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Van Mildert College, Durham

Coordinates: 54°45′47″N 1°34′52″W / 54.7631°N 1.5810°W / 54.7631; -1.5810
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Van Mildert College
University of Durham
Van Mildert Main College and Tyne Stairs viewed from Lake Mildert
Arms of Van Mildert College
Arms: Gules, two scythe blades in saltire, in chief the cross of St. Cuthbert argent.
                                               
LocationMill Hill Lane, Durham, DH1 3LH
Coordinates54°45′47″N 1°34′52″W / 54.7631°N 1.5810°W / 54.7631; -1.5810
AbbreviationVM
MottoLatin: Sic vos non vobis
Motto in EnglishThus do ye, Not for yourselves
Established1965
Named afterWilliam Van Mildert, Prince Bishop of Durham
Sister collegeHalifax College, York
PrincipalTom Mole
Vice principalKatie Dowson
Undergraduates1376 (2022/23)[1]
Postgraduates200 (2022/23)[2]
WebsiteVan Mildert College
JCRVM Junior Common Room
MCRVM Middle Common Room
SCRVM Senior Common Room
Boat clubVan Mildert College Boat Club
Map
Van Mildert College, Durham is located in Durham, England
Van Mildert College, Durham
Location in Durham, England

Van Mildert College (colloquially known as Van Mil or Mildert[3][4]) is one of the 17 constituent colleges of the University of Durham. The college was founded in 1965 following the Robbins Report and takes its name from William Van Mildert,[5] the last Prince-Bishop to rule the County Palatine of Durham and a leading figure in the University’s foundation. Originally an all-male college, Van Mildert admitted female undergraduates for the first time in 1972, making it the first Durham colleges to become mixed.[6]

The college occupies grounds of 8 acres (3 hectares) alongside South Road in Mill Hill Lane, about 1 mile (2 kilometres) south of the university town, and is centred on a small lake. Designed by Middleton, Fletcher & Partners, the college was built in a modernist and egalitarian architectural stye that aims to house the sudden influx of students in the early 1960’s.[7] The college is notable for its lake, named Lake Mildert, and its Ann Dobson Dining Hall is the largest student dining hall in the UK.[6]

The college is the third largest collegiate body in the university by total numbers of affiliated students, just behind University College,[8] and is reputed for its community feel and relative informality compared with other Durham colleges. Almost half of home students admitted are from grammar school[9] and it is one of the 7 colleges of Durham that does not require its students to don their gown, though the traditional Durham custom of formal dining are still performed and taken pride of.

Among Mildertian’s notable alumni are former Minister of State for Women The Baroness Morgan of Huyton, World Record triple jump Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards, the cosmologist and Templeton Prize winner John D. Barrow, English judge of the UK Supreme Court Lord Hughes of Ombersley, and Turkish Prince Naz Osmanoglu.

History

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Van Mildert College was established in 1965 following recommendations of the Robbins Report looking into the future of higher education in the UK. In 1963, King's College in Newcastle declared itself independent from the University of Durham, meaning new colleges were required to meet the new university places that the Government wished to create. As a result, the university planned to establish three new colleges on Elvet Hill which went on to be named Collingwood College, Trevelyan College and Van Mildert College.[10]

The first master of the College, Dr Arthur Prowse, was appointed in 1964 but the College dates its foundation to 1965 when the first students were admitted. Prowse together with the first Senior Tutor, Arnold Bradshaw, set the tone and culture of Van Mildert – participatory, liberal, forward-looking – that has persisted.[11] In October 1965, the first students of the College came into residence in Parson's Field House and in the start of Michaelmas term in 1966, Van Mildert occupied its permanent site on Elvet Hill. The College buildings had been designed by Middleton, Fletcher & Partners of Middlesbrough; having also designed the Oriental Museum they knew the area and that parts of the site were waterlogged in wet weather. Accordingly they incorporated a small lake into their plans. The lake (and its flock of ducks) is perhaps the most distinctive visual feature of the College. Abutting the lake was the College’s main building containing the Dining Hall and servery, as well as a library, bar, common rooms, and offices.[6][12]

The College was officially opened on 13 June 1967 by His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, who had been Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham,[13] and was an old friend of Arthur Prowse. By this time the College had reached its full complement with three undergraduate years in residence (around 300 students), together with some graduate students and some resident members of the Senior Common Room. The students were all men – Durham colleges were single-sex then – but while the College was filling up it had taken in students from other colleges, including over 50 women. These had now departed but the seeds of a mixed-sex college had been sown.[14][6]

