In 1326, the University, under the Chancellorship of Richard de Badew, founded University Hall, two messuages in Milne Street being assigned as a residence for its scholars. Little is known of the new college, but within a decade of its foundation, the founder was forced to seek a patron to rebuild the college, possibly after a disastrous fire. It was presumably Badew’s connection with the Clares that he turned to Lady Elizabeth de Clare for assistance and she refounded it as Clare Hall, endowing it with the advowsons of Littlington in 1336 and Great Gransden and Duxford in 1346, and providing it with a set of statutes in 1356. Thus provision was made for a Master and 15 Scholars (later called Fellows) and also 10 poor scholars.
Thanks to multiple endowments, including land at Potton, Everton and Gamlingay, Clare’s wealth and size grew steadily until it was necessary to completely rebuild the college. After a long legal wrangle, land was acquired from King’s College and between 1638 and the early eighteenth century, the buildings that form Old Court were erected together with the bridge which was completed in 1640. Further substantial additions to the College were not required until the twentieth century, when Memorial Court, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, built on the West side of the river, was opened in 1926 and extended later in the century. As admission numbers continued to rise, further extensions to College accommodation saw college property on Chesterton Lane consolidated into The Colony and St Regis Flats built on Chesterton Road.
Edward Leigh (1913-1998)
Working Dates: 1946 -1983
Edward Leigh was one of the few professional photographers to obtain a prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society as well as a Fellowship of the Institute of British Photographers (the professional photographers' own body).
His photographic career spanned over 50 years. Before WW2 he worked as a fashion photographer and a stills cameraman for Fox Film Studios, later 20th Century Fox. During the war his printing skills were employed by RAF Oakington to process at great speed the aerial recognisance photographs which were assembled into the mosaic maps used by Bomber Command.
After the war Edward set up his own studio on Kings Parade in the centre of Cambridge, living on the premises. Edward did a great deal of work for University Departments and Cambridge Colleges, Including matriculation and graduation photos, portraits of fellows and visiting Royals. Many of his architectural photographs have been used for decades in books on Cambridge. He was a much sought after industrial photographer, skilled in the use of lighting and good at composition.
When Edward retired, his son John Edward Leigh took over the business, still at 22 Derby Road, Cambridge, which he listed as specialising in advertising photography, for a short period around 1983-85, before the business finally closed.
Working for Edward Leigh at different times were Doug Rattle, Peter Lofts and Frank Bird.
Basil Brown, matriculated at Clare, 1943 and was a member of the Argus Club; read Natural Sciences; died in July 2002
Born in Hammersmith, the second son of George William Chibnall, bakery owner, and Kate (née) Butler
School - St Paul's
Admitted to Clare in 1912 as an exhibitioner
He started off studying for Natural Sciences Tripos Part I, but this was cut short by the advent of war. He quickly applied for a commission, and spent three years serving mainly in the Army Service Corps. In 1917 he applied to join the Royal Flying Corps and learned to fly in Cairo; he gained his wings in 1918.
In 1919 Chibnall was taken on by Professor H.B. Baker to do research for the newly instituted PhD at Imperial College, but he later switched to study the nitrogenous constituents of green leaves with Professor S. B. Schryver, whom he succeeded in 1929. He gained his PhD in 1921.
After a year's work at the Chelsea Physic Garden, Chibnall was awarded a travelling scholarship to the USA.
1924 - joined the laboratory of Jack Drummond at UCL
1929 - took over the Chair of Bichemistry at Imperial College
1943 - appointed the second Sir William Dunn Professor of Biochemistry at Cambridge University
1949 - resigned as he felt it was a role more suited to a medically qualified biochemist
His notable students included Fred Sanger, who was a double winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry
1988 - he died in Cambridge
John Rutter (1945-), Clare 1964, was director of Music at Clare from 1975-1979. He later formed the Cambridge Singers and continued to compose music and carols. He was awarded a CBE in the Queen's New Year Honours for 2007 (in December 2006).
Philip Whitwell Wilson was born in Westmorland, Cumbria, the son of I. Whitwell Wilson, a Justice of the Peace, and Annie Bagster.
He was educated at Kendal Grammar School.
Admitted to Clare College in 1894.
President of the Cambridge Union, and was also one of the first editors of the literary magazine Granta.
He worked in the Press Gallery in the House of Commons for twelve years immediately after leaving Clare and was an MP for St. Pancras (South) between 1906 - 1910. He also went on to write for the New York Times when he moved to America.
Originally from Barnsley, William Kelsey came to Clare in 1914 and is pictured in the 1914 matriculation photograph. He received his commission on his 19th birthday, serving as a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery. He was grievously wounded in France on 14 July 1916, later dying of his injuries at the Empire Hospital in London. His name is included on the College War Memorial plaque in the Chapel.
Master of Clare College, 1915-1929
Born on 19 September 1851 in Aberdeen. Son of William Mollison.
School - Aberdeen Grammar
Aberdeen University; M.A. 1872
Admitted to Clare on 21 October 1872
B.A. (2nd Wrangler and 2nd Smith's prize) 1876
M.A. 1879
LL.D. 1916
Fellow, 1876
Tutor, 1880-94
Senior Tutor, 1894-1913
Master, 1915-29
Mathematical Lecturer at Jesus College, 1877-82
Secretary of the General Board of Studies, 1904-15
Hon. LL.D., Aberdeen, 1897
In 1877 he married, 1877, Ellen, the daughter of Mr Mayhew of East Dereham, Norfolk.
Mollison was a distinguished mathematician and a sound Classical scholar.
'Remarkable for his mental alertness, energy, and perseverance.'
He died on 10 March 1929 in London leaving legacies to the College.
Smith was a College servant between 1919 and 1966. He died on 18 November 1967.
Born in 1832 the son of Henry, Esq., of Needham Market, Suffolk.
School - Ipswich
Admitted as a pensioner at Clare College on 11 June 1851
Matriculated at Michaelmas 1851; B.A. 1855; M.A. 1858
Fellow, 1855
Dean
Proctor, 1862
Ordained Deacon (Ely) 1856
Ordained Priest (London) 1857
Curate of Christ Church, St Pancras, London, 1856-9
Vicar of Litlington, Cambs., 1866-7
Rector of Rotherhithe with St Paul's, Globe Street, London, 1867-1907
Lady Margaret Preacher, 1869
Rural Dean of Southwark, 1875-87
Hon. Canon of Rochester, 1893-1905
Hon. Canon of Southwark Cathedral, 1905-24
Lived latterly at 4, Scroope Terrace, Cambridge
Author, History of the Parish of St Mary, Rotherhithe.
Died 17 October 1924, at Cambridge.