University of Cambridge: New Hall

New Hall was founded in 1954 as the 'third foundation' for women students at Cambridge University at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the UK. Until then, there had been only two Cambridge colleges which could accept women, namely Girton and Newnham, both founded in the late nineteenth century. Hughes Hall (although not a college of the University) was also allowed to admit up to 70 women students in all.

The first 16 students admitted to New Hall in 1954 were housed in the College's first, temporary, home in Silver Street where Darwin College now stands. The growth in student numbers was slow, limited for the first ten years by the accommodation available, but the College was from the beginning seeking further endowments and gifts to enable it to become permanently established on its own site with its own buildings.

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