Van Mildert College Members Group Photograph in 1965 at Parsons Field, the original home base of the college.
A view of Main College and Derwent Stairs from Lake Mildert in 1971

1970 to 1976: Pioneering for mixed-sex education

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In 1970, the Governing Body of the College took two important decisions: to build a new accommodation block (eventually named Middleton Stairs, after the architect Philip Middleton) and to go mixed. The new block was completed in 1972 but was initially occupied by the first students of Collingwood College, whose buildings were not yet ready. Thus during 1972/73, the two colleges, Van Mildert and Collingwood, shared the same premises. On formal occasions there were two Masters, Dr Paul Kent (who had succeeded Arthur Prowse upon his retirement in 1972) and Mr Peter Bayley, presiding at opposite ends of the Hall. The first intake of women were admitted in 1967 to read for Certificates in Education only, whilst undergraduate females are admitted in the start of Michaelmas in 1972, though a small number of women had transferred from other colleges in 1971. Van Mildert was the first Durham college to go mixed, though it was not long before the others followed suit.[6]

During the 1960s and 1970s, the college hall was used extensively for concerts featuring Northern Sinfonia and well known artistes including Peter Pears, the Deller Consort, and Shura Cherkassky.[6] Members of the college enjoyed these concerts, without charge, from the comfort of the landing above the Hall. Although with the development of new facilities elsewhere, such as the Sage Gateshead, these concerts are no longer possible.

In succeeding years the numbers in College steadily grew, reaching 498 in 1976. Various internal reorganisations allowed the library to expand into adjoining offices, the bar expanded by the roofing over of the “beer garden” and some accommodation outside the College was acquired for the overflow of students. An important development came in 1986 with the opening of the Conference Centre, which provided the College with additional meeting and event rooms and a means for expanding its conference business. In 1990 the College opened the Tunstall Building, providing an additional 30 single bedrooms with ensuite facilities. Further expansion of the College’s accommodation came in 2002 with the completion of the Deerness block, providing 97 single ensuite bedrooms. The College could now accommodate around 515 students, enough to take all first years as well as some final year and graduate students. By 2013 the College had grown to a community of over 1000 students, staff and tutors from all over the world.[6]

Buildings and grounds

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The accommodation blocks are named Tyne, Tees, Middleton, Derwent, Wear, Tunstall and Deerness, the latter two of which are fully en suite. These are named after local rivers (River Tyne, River Tees, River Derwent, River Wear, River Deerness), a town (Tunstall) and an architect (Middleton).[15] They are all situated within the college grounds, and the university is in the process of refurbishing each of the buildings in turn. In total the College can provide around 525 single rooms for its members.

Dining Hall

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The college's Dining Hall, the Ann Dobson Dining Hall (colloquially the "Annie D"), is the largest student dining hall in the UK.[citation needed] It measures 30.8m by 13.2m and can seat approximately 350 members at Formal dinners.[16] The dining hall is used for a variety of functions over the academic year and plays a central role in the lives of livers in (students who live on the college site) as it is where college meals and formals are held. The hall also acts as a venue for drama productions, and as a sports hall.[17]

A copy of a portrait of William Van Mildert, whom the college is named after, hangs at one end of Van Mildert dining hall, along with portraits of the former Principals and Masters of the College.

Library

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The College library is equipped with over 12,000 books & journals and, along with St John's College Archives, is the only other College library in Durham to be listed in The National Archives.[18]

Bar and Junior Common Room

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Van Mildert sports a recently refurbished bar which is extensively used by both members of the college and students from other colleges. It is also generally used for holding JCR meetings during term time. In recent years, the college bar has won the 'University Bar' category of the Best Bar None[19] awards for Durham City for the 2008–09 and 2010–11 academic years.[citation needed] Most recently, Van Mildert Bar won the 'Gold' category for the Best Bar None Awards for the year 2016–17.

Van Mildert bar

The Bar is currently[when?] run by Sabbatical Bar Steward (Prime Guinnesster) Jack Lewis.

The Junior Common Room is used for many of the social events that are organised by the JCR, such as bops, entertainment after Formal dinners, band nights and amateur theatre productions. Both rooms have large plasma screen TVs which are used to show major sporting fixtures during the academic term.

