) had previously been Warden of the Mary Ward Settlement (1923-1927)."</ref> The Women's University Settlement, Blackfriars Road was partly the result of T.H. Green's "inspiring influence".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1910, the Society of Oxford Home-Students, with the other women's societies, was recognised by the university. In 1912, the society acquired its first tutors, in German, History and English Literature. In the 1920s, the principals of the women's societies became the first women to receive degrees from the university. The society in the early 1930s still had no centralised site, but within a few years the current location was chosen and by 1937 construction of Hartland House was underway.<ref name="history"/>

St Anne's Society (1942–1952)

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In 1942, the Society of Oxford Home-Students was renamed the St Anne's Society and given its coat of arms by Eleanor Plumer (Principal, 1940–1953).<ref name="History Brochure"/> The name St Anne's was chosen as historically, there was a chapel of Saint Anne at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin where, from the college's earliest days, the whole student body would gather for termly services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

St Anne's College (1952 onwards)

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In 1952, the St Anne's Society acquired a royal charter as St Anne's College and in 1959 full college status along with the other women's colleges.<ref name="History Brochure">Template:Cite web</ref> The Principal at the time, Mary Ogilvie, pressed for a transition from many disparate dining rooms to a common building. This led to the construction of the dining hall completed in 1959 and visited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1960. Meanwhile student numbers grew to nearly 300, which called for more accommodation and led to the construction of the Wolfson and Rayne buildings in 1964 and 1968. In 1977, the decision was made to become coeducational, with the first male undergraduates matriculating in 1979.<ref name="History Brochure"/>

Since then, St Anne's has continued to use female words and pronouns, such as "alumnae" to refer to current and former students. The college explains this: "On 17 June 1979, in the nervous time when the first male Fellows had been elected, and the first male students admitted though they had not yet arrived, a note from the Dean to Governing Body asks hesitantly 'Would Governing Body wish "he" (or "he/she") to be substituted for "she" throughout the College Regulations?' Eventually the question was answered (or perhaps avoided) by a carefully worded statement that remains in the preamble to our Regulations: 'words importing the feminine gender shall include the masculine and vice versa, where the construction so permits and the Regulations do not otherwise expressly provide.'"<ref name="Alumnae">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2023, work began on the full reconstruction of the Bevington Road accommodation blocks, in order to make them more suitable for future generations of students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Ship

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The annual magazine for former college members is called The Ship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When still the Society of Oxford Home-Students, the college had its first common room in Ship Street, central Oxford.<ref name="history"/> The Ship started up in about 1910; by the college centenary in 1979 there had been 69 issues.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It marked its centenary issue of 2010/2011 with anniversary content.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Location and buildings

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Grounds

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File:Bevington Road Rear, St Anne's College, University of Oxford.jpg
Rear of Bevington Road

The college grounds are bounded by Woodstock Road to the west, Banbury Road to the east, and Bevington Road to the north. These grounds house all of the college's administrative and academic buildings, undergraduate accommodation, as well as the hall, which is among the largest in Oxford. The College formerly owned a number of houses throughout Oxford used for undergraduate accommodation, some of which used to be boarding houses of the Society of Oxford Home-Students. Many of these properties were sold off to fund the building of the Ruth Deech Building, completed in 2005.Template:Citation needed

Accommodation

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St Anne's can accommodate undergraduates on the college site for three years of study. Undergraduates at St Anne's are housed in 14 Victorian houses owned by the college and four purpose-built accommodation blocks. The college also supplies accommodation for some of its graduate students. All undergraduates pay the same amount for their rooms, and every student has access to a communal kitchen in their building.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Victorian houses

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The college uses 1–10 Bevington Road (also known colloquially as "the Bevs"),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 58/60 Woodstock Road, and 39/41 Banbury Road (also known as "Above the Bar") as undergraduate accommodation, typically for freshers. The junior (undergraduate) post room is located in 10 Bevington Road, the college laundry in 58/60 Woodstock Road, and the college bar, including a pool room, in 39/41 Banbury Road. Five additional Victorian houses (27/29 and 37 Banbury Road and 48/50 Woodstock Road) hold teaching rooms, seminar rooms, music practice rooms, and college offices.<ref name=":0"/> In July 2023, the Bevington Road accommodation began a two-year renovation project.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rayne and Wolfson Buildings

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File:Wolfson Building 2, St Anne's College, University of Oxford.jpg
Wolfson Building

The Rayne and Wolfson Buildings were built in 1964 and are Grade II Listed Buildings virtually identical in design. They house administrative offices on the ground floor and student rooms.Template:Citation needed

Claire Palley Building

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The Claire Palley Building, completed in 1992 and named after Claire Palley (Principal 1984–1991), was the first accommodation block to have en-suite rooms. It also houses the Mary Ogilvie Lecture Theatre.Template:Citation needed

Trenaman House

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File:St Anne’s KeepCup.jpg
A STACS coffee, in a college branded KeepCup

Trenaman House, built in 1995, holds student rooms and communal college facilities, including the gym, and since 2008, St Anne's Coffee Shop (STACS). It was named after Nancy Trenaman, sixth Principal of the college (1966–1984).Template:Citation needed

