Hatfield College is one of the constituent colleges of Durham University in England. It occupies a city centre site above the River Wear on the World Heritage Site peninsula, lying adjacent to North Bailey and only a short distance from Durham Cathedral. Taking its name from Thomas Hatfield, a medieval Prince-Bishop of Durham, the college was founded in 1846 as Bishop Hatfield's Hall by David Melville, a former Oxford don.
Melville disliked the 'rich living' of patrician undergraduates at University College, and hoped to nurture a collegiate experience that would be affordable to those of limited means; and in which the students and staff were to be regarded as part of a single community. In line with his ambitions, the college pioneered the concept of catered residences for students, where all meals were taken in the hall, and occupants charged fixed prices for board and lodgings. This system became the norm for Durham colleges, and later at Oxford and Cambridge, before spreading worldwide.
College architecture is an eclectic blend of buildings from a variety of styles and periods. The sloping main courtyard contains an eighteenth-century dining hall, the restrained Jacobethan Melville Building (designed by Anthony Salvin), a Victorian Gothic chapel, and the 'inoffensive neo-Georgian' C Stairs. The trend for revivalist and traditional buildings was disposed of with the modern Jevons Building, located in the college's second courtyard, which interprets older forms in a more 'contemporary' manner.
As the 20th century progressed, Hatfield was increasingly defined by its sporting achievements, especially in rugby. College staff preferred to highlight the eagerness of students to get involved in a wide range of university activities, and noted that 'Hatfield man' had often played a leading role in campus reform, in spite of his sometimes reactionary image. One of Durham's more traditional colleges, Hatfield holds formal dinners featuring a high table, Latin grace and compulsory academic dress — it also exclusively retains the titles of Master for its head of college and Senior Man for the president of its junior common room.
After many decades as a single-sex institution, the first female undergraduates were formally admitted in Michaelmas term 1988.
History Early years The establishment of the college in 1846 as a furnished and catered residence with a fixed annual charge, an "arrangement where students would be provided with furnished rooms and meals for a flat fee", was revolutionary at the time. Previously, university students were expected to furnish their rooms themselves. The young founding master, David Melville, believed his model would make a university education more affordable. This system made Hatfield a more economical choice when compared to University College, whose students were generally wealthier, and ensured that student numbers at Hatfield built up steadily. The success of Melville's model led to another college, Bishop Cosin's Hall, opening along the same lines in 1851, and the model was introduced to the wider university after an endorsement from the Royal Commission of 1862.
Although not intended as a theological college, for the first 50 years the majority of students tended towards theology, while senior staff members and the principal were in holy orders. Under William Sanday (1876–1883) student numbers rose considerably, prompting an urgent search for extra rooms. Hatfield rented 3 South Bailey (now part of St John's College) in 1879 to accommodate the increase. Though Hatfield was run on the most economical lines, student poverty was a frequent problem. Dr Joseph Fowler, who acted as Bursar in addition to his roles as Chaplain and Senior Tutor, allowed undergraduates to take on some debt and even advanced loans personally. In 1880, a tennis court was installed for the first time, occupying roughly the same space as the current one. In the 1890s, the college purchased Bailey House and the Rectory to accommodate more students. As the end of the century drew closer, the balance of students rapidly shifted away from theology and towards arts. By 1904, theology undergraduates made up only a small minority of students in residence.Moyes, 1996, p. 93
Inter-war
The inter-war period saw a decline in college fortunes. In the first two decades of the 20th century, Hatfield had experienced a sharp fall in numbers. This was caused initially by the decision to isolate science courses at the campus in Newcastle, an increased tendency to train priests at specialised colleges, poor finances, and finally the outbreak of the First World War. For 15 years after 1897, total students in residence numbered above 100. This had fallen to 69 in 1916, 2 in 1917, and to 3 in 1918. After the war finished there was a temporary leap to more than 60 undergraduates, but by 1923 there were just 14 men on the college books. In 1924, a new science department was established in Durham, and this, along with the active recruiting efforts of new Master Arthur Robinson (1923–1940), achieved gains in student numbers.Whitworth, p. 33 Within five years of Robinson's appointment they had quintupled from the low of 1923.p. 33
However, the economic crisis of the 1920s created uncertainty. Hatfield had more students than University College yet lacked the facilities, especially kitchens, to accommodate them. University College, on the other hand, was comparatively undersubscribed. To address this, the two colleges effectively amalgamated under the guidance of Angus Macfarlane-Grieve, and all meals were taken together in the Great Hall of University College, while each college retained its own set of officers and clubs. Unhappy with this arrangement, some Hatfielders expressed their separate identity in trivial ways: for example, using a different door to enter the Castle dining hall than the University College students, and, in contrast to the University College contingent – turning to face the High Table during grace.Whitworth, p. 34
The political situation in Europe impacted college activities: during one memorable rag week in 1936, Hatfield students staged a mock Nazi procession to the nearby Market Square, with participants dressing in jackboots, brown shirts, and fascist armbands.Moyes, 1996, pp. 149–151 One of them, Joe Crouch, a fluent German speaker, comically impersonated Adolf Hitler and delivered an impromptu speech to the assembled crowd. In 1938, fears of an impending war resulted in the construction of an air raid shelter, with dons and servants digging trenches in the Master's garden (now Dunham Court). Gas masks were issued to college residents. Meanwhile, a recent decline in the number of freshers, and the death that year of John Hall How, the Master of University College, gave rise to rumours that Hatfield would be annexed to its older neighbour.