Other facilities

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The College has other social facilities, including a music/recording suite. The College also has a gym, computer room, shop, tennis court and a full-size snooker table.[citation needed]

Arms

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The shield of Van Mildert College

The college arms are blazoned as "Gules two Scythe blades in saltire in chief the Cross of St Cuthbert Argent And for the Crest On a Wreath of the Colours in front of a Castle of three Towers Sable a silver penannular brooch proper the ends charged with Gilded Crosses of St Cuthbert". The scythes and the red field are taken from Bishop Van Mildert's episcopal arms; the cross of St Cuthbert is a common emblem of Durham City and University. The college generally uses only the shield of its arms for most purposes.

Student life

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Common Rooms

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All members of college are members of a common room – for example, Undergraduates are members of the Junior Common Room (JCR). The JCR elects an Executive Committee which ensures it is run successfully, in conjunction with the College Officers. The governance procedure of the JCR is stated in the constitution, which can only be amended by resolution of the JCR members during general meetings. Undergraduates constitute the majority of the student population of the college, with approximately 1200 JCR members as of the 2021-2022 academic year.[1] Up until 2018 the Junior Common Room of Van Mildert College had a 236-page constitution, making it significantly longer than the Constitutions of most sovereign states.[20]

Postgraduate students are members of the Middle Common Room (MCR), which hosts its own events and benefits from a refurbished Common Room and separate accommodation in Deerness block. All rooms in this block are en-suite and have access to kitchen facilities due to the fact that postgraduate students are often resident in college outside of normal term times. Postgraduate members of the college are entitled to make use of all the JCR facilities available. Academic and professional services staff of the University, alumni and friends of the college from the local community form the Senior Common Room (SCR).

Arts

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The college has a number of groups involved in music, art, and the performing arts, collectively known as 'Van MildARTS'. The college hosts an annual arts week and annual musical, with recent productions being Cabaret, Our Country's Good, Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Rent and Mama Mia![21] The college has a Big Band, Dance Society and Jam Society. This Society organises Jam by the Lake, the only open-air musical festival in County Durham and frequent winner of Purple Radio's 'Best Music Event' award.[22]

Sports

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The college has a sporting profile with a number of teams across a range of both traditional and non-traditional sports, including eight male football teams; two male rugby teams; a Women's Rugby team, Van Maidan's (joint with St Aidan's College); Cheerleading (with the College team having won the Inter-Collegiate Competition for five consecutive years); Ultimate Frisbee; Darts (most notably the Women's Darts "D Team"); and many more. Awards for graduating sports players are given at the Annual Sports Formal. This event celebrates the work and success of the sports teams, but more so the JCR Members who captain the teams and make up their Executive Committees.

Boat Club

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Van Mildert Boat Club is the college rowing club. It was founded in 1965 by Simon Scott, an Engineering undergraduate at Durham University and one of the founding members of Van Mildert College.[23][24] The boathouse of the club is on the River Wear, opposite Dunelm House and below Kingsgate Bridge.

The club competes against other college clubs in intercollegiate competitions organised by Durham College Rowing. It also takes part in regional events and national events (such as Head of the River Race, Women's Eights Head of the River Race and BUCS Regatta).

The college boat house burnt down after an arsonist attacked it on 21 December 2021.[25]

Academic dress

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At Van Mildert the undergraduate academic gown is not required to be worn to formal events or Matriculation; instead, formal dress is used. In addition, students wear black tie attire at the end of term balls.

Formals

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Formals take place regularly during the academic term, with the college holding between three and five per term. Students are not required to wear academic dress to formal dinners; instead, formal dress is worn except when it is a Ball and dinner jackets are worn. At the end of the dining hall a High Table composed of members of the SCR and their guests are present at every formal. The principal's entrance and exit, announced to attendees by the ringing of the election bell by the JCR President, signifies the official opening and closing of the formal meal. Food at a formal meal usually consists of three courses and is often followed by evening entertainment.[citation needed]

The Kazu

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A Kazu being performed by Kazu

The Kazu is a traditional ceremony performed by the winning candidate after elections to the JCR Executive Committee, following the announcement of results by the JCR Chair. In more recent years, it has only been the elected President that performs a Kazu. A Kazu is a celebratory action which requires the winning candidate of every election to kick a full can of Coca-Cola down the stairs in the foyer, throw it over their head three times and then opening the can over their head. The JCR Standing Orders and website note that it "may be done wearing clothes" and that "Wikipedia knows more about Kazus than anyone in College".[26]

The tradition was started by a Japanese exchange student called Kazuhisa who regularly performed the Kazu in the JCR foyer. The first official Kazu was performed by James Mackenzie in March 1997, upon being elected JCR President.[27]

Associated institutions

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Following the tradition of Oxbridge Colleges being twinned with each other, as of 2012 Van Mildert College has been twinned with Halifax College, University of York.[28]

People associated with Van Mildert

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Principal

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Professor Tom Mole is the current Principal of the College. [29]

The following list is of the past Masters & Principals of the College:

Fellows

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The college has two fellowships for visiting scholars; the Arthur Prowse Fellowship, named after the College's first Master, and the Arnold Bradshaw Fellowship. The fellowships are typically awarded for one academic term in conjunction with the Institute of Advanced Study with the fellow residing in the College and becoming a member of the SCR. Recent fellows have included Adi Ophir and Mikhail Epstein.