Ruth Deech Building

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File:StAnne'sRuthDeechBuilding.jpg
The Ruth Deech Building, which houses the Porter's Lodge

The Ruth Deech Building, named after the Principal in 1991–2004, was completed in 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The lower ground floor has the Tsuzuki lecture theatre, seminar rooms and dining facilities and a new Porter's Lodge on the upper ground floor with 110 en-suite student rooms.<ref name="Akt2">Template:Cite web</ref> One notable feature is a glass lift, the only part of the building to exceed the roof line.<ref name="WAN">Template:Cite web</ref> The building was awarded the 2007 David Steel sustainable building award by Oxford City Council.<ref name="Sustainable RDB">Template:Cite web</ref>

Robert Saunders House

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Robert Saunders House, built in 1996, provides 80 rooms for graduate students in Summertown. It was named after a former bursar of the college, who did much to improve its finances.Template:Citation needed

Eleanor Plumer House

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Eleanor Plumer House (known until 2008 as 35 Banbury Road) is named after Eleanor Plumer (Principal 1940–1953). It houses the Middle Common Room; facilities include a study area, computer room and kitchen. It also houses some graduate students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hartland House

File:St Anne's College entrance.jpg
The first purpose-built college building and finished in 1937, the main entrance to Hartland House has the college's coat of arms and motto

Hartland House, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, was the first purpose-built college building, finished in 1937 with another wing added in 1973. It houses the old library, the junior and senior common rooms and administrative offices. It features the college crest above the main entrance and engravings of beavers, the college mascot.Template:Citation needed

Dining Hall

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The Dining Hall, built in 1959, is among the largest in Oxford with a capacity of 300. Three meals are served daily in hall apart from weekends, when only brunch is served. It is also used for college collections (internal college exams) and on occasion college 'bops' (costume parties).<ref name=":0"/>

Library

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The college library has over 100,000 volumes, making it one of the largest in Oxford. It is split between the original library in Hartland House and the Tim Gardam building, which opened officially in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:St Annes College New Library.jpg
The Tim Gardam Building

The original college library in Hartland House now houses the law, arts, and humanities collections (Dewey Decimal shelfmarks 340–349 and 700–999).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The new library and academic centre was named after Tim Gardam (principal 2004–2016) and completed in 2016. It is on the site of the former Founders' Gatehouse, which was built in 1966 and was the college lodge until 2005. It covers the area previously taken by the 54 Woodstock Road cottage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The centre provides various study and seminar spaces and 1,500 metres of bookshelves for the college's growing book collection. The plans by Fletcher Priest Architects were inspired by Oxford's historic buildings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Tim Gardam Building also features two gardens; a roof garden overlooking the dining hall, and a sunken courtyard accessible through the basement.Template:Citation needed

Traditions

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The college has relatively few traditions and is rare amongst Oxford colleges in not having a chapel, due to its secular outlook. Formal hall is typically held fortnightly. Gowns are not usually worn except for official university occasions such as matriculation and certain college feasts. The college mascot has been a beaver since 1913.Template:Citation needed

College grace

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The college grace was composed by former classics tutor and founding fellow Margaret Hubbard. It involves the Principal reciting the Latin words Quas decet, (Deo) gratias agamus. Amen. ("For what we have received, we give thanks (to God). Amen.") The inclusion of Deo (to God) depends on whether the grace is religious or secular in nature.Template:Citation needed

Room ballot

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The college selects accommodation using a room ballot, with the exception of the first years. Those entering their fourth year select their rooms on the first day, followed by third-year rooms on the second day, and second-year rooms on the third and final day. Students are allocated a number within their year denoting their position in the ballot. In first year, this allocation is based on the quality of their previous year's accommodation. In second year, the JCR President, VP and Domestic Affairs Officer pull student numbers from a hat. Students would queue and rooms are allocated one by one. Rooms allocated are crossed off a large board listing all available rooms. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the room ballot now occurs online, with a spreadsheet denoting available rooms shared with students. There is then a period of one week after the ballot where students can mutually agree on swaps.Template:Citation needed Unlike many colleges, JCR and MCR committee members receive no advantage in the room ballot for their position.

Sport and societies

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File:Oxford boathouse 1.jpg
St Anne's boathouse (centre) on The Isis, shared with St Hugh's College and Wadham College

The college has teams for all major sports and competes in inter-collegiate "Cuppers" tournaments. Fixtures are either played in the neighbouring University Parks, or in the college playing fields on Woodstock Road.Template:Citation needed

St Anne's College Boat Club (SABC) organises the college's involvement in inter-college rowing events, and the college boathouse, situated on the River Isis in Christ Church Meadow is shared with St Hugh's and Wadham colleges. The college has a joint rugby team with St John's College, which won Cuppers in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The women's football team, which is also joint with St John's, was victorious in Cuppers in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Meanwhile, the St Anne's men's football team (known as the Mint Green Army) won the Hassan's Cup plate tournament in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable people

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Former members

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As a former women's college, St Anne's still refers to former students, female or male, as alumnae<ref name="Alumnae"/> rather than alumni.

Academics

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References

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