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In the 17th century, the Devil’s Tavern, an inn and posting house occupied part of the site. the first coach to run between Cambridge and London started from here in 1653 and this was probably therefore the site of the first post office. the tavern may possibly appear on John Hammond’s plan of Cambridge from 1592.
See Stage Coaches by Enid Porter
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Senate House and University Library, 1851, from Rock and Co, views of Cambridge.
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General information on the Senate House University of Cambridge can be found on Wikipedia.
Conferring degrees
Conferring Degrees
The postcard is a sale pitch from an Oxford based postcard producer to Messrs Johnson and Nephew, 3 St Andrew’s Street.
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1804:
The Senate House is the first place described by Quaker educationalist and philanthropist Priscilla Wakefield when she visits Cambridge on her Family Tour of the British Empire. In her 4 pages on Cambridge (444-448) she has brief descriptions of the Senate House, public library, Peterhouse, Clare Hall, Pembroke College, Benet’s College, Trinity, Caius and Emmanuel. The second day they go to King’s, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the Botanic Gardens and see Hobson’s Conduit before travelling on to Bedford.
Priscilla Wakefield Family Tour of British Empire 1804
Her book, ‘A Family Tour Through the British Empire containing some account of its manufactures, natural and artificial curiosities, history and antiquities: interspersed with biographical anecdotes. particularly adapted to the amusement and instruction of youth,’ was first published in 1804.
Priscilla Wakefield Map of Family Tour – excerpt
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1892: 8th Duke of Devonshire, Spencer Cavendish
possibly 1892 installation of Duke of Devonshire as Chancellor
prossible 1892 installation of Duke of Devonshire as Chancellor
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1897:
In a move that would shock today’s student feminists, male students at Cambridge held a protest against a resolution that would allow women to receive full degrees from the university. They suspended an effigy of a woman riding a bicycle – the stereotypical female Cambridge student – from a window while waving banners with slogans such as “No Gowns for Girtonites”, Girton being an all-women college. On hearing that the resolution had fallen, students then maimed and decapitated the effigy before pushing it through the gates of all-women college Newnham. Women were not granted full degrees until 1921. (from the Independent December 2013 ‘A brief history of student protest)
1897 Cambridge protest against women students
Rally against admission of women 1897 ©MusCamb
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1904: Visit of Edward VII
Visit of Edward VII 1904
Visit of Edward VII 1904
Edward VII opening part of the New Museums Site in 1904
1904 Edward VII in Senate House Procession
1904 crowds outside Senate House during visit of Edward VII
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1906 24th May: conferring of honorary degrees of Chinese dignitaries.
This event took place during the visit of a Commission appointed by the Emperor of China to study methods of government, commerce and education in England. Eyewitness descriptions of the visit can be found here:
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/mulu/zaize.html
The picture below shows the Mayor of Cambridge Walter Durnford and the University Professor of Chinese Herbert Allen Giles, together with:
His Imperial Highness Fung En Chen Ko Duke Tsai Tse, Aide-de-Camp to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, his Majesty’s High Commissioner, Great Chamberlain of the Imperial Household, Member of the Imperial Library, Commander-in-Chief of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Manchu Army
His Excellency Wang Tahsieh, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in London of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China
His Excellency Shang Chi-heng, High Commissioner of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China
The Honourable Po Jui, Secretary to his Imperial Chinese Majesty’s High Commission
1906: Conferring of honorary degrees on Chinese dignitaries
1906 M Butler Master of Trinity with Chinese dignitaries
1906 M Butler Master of Trinity with Duke Zaize
Duke Zaize (1868-1928), grandson of the Emperor, kept a diary during the mission. He had been injured in a bomb attack in September 1905 at Peking railway station as the delegation was preparing to leave. The assailant, Wu Yue, a fanatical opponent of the Manchu regime was killed and two members of the delegation injured delaying its departure until December 1905.
See also: https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-CFM-00236-00044/1
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1907:
Ortona Bus and Senate House ©MoC
Ortona bus outside the Senate House c. 1907.
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1908:
1908 Installation of Lord Rayleigh as Chancellor
1908 installation of Lord Rayleigh as Chancellor
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1910:
Proclamation of Accession of George V 10.5.1910
26.5.1910 Theodore Roosevelt receives honorary Doctor of Law
1910 Degree Day Theodore Roosevelt
The photo above shows from left to right: an Esquire Bedell, Theodore Roosevelt, Vice Chancellor Canon Mason, University Marshall Sheldrich
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Until 1910 it was the tradition in Cambridge to award a large wooden spoon to the student with the lowest mark in the Maths Tripos. More information can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooden_spoon_(award)
Recipient of Maths Tripos Wooden Spoon in 1904
Senate House and Caius College, 1904
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