Notable alumni

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See also: Category:Alumni of Van Mildert College, Durham

Van Mildert alumni are active through organisations and events, such as the Van Mildert Association, which cater for the more than 7,500 living alumni.[30]

  • George Alagiah, British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter.
    George Alagiah, British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter.
  • Jonathan Edwards, former Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European triple jump champion, and has held the world record in the event since 1995.
    Jonathan Edwards, former Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European triple jump champion, and has held the world record in the event since 1995.
  • Frank Kelly, academic, and former Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.
    Frank Kelly, academic, and former Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.
  • John B, English DJ and electronic music producer.
    John B, English DJ and electronic music producer.
[edit]
  • Mildert in the snow
    Mildert in the snow
  • Sunrise over Tyne Building and the lake
    Sunrise over Tyne Building and the lake
  • Van Mildert Lake
    Van Mildert Lake
  • Snow across Tees Lawn
    Snow across Tees Lawn
  • Van Mildert lake from Wear Block.
    Van Mildert lake from Wear Block.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Undergraduate College Comparison Table". Durham University. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Van Mildert College Middle Common Room". Durham University. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Home Page". www.mildert.co.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  4. ^ "What does Mildert mean?". Durham University - Student Blogs. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Van Mildert College : Building the College - Durham University". www.dur.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Durham University Records: Colleges: Van Mildert College". Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue. 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Back to School in the Mid-20th Century: Modernist Student Accommodation". www.historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Compare Our Colleges". www.durham.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Admission of students from non-selective schools by college". www.whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  10. ^ Martin, Susan (2006). Trevs: A Celebration of 40 years of Trevelyan College Durham. Roundtuit Publishing.
  11. ^ "A History of Van Mildert College". www.vmscr.webspace.durham.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  12. ^ "A general view of Van Mildert College, one of Durham University's colleges, including residences and a hall siutated around a central lake, seen from the south-east side of the lake". www.historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Ramsey of Canterbury, Arthur Michael Ramsey, Baron".
  14. ^ "The History of Van Mildert Colleges". www.durham.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Van Mildert College : Building the College - Durham University". www.dur.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Van Mildert College : Meeting Rooms". Durham University. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival Durham 2010". Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  18. ^ "Durham University: Van Mildert College". The National Archives. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Best Bar None". Durham University. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  20. ^ "JCR Standing Orders" (PDF). Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  21. ^ "Lascivious 'Lysistrata'". Durham21.co.uk. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  22. ^ [1] Archived 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ "CUWBC Blondie 2011 Squad List". Cuwbc.org. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  24. ^ "VMA Obituaries". Durham University. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  25. ^ Mohamed, Waseem (5 January 2022). "Van Mildert boathouse fire was deliberate". Palatinate. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  26. ^ "FAQ". Mildert.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  27. ^ Cowen, Rob (17 November 2019). "The Kazu: A Brief History". Van Mildert College Alumni Newsletter. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  28. ^ [2] Archived 16 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ a b "New Master of Van Mildert College Announced". Van Mildert College, Durham University. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  30. ^ "The Durham Difference" (PDF). Durham University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
  31. ^ ‘ALAGIAH, George Maxwell’, Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  32. ^ 'BAIN, Ven. (John) Stuart', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  33. ^ 'BARROW, Prof. John David', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  34. ^ "Jonathan David Edwards : Doctor of Civil Law" (PDF). Durham University. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  35. ^ 'HUGHES, Rt Hon. Sir Anthony (Philip Gilson)', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  36. ^ 'KELLY, Prof. Francis Patrick, (Frank)', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  37. ^ 'MAITLAND, Viscount', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 5 April 2013
  38. ^ "The Mildertian - 2014". Van Mildert College. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  39. ^ "Van Mildert College : Obituaries". Durham University. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  40. ^ "Bishop of Newcastle". Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  • Bradshaw, A. (1990) Van Mildert College: The First 25 Years, A Sketch.
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