Petition against the change of name from New Hall to Murray Edwards College, together with evidence that New Hall was intended as a temporary name for the College. File contains:
1) Cambridge News cutting 2002 concerning the search for a major benefactor in advance of the 50th anniversary of New Hall in 2004, stating that 'New Hall was simply a reference to the new college that has stuck for the last 48 years - it has no official name';
2) file note concerning the Development Campaign compiled by the Bursar 6.9.91. noting a remark that ‘the name of the College was pretty anodyne and urged that we - - - consider changing it for a suitable sum - - - Dame Rosemary Murray appears to have been content to go with Colston College if the cash had been forthcoming’;
3) photocopy of a note in Rosemary Murray’s hand, 8.11.56., which appears to relate to the possible donation from the Sir Charles Colston Trust - inter alia she says ‘the name we assume is provisional’;
4) appeal leaflet, circa 1955, which states ‘It was agreed that the name could be changed later were a better one suggested’;
5) photocopies of cuttings, February 1954 (Sunday Times and Cambridge Daily News), referring to ‘The proposal of New Hall, as the temporary name - - - (Cambridge Daily News); ‘the featureless neutrality of ‘New Hall’ [was] rejected by the Board of Trade - - - as - - - too common’;
6) photocopy of several pages of Rosemary Murray ‘New Hall 1954-1972: The Making of a College’, 1980 – p.10: ‘Eventually, through a postal ballot of the Association, the name New Hall was chosen as - - - the name which had the greatest - - - support. It did at least leave the way open for a benefactor to have the College named after him or her’; also a reference to the Colston gift on p.25;
7) Instructions to Counsel in the matter of the petition against the name change from New Hall to Murray Edwards College, including a list of documents consulted; history leading to name change; objections raised; notes of a meeting with the Petitioners etc. Prepared by Mills & Reeve and Farrier & Co, 15.6.09.;
8) emails from Jennifer Barnes, President, to Governing Body members concerning the petition and its review by the Privy Council, April 2009 and July 2009.