Dialogue takes a closer look at Collingwood as it celebrates its 50th birthday.
Currently Durham’s largest College, Collingwood has been home to almost 13,000 people since it opened in 1972.
With two old coal seams and several springs prone to flooding underneath the building site, construction was tricky even before strikes in 1972 led to a delay on the Collingwood completion date. Fortunately, Van Mildert College was able to put up the first cohort while work was completed.
Peter Bayley 'topping out'
Although the task of building Collingwood was no mean feat, it finally opened with Peter Bayley as its first Master, determined “to make Collingwood a happy, purposeful and active community”.
Part of this plan was to make Collingwood the first fully mixed College. This controversial move saw the introduction of unsegregated halls, with rooms allocated regardless of whether the occupants were male or female. Bayley also ensured that the first residents of Collingwood were students whom he had interviewed and who met his requirement of being able to “make an outstanding contribution to the life of the College”.
Palatinate had run a competition to find the College a name, whittling down the options to Collingwood, Cromwell and Lumley – unfortunately for the entrants, nobody picked up the £5 prize as Collingwood had been an example given in the competition launch!
From L-R: Grant Slater, Joe Elliott and Emma Brownlow
The College’s namesake is mathematician Sir Edward Foyle Collingwood, who became Chair of the Council for Durham Colleges in 1955 and then Chairman of the Council of Durham University in 1963 when Durham and Newcastle went their separate ways.
In recent years, Collingwood has developed an outstanding track record in sport, winning the inter-collegiate sports trophy for 11 years in a row. This strength in sport is now matched by excellence in performing arts, due to the creation of impressive theatre facilities, and, as of 2022, The Mark Hillery Music Studios will offer a state-of-the-art space for music and recording. Thanks to the support of Collingwood alumni, the College supports students with a range of funding to help them undertake once-in-a-lifetime developmental activities, internships and experiences.
The current Principal, Joe Elliott, has been in the role since 2011. He commented:
One of the great joys of my role…is helping our students learn from the consequences of their positive and negative actions and experiences…assisting them through the developmental process of becoming the person they aspire to be.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Collingwood is hosting a range of reunion and alumni events throughout the 22/23 academic year. The celebrations were kickstarted with a very special London Dinner, attended by alumni from the 50 years of Collingwood. Students and University guests were invited to a very special formal dinner in November which featured performances from current students.
Collingwood Freps
Details of all future 50 Years of Collingwood events are available online.
This article was adapted from a commemorative brochure, ‘50 Years of Collingwood’.