Identity area
Reference code
GC/TUT
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 1560-2000 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
c.40 metres Paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The admission books of Caius, which run in complete sequence from 1560 onwards, show that each student admitted to the College was allotted to a Tutor. In the sixteenth century, the students often shared a chamber with their Tutor, and may have received private tuition from him. The role of the Tutor was administrative and pastoral, similar to that of a guardian, looking after the students, as well as directly teaching them. By the eighteenth century, the connection was less personal. The number of Tutors for each year of admissions had diminished to one or two men. The Tutor had become responsible for the receipt of tuition fees from students, and for arranging for their lectures (rather than necessarily teaching himself).
The leading Tutor was informally referred to as the Senior Tutor, and from 1898, this position was formalized as a College office. The Senior Tutor works together with the Tutors regarding pastoral care of students and maintenance of College discipline; and co-ordinates with the College lecturers and Directors of Studies regarding direction of student academic work. This work is supported by the staff of the Tutorial Office, who are responsible for day to day academic administration; and prior to the establishment of the Development Office, appears to have taken a role in alumni relations.
The office of Praelector Rhetoricus developed from a sixteenth century college lectureship founded by Geoffrey Knight. The historic duty of the Praelector to prepare students for disputations in schools had, by the nineteenth century, become the duty to present candidates for degrees.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
transfers to the Archives when students leave the College
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The records reflect the administrative role of the Tutors and the Praelector, rather than the academic content of a course of study. They consist of:
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record books and personal dossiers of student admissions, residence, examinations and degrees
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Praelectors' books of examinations and degrees
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Tutorial Office administrative and correspondence files relating to academic administration and alumni relations
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Senior Tutors' minutes, administrative and correspondence files regarding academic policy, administration of scholarships and prizes, and maintenance of College discipline and pastoral care.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Most administrative files relating to College business are subject to the terms of the Freedom of Information Act and business need, and thus may be closed for a period of years from the last date on the file. Refer to the relevant College Officer. Individual dossiers containing personal information are closed, subject to the terms of the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act .
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
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See magisterial records (MAS) for further scholarship and prize information
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See records of governance (GOV) for proceedings of meetings of tutors, directors of studies and college lecturers
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See Alumni and development records (AD) for subsequent material on alumni relations
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see Bursary records for Tutorial accounts (BUR:TUT).
Publication note
The contents of the admission registers and tutorial records form the basis for The Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College, 8 volumes (1898-1998). The first admissions book was edited for publication by John & S.C. Venn as Admissions to Gonvil