A Royal Charter at last!.. 1950 to 1960
"C-R-O-S-S-M-E-A-D!
C-R-O-S-S-M-E-A-D!
Crossmead, way up on Dunsford Hill
Where social life is nil,
An ever rising bill,
Way up on Duns---ford Hill.
J for Gentlemen
Jentlemen, Jentle, Jentle, Jentlemen.’
The Crossmead hall song. Residents were known as the Jentlemen since they travelled to and from the University on the Exeter J bus
A new application for university status was prepared and this time it was successful. On 21 December 1955 the University of Exeter received its Charter. The Principal became the Vice-Chancellor and the President became the Chancellor, the first being Mary, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. There were four faculties . arts, science, social studies and law. The new university proved very successful and applications grew faster than places.
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| Her Majesty the Queen arrives to present the new University of Exeter with its Charter and unveil the foundation stone of the Queen’s Building in May 1956. |
In 1956 Her Majesty the Queen arrived to present the University Charter and unveil the foundation stone of the Queen's Building, which was completed in 1958. This enabled arts and social science students to transfer from Gandy Street, but the Law school and the administration remained in the city centre.
Britain's newest University had around 1,000 students in 1955. Postwar expansion heralded changes in student habits. More wanted to study away from home and this changed Exeter from being mainly a regional university. By the late 1950s less than half of the students came from the South West.
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