Sporting colours

Last updated

Pupils who are awarded Colours at Christ's Hospital school, receive a tie, and in the case of sporting colours awarded for cricket, they also receive a cricket cap with the school crest and cricket 'XI' embroidered at the front. Christ's Hospital Colours for Cricket..jpg
Pupils who are awarded Colours at Christ's Hospital school, receive a tie, and in the case of sporting colours awarded for cricket, they also receive a cricket cap with the school crest and cricket 'XI' embroidered at the front.

Sporting colours or just colours [1] (sometimes with a modifier, e.g. club colours or school colours) are awarded to members of a university or school who have excelled in a sport. Many schools do not limit their use to sport but may also give colours for academic excellence or non-sporting extra-curricular activities, [2] [3] [4] Colours are traditionally indicated by the wearing of a special tie or blazer.

Contents

Many university colours are known by the name of the colour used, which is usually the colour worn by the university's sports teams, e.g. Blue at Oxford and Cambridge, Palatinate at Durham, Pink at Trinity College Dublin or Red at Bristol. These are similar to the varsity letters awarded by American universities.

The level of representation required for the award of a colour varies between the different schemes. A full Palatinate at Durham, a Royal Blue at Liverpool or Full Colours at Cardiff require a student to have represented their country, [5] [6] [7] while at Oxford the requirement for a full Blue is to have represented the university in a varsity match against Cambridge in an eligible sport. [8] In many colour award schemes, it is possible to receive a half colour. These are normally given for lower levels of achievement than a full colour.

History

University colours were first introduced in the second University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge in 1836. [9] Durham adopted palatinate purple for its degree hoods at about the same time. At Cambridge, teams would seek permission of the boat club to use their blue colour; by the 1860s the established sports with full blue status were rowing, cricket and athletics. In 1884, the rugby and football clubs awarded themselves blues following their varsity matches (against Oxford), leading to a debate at the Cambridge Union that was decisively lost by the boat club. The hockey club also gained full blue status (in 1894) before the system was formalised by the establishment of the blues committee in 1912. [10] The award of Palatinates for sports at Durham dates to at least 1883, when the cricket "Eleven" were permitted to wear the "university coat" (i.e. blazer) of palatinate purple rather than the claret coat of the club, [11] and the award of both Palatinates and half Palatinates was well established by the end of the century. [12] Manchester adopted maroon in 1905. [13] Trinity College Dublin adopted Pink in 1950. [14]

University colours

Different universities award different colours, often based on the colour worn by their athletes. Sometimes these are known by the colour used, but they may also simply be known as "colours". These include:

Notes

  1. ↑ The present-day University of Manchester was created following the merger of UMIST and the Victoria University of Manchester in 2004. Before this point the VUM awarded Maroons and Half Maroons, having adopted the sporting colours of maroon and white in 1905. Since 2004 the university has not used maroon and white for sports kit, instead having kit in the university colours of purple and yellow. In recent years the university has awarded 'Performance Colours'. [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academic dress of Durham University</span>

The academic dress of Durham University has many similarities with that of other older British universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Most colleges of Durham University insist on gowns being worn on formal occasions, including matriculation and formal halls (dinners); exceptions are Van Mildert, St Cuthbert's Society, Collingwood, Stephenson, St Aidans, and The College of St Hild and St Bede. Some colleges also insist on their being worn to Junior Common Room meetings, and they are often seen in college chapels. At formal halls, only gowns are worn and doctors normally wear their undress gowns; for more ceremonial occasions full-dress gowns and hoods are worn by graduates. Until 1990, the General Regulations of university 'recommended' the wearing of gowns by members of the university when attending divine service at the Cathedral – but this is now left to individual choice apart from at certain services. Gowns are also customarily worn to meetings of the university Senate by members of that body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solihull School</span> Public school in Solihull, West Midlands, England

Solihull School is a coeducational private day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School colors</span> Colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification

School colors, also known as university colors or college colors, are the colors chosen by a school, academy, college, university or institute as part of its brand identity, used on building signage, web pages, branded apparel, and the uniforms of sports teams. They can promote connection to the school, known as "school spirit", and help differentiate it from other institutions.

