Since the foundation of Gonville Hall, it has always been the responsibility of the bursar to keep accounts and manage the College estates (and latterly, investments). It was to the bursar that the Steward, Registrary and Tutors accounted for the money that passed through their hands.
Under the statutes of Gonville and of Bateman, the Master was the sole Bursar; while under the statutes of Dr Caius, he was meant to act together with another Fellow. The office rotated among the fellows, until the mid-nineteenth century when reform of College accounting, and the growing complexity of the College's financial and business interests led to the post being filled by someone with specialist knowledge, who could devote the majority of their time to the task. An increasing number of support staff were also required to deal with the day-to-day work of accounting, and dealing with the bills, stipends and salaries of Fellows, students and staff.
(A list of the holders of the office of Bursar was compiled by Catherine Hall, and published in The Caian, 1990. Additional information on individual estate histories was compiled by E. Gross in the 'Estates Chronicle' published as part of Biographical History, Volumes IV (Cambridge, 1912)
