# Porter (college)

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Occupation within certain UK universities

[Porter's lodge](/source/Porter's_lodge) in [Magdalene College, Cambridge](/source/Magdalene_College%2C_Cambridge), 2010

The [Porters' lodge](/source/Porters'_lodge) at [Selwyn College, Cambridge](/source/Selwyn_College%2C_Cambridge)

The [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh), the majority of [colleges](/source/College) at the universities of [Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge), [Durham](/source/University_of_Durham) and [Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford), as well as newer collegiate universities such as [Lancaster University](/source/Lancaster_University), [University of York](/source/University_of_York), and older universities like [University of Bristol](/source/University_of_Bristol) and [St David's College](/source/University_of_Wales%2C_Lampeter), have members of staff called **porters**. There is normally a Head Porter, Deputy Head Porter and a team of other porters.[1] Their precise job roles vary from college to college. [Oxbridge](/source/Oxbridge) porters are highly sought after jobs.[2] Porters work in a section of the college called the [porters' lodge](/source/Porters'_lodge), at the main entrance.

Roles can involve:

- Controlling entry to the college

- Sorting mail

- Providing security to members

- Reporting students to the [Dean](/source/Dean_(education))

- Maintenance and repairs to college property

Porters also exist at [McGill University](/source/McGill_University) in Canada, where each one is generally responsible for a large building or group of smaller buildings. Generally, they provide a single point of contact for any issues relating to the facilities they are responsible for, including security, maintenance requests, [access control](/source/Access_control), etc.[3]

The character Skullion from [Tom Sharpe](/source/Tom_Sharpe)'s satirical 1974 novel *[Porterhouse Blue](/source/Porterhouse_Blue)* was a fictional head porter reputed to be based on Albert Jaggard, the Head Porter of [Corpus Christi](/source/Corpus_Christi_College%2C_Cambridge) during the 1960s and 1970s.

At Edinburgh, the position has historically been hereditary.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Porters' Lodge Staff](http://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/dow_server/mfs/staff/plodge.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100909180129/http://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/dow_server/mfs/staff/plodge.html) 9 September 2010 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Downing College, Cambridge](/source/Downing_College%2C_Cambridge).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["A working life: the university porter | Work & careers | The Guardian"](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/nov/04/working-life-university-porter-cambridge). *[TheGuardian.com](/source/TheGuardian.com)*. 4 November 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Building Services | Facilities Operations and Development - McGill University"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141025115818/http://www.mcgill.ca/facilities/buildings/services). Archived from [the original](https://mcgill.ca/facilities/buildings/services) on 25 October 2014.

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