Maroon is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word marron, or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blazer</span> Striped or bright, solid-color informal jacket

A blazer is a type of jacket resembling a suit jacket, but cut more casually. A blazer is generally distinguished from a sport coat as a more formal garment and tailored from solid colour fabrics. Blazers often have naval-style metal buttons to reflect their origin as jackets worn by boating club members.

University rowing in the United Kingdom began when it was introduced to Oxford in the late 18th century. The first known race at a university took place at Oxford in 1815 between Brasenose and Jesus and the first inter-university boat race, between Oxford and Cambridge, was rowed on 10 June 1829.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Varsity Match</span> Annual rugby union fixture

The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. The event began in 1872 with the first men's match, with interruptions only for the two World Wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. From 1921 to 2023 the game was played at Twickenham Stadium, London and usually took place in early December. The game is now played in March and will take place at StoneX Stadium in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawks' Club</span> Cambridge University social club

The Hawks' Club, founded in 1872, is a members-only social club for the leading sportsmen at the University of Cambridge. Membership is by election only, and the usual criterion is that the candidate should have his Blue. Many notable individuals have been, or are, members, including King George VI, King Charles III, Rob Andrew, Mike Atherton, Chris Brasher, Gavin Hastings and Hugh Laurie.

A blue is an award of sporting colours earned by athletes at some universities and schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of blues began at Oxford and Cambridge universities in England. They are now awarded at a number of other British universities and at some universities in Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club</span> British rowing club

Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club (CULRC) was the University rowing club for lightweight male oarsmen at the University of Cambridge, principally to race against Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club (OULRC) annually in the Lightweight Men's Boat Race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team Durham</span> Sport organisation of Durham University

Team Durham is a student-run organisation responsible for sport at Durham University. Durham University's sports programme, run by Team Durham, has produced more professional sports people than any other UK university and has twice seen Durham named Times and Sunday Times Sports University of the Year. It has ranked in the top three institutions in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) every season since 2011–12. Six Team Durham alumni or current athletes have won seven Olympic and Paralympic medals since 1996.

Palatinate or palatinate purple is a purple colour associated with Durham University and the County and City of Durham. The term has been used to refer to a number of different shades of purple. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a "light purple or lavender colour", which is used for Durham academic hoods. For corporate purposes Durham University uses a darker shade.

Mark David Bailey, is a British academic, headteacher and former rugby union player. Since 2020, he has been Professor of Later Medieval History at the University of East Anglia. In 2019, he delivered the James Ford Lectures in British History at Oxford University, which were later published as a book, After the Black Death: Economy, society, and the law in fourteenth-century England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambridge Blue (colour)</span> Colour commonly used by sports teams from the University of Cambridge

Cambridge Blue is the colour commonly used by sports teams from the University of Cambridge. There is contextual and historical variation. The colour used since the mid-20th century by Cambridge University Boat Club is greener than that used by Cambridge University R.U.F.C.. This rowing colour was created when Alf Twinn, the boatman from 1934 to 1984, added more yellow to this shade, reportedly to distinguish it from the rugby club's colour.

