1958

The project goes public

  • Cambridge University Council of the Senate approves scheme for the College
  • A Trust is formed, with Sir Winston as chairman
  • The project for a Churchill College at Cambridge goes public
  • An Appeal is launched for £3.5m for a College of 60 Fellows and 540 students
  • A site is purchased from St John’s College
  • Opposition in the Senate House to a science college is faced down
  • Shell Petroleum provides free office support in London for a year

A new Cambridge college, the first to be named after a living person from its foundation, was announced in 1958. A national appeal was launched to raise £3.5 million (equivalent to about £75 million today) to build and endow Churchill College, chiefly addressed to British industry, which produced the lion’s share of donations. Major contributions were also received from the Ford, Gulbenkian, Rockefeller, and Wolfson Foundations, as well as from the Transport and General Workers’ Union. Two thousand British companies and individuals contributed. Commonwealth and European countries donated fabric and artwork. A body of Trustees was formed, chaired by Sir Winston, comprising statesmen, war leaders, academics, and industrialists.

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