Creating a Legacy

As the College reflects on the completion of A Great Campaign, the astounding impact of Gifts in Wills must be highlighted. Nearly half of the support received during the Campaign (£13.4 million) came from Gifts in Wills. What has this meant for the College?

In addition to growing our permanent endowment—giving the College a secure financial footing to start its next 150 years of delivering educational excellence—Gifts in Wills have helped to complete the endowment of 10 Fellowships, close to doubled the number of postgraduate awards available, endowed the equivalent of four undergraduate bursaries, boosted funds for the Choir, travel awards and College prizes, and added funds that help one of our most valuable resources, the Library and Archive, to thrive. Alongside this transformational support, the 1869 Society membership, which is extended to all those who have informed Girton they have included the College in their estate plans, has trebled over the duration of A Great Campaign. This expression of intention, to be realised over the long term, allows the College to plan confidently for the future and put in place ambitious strategies.

This extraordinary support continues beyond A Great Campaign, and we will share with you more news of the tremendous impact Gifts in Wills are having in future communications. If you are considering including Girton in your Will please know that every gift is appreciated, no matter the size, and every gift is acknowledged. For more information on how Gifts in Wills are helping Girton to deliver its world-class educational experience, please get in touch.

Making a Gift in your Will

You can choose to make a cash gift or donate a proportion of your estate (even 1% can make a big difference). Girton College is a registered charity (Registered Charity Number 1137541) so including the College in your Will may reduce your estate’s Inheritance Tax liability. When making a Will we suggest that you use the following wording:

‘I give to the Mistress, Fellows and Scholars of Girton College, Cambridge (Registered Charity Number 1137541) [the residue of my estate] [_____% of the residue of my estate] [the sum of _________] free of tax for the Unrestricted Permanent Endowment Capital of the College and I declare that the receipt by the Bursar or other authorised Officer of the College shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Executors.’

We recommend that you seek professional advice when making or amending a Will.

Recognising your Generosity

An invitation to join the 1869 Society is extended to all those who choose to notify the College of their intention to remember Girton in their Will. In addition to a purple lapel pin, members receive invitations to special events from time to time. The College recognises that letting us know your intention is not a binding commitment, and that circumstances can change, but it helps us to say thank you and find out more about the aspects of Girton that are important to you.

For a confidential conversation please contact the Development Director on +44 (0)1223 339893, or at d.easlick@girton. cam.ac.uk, or the Development Officer (Legacies) on +44 (0)1223 338901, or at e.cornwall@girton.cam.ac.uk. Information regarding Gifts in Wills, including information on planned giving for our US- and Canadian-based alumni and supporters, is available on our website: www.girton.cam.ac.uk/legacy.

In remembering Girton in your Will you are supporting a unique institution which is transforming lives—thank you.

A Gift with a Global Reach

Family, friends and colleagues of Rosalie Crawford (née Duckitt) 1930–2020 describe her as intellectually curious, meticulous, a cryptic-crossword fan, and an avid traveller—journeying to all corners of the globe learning about different cultures, flora and fauna.

Rosalie was born in Hong Kong and a few years later her family moved to Shanghai. Her life changed quite dramatically after the outbreak of World War Two when on 8 December 1941, shortly before Rosalie’s 11th birthday, the Japanese Imperial Army entered and took control of the British and American parts of Shanghai. Rosalie and her family were taken prisoner and became internees in Yangchow C Camp, north of Shanghai. Life in the camp was difficult due to cramped living conditions, harsh weather, a poor diet and limited sanitation. The internees made the best of the situation—a makeshift health clinic and a school were established, and Rosalie attended regular lessons. She also recalled her father taking part in amateur dramatics to provide entertainment for the camp residents.

In 1945 the camp was liberated and Rosalie and her family returned to the UK where they settled in Yorkshire. Rosalie resumed her formal education (which had not suffered during her internment) at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and then gained a place at Girton in 1949, initially to read Economics before switching to Law—a subject which would become a lifelong passion. In addition to making lasting friendships at Girton, she gained Blues in cricket and hockey. After graduation Rosalie embarked upon a career in law, moving to Carlisle where she qualified as a solicitor. She remained at the same firm for her whole career and in true pioneering Girton spirit she became the first female partner at Cartmell Mawson and Main, as it was then known. Here she specialised in Conveyancing, Wills, Trusts, and Probate. Her work was meticulous. She had an eye for detail and was renowned for her ability to unravel complex points of law. Rosalie was also a very good teacher, eager to help others and pass on her understanding of the law.

Outside of her work, Rosalie loved to travel. Her adventures took her to Europe, North and South America, Australia, the Middle East and Far East, the foothills of the Himalayas and back to China and Hong Kong, all the while extending her knowledge of places, history and plants. At home her garden was her pride and joy, and she was known as a voracious reader with a thirst for knowledge.

In leaving a transformational gift to the College in her Will Rosalie will be enabling talented scholars to pursue their own intellectual passions. Each year, brilliant postgraduate applicants are unable to take up their offers, or are deterred from applying at all, owing to a lack of funding. Rosalie’s generosity will be used to leverage partnership funding and it will nearly double the number of

Postgraduate Scholarships Girton can offer. Partnership funding has been sought in the Humanities and Sciences, at Master’s and PhD level, and for students both from the UK and abroad. This will mean Girton can welcome and support more postgraduate students than ever before. Their specialist knowledge and research is in great demand and so, with this gift, both students and society will benefit. In the words of the Postgraduate Awards Committee Chair, Dr Sophia Shellard-von Weikersthal:

This generous gift is transforming Girton’s ability to offer funding to academically outstanding and promising postgraduate students from a very diverse and international background, enhancing Girton’s efforts to widen participation. The Rosalie Crawford Scholars will strengthen our postgraduate community and greatly enrich the vibrant academic life at Girton.