Cambridge University Amateur Boxing Club (CUABC) is the boxing club of the University of Cambridge, England. The club was founded in 1896 after the King's College Boxing Club amalgamated with Fordham's School of Arms to form the Cambridge University Boxing & Fencing Club (CUB&FC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Blue (colour)</span> Shade of blue used by Oxford University

Oxford Blue is the official colour of the University of Oxford. The official Oxford branding guidelines set its definition as Pantone 282, equivalent to the hex code #002147.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford University Polo Club</span> Polo Club of the Oxford University

The Oxford University Polo Club is the Discretionary Full Blue sports club for competitive polo at Oxford University. Founded in 1874, it is one of the four oldest continuing polo clubs worldwide. Its annual Varsity Match against Cambridge University Polo Club, established in 1878, is the second oldest continuing polo fixture in the Western world. It is played at Guards Polo Club, England, usually at the beginning of June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford University W.A.F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Oxford University Women’s Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford. The club consists of two squads, the Blues and the Furies. Both teams compete in the BUCS League against other British universities. The Blues won BUCS Midlands Division 2A in the 2013/2014 season, gaining them promotion into Midlands Division 1A. The Blues have retained their place in this league for the 2016/17 season. The Furies won the Midlands 3A league in 2015/16, gaining promotion to the 2A division.

The Cambridge University Polo Club is the Discretionary Full Blue sports club for competitive polo at the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1873, it is the oldest surviving polo club in Europe and the second oldest in the world. Its annual Varsity Match against Oxford, established in 1878, is the second oldest continuing polo fixture in the western world.

References

  1. ↑ "colour Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  2. ↑ "School Colours". Woking High School . Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "Colours Awards". Stirling High School . Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "School Colours". Marr College . Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  5. ↑ Dominic Thurlow-Wood (23 June 2014). "Palatinate Ball signs off a record-breaking year for Team Durham". Palatinate .
  6. 1 2 "The University of Liverpool Athletic Union: Constitution & Guiding processes" (PDF). University of Liverpool. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Athletic Union Awards Criteria" (PDF). Cardiff University Students' Union. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  8. ↑ "Varsity and Blues Awards". University of Oxford. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  9. ↑ "Oxbridge Blue. How to win the varsity match". The Field. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  10. ↑ Christopher Thorne (10 July 1996). "Blues and the Blues Committee: Some historical notes" (PDF). Cambridge University Blues Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011.
  11. ↑ "Cricket". Durham University Journal. 5 (9). Durham University: 108. 26 May 1883.
  12. ↑ "The Palatinate". Durham University Journal. 13 (4). Durham University: 83. 14 May 1898.
  13. 1 2 "University of Manchester, Athletic Union Archive". Archives Hub. Jisc. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  14. ↑ "Trinity College Dublin Sports Awards". Archives Hub. TCD. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "University celebrates top Athletes at 2015 Sports Ball". University of Aberdeen. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  16. ↑ "Blues 2018". Bath Students' Union. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "Sports Awards". University of Birmingham. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  18. ↑ "Students win prestigious sporting awards". University of Bristol. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  19. ↑ "Jargon Buster". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  20. ↑ "Blues and Colours Awards Ceremony". University of Dundee. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  21. 1 2 Nick Collins (12 February 2011). "The quirks of Oxford and Cambridge". The Telegraph .
  22. ↑ "Colours" . Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  23. ↑ "Constitution". Glasgow University Sports Association. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  24. ↑ "Dress code". Heriot-Watt University. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  25. ↑ "Sports Colours Awards 2018". University of Leeds. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  26. ↑ A five-tier system of Royal Blue, University Blue, Full Colours, Half Colours and Club Colours [6]
  27. ↑ "AU Colours". Loughborough Students' Union. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  28. ↑ "Performance Colours Nomination Form". University of Manchester.
  29. ↑ "NTU Sport Awards 2024". Nottingham Trent University. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  30. ↑ "Sports Awards". RGU:Union. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  31. ↑ "Blues and Colours". Saints Sport. University of St Andrewsaccessdate=11 June 2019.
  32. ↑ A three-tier system of Full Blue, Half Blue and Colours [31]
  33. ↑ "Blues Awards". St Mary's Students' Union. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  34. ↑ "Sports Awards". University of Sheffield. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  35. ↑ "Blues and Colours Code". Stirling Students' Union. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  36. ↑ A three-tier system of Full Blue, Half Blue and Colours [35]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.