User:Pontificalibus/College Names

The full names of Oxbridge colleges do not begin with something like "The Master and Fellows of the College of.." A name beginning thus is the name of the corporation authorised by statute to act on behalf of the college. See the statutes of the relevant college for (hopefully) clarification. The key is in the words "of the College".

As an example, the charter of the town of Bradford granted by Charles II names the "Mayor, Burgesses and Commonalty [of the town of Bradford]." This is the name of the municipal corporation i.e. the governing body of the town. Residents of the town are obviously not residents of the Mayor, Burgesses and Commonalty.

For more details see