World War II In October 1939, Hatfielders were barred from their own college when the university decided to use Hatfield as a temporary site for the new Neville's Cross College, an institution for training women teachers. Having spent over a decade taking meals in Castle, they would now be prevented from using Hatfield buildings altogether. Without its own buildings and Master, and the issue of the ongoing war, Hatfield was in a poor position to recruit new students, an era later described as the "wilderness years" by college archivist Arthur Moyes.Moyes, p. 163
However, the college received an unexpected new lease of life when the Royal Air Force established short courses at the university for some of its cadets, and soon these cadets made up half of the Hatfield student body. This led the university to postpone plans to merge Hatfield with University College.Moyes, p. 166 Plans were revived again in 1943, but met the strong opposition of Hatfield dons, especially Hedley Sparks.Moyes, pp. 173–174 In 1946, the centenary year of the college, members formed the Hatfield Association to both represent alumni and demonstrate to the university council that Hatfield was supported.
Post-war
The university finally decided that from October 1949, Hatfield would be reestablished as an independent college – with Vindolanda archaeologist Eric Birley (1949–1956) appointed to serve as the new Master.Moyes, p. 195 The post-war period saw Hatfield once again faced with the familiar problem of squeezing in a larger student population. Numbers continued to rise until they reached just over 200 by the 1954–55 academic year, and more buildings had to be constructed and refurbished as a result.Whitworth, p. 42 Kingsgate House in Bow Lane was also purchased and became a permanent master's lodging.
In a sign of changing attitudes towards authority, students voted to boycott formal dinners in May 1964 after a dispute with Master Thomas Whitworth (1957–1979) over whether or not jeans counted as formal wear. Reforms were subsequently introduced. Joint standing committees, composed equally of staff and students, were set up to "deliberate almost every conceivable topic" and the undergraduate Senior Man was allowed to take part in meetings of the college's governing body.Whitworth, p. 51 By 1971, a "liberal and balanced" Governing Body had been achieved, with both college tutors and delegates from the Junior Common Room, and a representative from the Hatfield Association alumni group.
Modern The leadership of James Barber (1980–1996) was a period of significant change. Student numbers rose, increasing to over 650 by the time Barber finished his tenure in office. Living out became compulsory for students for at least part of their career, and many existing buildings were either rebuilt or refurbished to make room for students: The Rectory was remodeled, C & D Stairs were refurbished, the Main Hall was repaired, and Jevons' was redecorated. Student conduct was sometimes an issue: the annual Hatfield Day was cancelled for two years after excessive drinking and anti-social behaviour at the 1984 event, while the JCR was sued by the band Mud when a partygoer ruined four speakers by pouring beer into an amplifier during a college ball performance.Moyes, 1996, p. 323
Hatfield also became co-educational, which at the time was only "grudgingly accepted" by the college. In 1985, talk of going mixed was stimulated by the low numbers of applicants selecting Hatfield as their preference, and a recent decline in academic standards – with the college finishing bottom of the results table the previous year. Ignoring threats of hooliganism, Barber resolved in May of that year to push forward with plans to go mixed. In a March 1987 referendum, 79.2% voted for the college to remain men only.Moyes, 1996, p.306 The Senate decided that, despite the referendum result, the college would in fact go mixed – and the first female undergraduates arrived the following year. The first female Senior Man was elected in 1992.
Buildings Main Court The oldest part of the college site is likely what is now the dining room, believed to date back to the 17th century. It originally formed part of a town house owned by a wealthy member of local society, and was converted in 1760 into a coaching inn, The Red Lion – a stopping point for coaches travelling between London and Edinburgh. During this time it also hosted concerts, probably featuring the work of composers like Charles Avison and John Garth. In 1799 the old coaching inn reverted to being a private residence.