The History of Girton’s Ball The hosting of a college ball has been a longstanding tradition at the University of Cambridge, with the first May Ball being held in 1866 by the First and Third Trinity Boat Club. The event was attended by just 38 Trinitarians to celebrate a successful May Bumps. Nowadays the college balls are spectacular events welcoming upwards of 1,000 guests into Colleges’ gardens and grounds. Girton’s biennial Spring Ball, held in March, will be returning once again in 2016. The event is organised by a Committee of twenty students, and always proves a highlight of the College social calendar. Alumni, Fellows, students and their guests can all expect a magical evening. Whilst Trinity, Clare, and King’s were hosting regular balls by the end of the nineteenth century, the Girton Ball has not always been so opulent. In fact, it evolved from the tradition of an annual dance, the earliest reference to which dates back to 1883, just fourteen years after the foundation of the College. Perhaps the most noteworthy of the dances at Girton was the Armistice Day dance, held just a few days after the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. Girton celebrated the signing of the armistice by the ringing of the Chapel bell and the raising of the flag above the tower, with the dance being held later that week. In an unusual turn of events, it was permitted that men could be invited to attend. Winifred Trenholme, later Gaukroger (1918), noted in her correspondence that ‘this of course caused tremendous excitement as never in the history of the College has there been a mixed dance.’ While this may not have been strictly true, it
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A ticket and the poster from the 1969 Centenary Ball. The headline act were Annie Ross & Trio
was undoubtedly the case that many of the earlier dances were a decidedly female affair; it was traditional for undergraduates to take a member of another year group as their dance partner. The Armistice Day dance was certainly a landmark in the years surrounding the First World War; it was remarked in the Girton Review that ‘never was there a dance that ended in such an atmosphere of universal pleasure and satisfaction.’ In 1940 it was announced that the dance would continue despite the outbreak of the Second World War, combining an evening’s entertainment with a contribution to the war effort. The dance of 1940 was held in the Michaelmas Term in aid of the Red Cross Society in London. The dance was well attended, and as a result the sum of thirteen guineas was raised. Indeed, it remains traditional for the college balls to contribute to charitable causes, and tens of thousands of pounds are raised across Cambridge each year. It appears that Girton made its true ball debut in 1947. It was reported in the Girton Review of the following term that the ball was trialled on a weekday in December, and that tickets were made available for 240 couples. Entertainment was provided in the Old Hall by Tommy Kinsman and his band, who had received rave reviews from revellers at the recent May Week Balls. In the report, it was observed that ‘Girton Balls tend to become bigger and more popular every year.’ Indeed, this statement has set a challenge that we have endeavoured to meet year upon year ever since.
The exclusive dinner at the 2014 Spring Ball A handwritten engagement card from a dance held in1883. The names of the guest’s dance partners are listed next to the programme
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By far the most ambitious venture to date was a ball held in the Lent Term of 1969 to celebrate the College’s Centenary. Among the year’s notable celebrations, the Centenary year featured a visit from Her Majesty the Queen
Poster from the 1979 Ball
An engagement card from the 1932 Dance. The programme of dances is listed inside
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Mother, who was Girton’s Visitor at the time. One Girtonian who attended the Centenary Ball that year remembers: ‘The Girton Centenary was something terribly special and exciting for many of us. We were not blasé about it, we dressed up and we felt privileged to be part of it, but nevertheless I have to say it was not in the same league as the May Balls at the time. I went to the St John’s May Ball and it was backed by the John’s wine cellars, we ate swan, we danced and had a champagne breakfast. Girton was very austere by comparison, but the majority of us were rather thrilled to be part of it, because it
An engagement card from the 1936 Dance. The theme was ‘Victoria’ and the names of the Committee members are listed on the reverse
was a different world.’ The 1969 Centenary Ball was extremely ambitious for Girton, and for the time. There has certainly been a tradition of marking landmark anniversaries with a ball, and looking ahead to the 150th anniversary in 2019, one cannot help wondering what the future might bring. The Girton Spring Ball is currently held in the March of even years, and is decidedly a more extravagant event than its predecessors. Whereas in the past just a few rooms might have been in use, the current ball takes over both Woodlands
Poster from the 1980 Ball
and Cloister Courts, and the majority of the public rooms. Huge marquees are erected, and the rooms are filled with food, drink and music. Nowadays, the Girton Ball can without doubt be compared to the likes of the May Week Balls, having been recently described as a hidden gem of the Cambridge Ball scene. The most recent Spring Ball (2014) was a resounding success, being described in a review of the event as a ‘superb party, filled with considered decadence and touching subtlety.’ The tradition of holding a College Ball is
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perhaps one of Cambridge’s most celebrated traditions, and for many, attending a College Ball is one of their fondest memories of the University. Girton is certainly very proud to be part of that tradition and we very much hope that it continues for many years to come. Sadly, not many records relating to the Girton Ball pre-1998 have survived in the College Archives. The Archivist would be delighted to hear from alumni who have any posters, tickets, programmes, dance cards or other materials of interest that they would be willing to donate to the Archive. The next Girton Spring Ball will be held on Friday 11 March 2016 and alumni are warmly invited to return to College for what promises to be a fantastic event. Tickets will be exclusively available to Girton College alumni from 21:30 on Thursday 22 October 2015 through our official website, www.girtonball.co.uk. Full details have been communicated via email by the Development Office, including a unique verification code, which you will need to provide upon applying for tickets. If you have not received an email please get in touch with the Alumni Team at alumni@girton.cam.ac.uk. For regular updates and information about the 2016 Girton Spring Ball, make sure you like the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ GirtonSpringBall2016. We sincerely look forward to welcoming you to the 2016 Girton Spring Ball.
A poster from the most recent 2014 Spring Ball. The theme was ‘Les Années Folles’, being inspired by the opulence and extravagance of the 1920s
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Jonathan Murphy President of the 2016 Girton Spring Ball Committee