Postcards of the Past
 
Cambridge University
St John's College
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our collection of
old postcards of
the City of
Cambridge
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Christ's   Clare   Corpus Christi   Downing   Emmanuel   Fitzwilliam   Girton   Gonville and Caius   Homerton   Hughes Hall   Jesus   King's    Magdalen   New Hall   Newnham   
Pembroke   Peterhouse   Queen's   St Catherine's   St Edmund's   St John's    Selwyn   Sidney Sussex   Trinity   Trinity Hall
St John's College - a postcard mailed in 1965.
St John's College was founded in 1511 on the site of the 13th century Hospital of St John by
Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, and is today the second largest of the
Colleges of the University of Cambridge with about 135 Fellows, 530 undergraduates and
300 graduate students. It is one of the richest colleges with fixed assets of more than
£500,000,000 and an annual income from endowments estimated at £7,000,000.

On the foundation of St John's, the First Court was constructed by converting the hospital. In
the middle of the 18th Century the original hospital chapel and some other buildings were
knocked down and a new chapel, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, was built. The original chapel
foundations can still be seen in the First Court.

Second Court was built at the end of the 16th Century.
During the Civil War, in 1643, First Court was used as a prison. The
College sided with the Royalists although the city of Cambridge supported
the Parliamentarians.
St John's has a most beautiful setting on the Backs, and keeps a number of
punts for use by students.
New Bridge, commonly known as the Bridge of Sighs because of its
resemblance to the bridge in Venice, connects Third Court to New Court.
To the south of this bridge is the Kitchen (or Wren) Bridge.
Three early 20th Century postcards of New Bridge.
Parts of the D-day landings are said to have been planned in Second
Court.
The First Floor Gallery in Second Court is now the Senior
Combination Room. The College has banned the installation of
power points and lighting in this room, so that all meals etc after
dark are lit by candles.
It is reputed that the treaty between England and France that
established the marriage of King Charles I of England to Queen
Henrietta Maria in 1625 was signed under the Oriel window in
the north range.
The Entrance Gate to St John's.
St John's from the Backs.
Amongst the many famous alumni are: William Wilberforce; Sir John
Cockcroft; John Herschel; Sir Fred Hoyle; Douglas Adams; Samuel
Butler; William Wordsworth; Robert Herrick; Sir Cecil Beaton; Chris
Brasher; Mike Brearley; Sir Derek Jacobi; Dr Jonathan Miller.
Just a few - if you would like to suggest more names, please tell us !!
Please follow this link to visit the St John's College website.