Key College Dates

The Archivist has compiled an interesting list of key dates in College history as a reference.

This wide ranging list includes events such as when we first won Eights, when College Matriuclated its first female student and when we first had gas installed!

1279 The first mention of the name Brasenose (associated with a house on the site of College)

1333 Migration of Brasenose Hall students to Stamford, Lincolnshire (‘took the knocker with them’)

1 June 1509 Founding of the College; foundation stone laid

15 January 1511/12 Granting of the Foundation Charter by Henry VIII

1515 Elizabeth Morley’s benefaction

1586 Joyce Frankland’s benefaction

1592 Visit of Queen Elizabeth

1605 Visit of James I

1617 Visit of John Middleton, Childe of Hale

1642-1651 English Civil War

January 1642/43 College surrendered most of its plate to the King

18 June 1656 Foundation stone of new Chapel laid

1663 The new Library completed (work began in 1657)

17 November 1666 Consecration of the Chapel

1679 Sarah Alston, Duchess of Somerset’s benefaction

1691 William Hulme’s benefaction

1696 First mention of a ‘Common Room’

1707-1708 Common Room first used as a ‘Senior Common Room’

1780 James Wyatt designed the Library interior

1807 Open Cloisters turned into rooms (probably by Sir John Soane)

1808 Visit of Louis XVIII (commemorated in stained glass in Hall)

1815 Boat Club Head of the River; beat Jesus College in the first recorded race between rowing clubs anywhere in the world

1835 First mention of the College Cricket Club

1839 Head of Eights for the first time

1852 Head of Torpids for the first time

1854 Gas installed in College

1880-1911 New Quad built in stages by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson

1884 The position of “Bursar” instituted (formerly separated as Junior Bursar and Senior Bursar)

1889 College Brewhouse pulled down; Ale Verses ceased (last for the beer brewed on site)

1887 JCR formed

1890 The “Brazen Nose” recovered from Stamford, Lincolnshire and First Blue Book issued

1892 Electricity first installed in College

1892 Thomas Graham Jackson’s organ case installed in Chapel

1897 Library first opened for use of Undergraduates

1904 The first Rhodes Scholars entered Brasenose

1907 Pater Society founded

1909 Brasenose Quartercentenary (400 years); First issue of the Brazen Nose; Ale Verses revived on Shrove Tuesday (beer no longer brewed on site)

1914-1918 First World War

Hilary term 1922 First meeting of the Ellesmere Society

1932 Alliance with Gonville and Caius College formed

1939-1945 Second World War

14 February 1950 Fire broke out in Old Lodge (what is now the History Library); History Library created

1962 Powell and Moya Building completed

23 April 1963 HCR inaugurated at a dinner

Michaelmas term 1974 the first women students matriculated

27 May 1981 Mary Stokes elected Fellow with effect from 1 October 1981 [the first woman to be elected to an Official Fellowship]

1996 St Cross Graduate Annexe opened

2008 Hollybush Row Graduate Annexe opened

2009 Brasenose Quincentenary (500 years)