unable to a complete amalgamation wanted to retain some autonomy. There was another setback when Travers left the project to work on the setting up of an Indian Research Institution in Bangalore. Travers can be credited with significantly moving forward the project but the issue of finances remained still remained. On 14 January 1908 at the annual College Colston society dinner George Alfred Wills rose to his feet and dramatically announced the news that his father, Henry Overton, was to donate £100,000 to the cause promoting the creation of the university providing that a royal charter was obtained within two years. Records note that the room began to cheer after the announcement was made. This announcement caused further funds to be promised by those attending the university. The day ended with the university endowment fund standing at five times greater than it had at the start with the university scheme attracting more in 24-hours than it did in its entire history. The raising of such large firms meant that the Privy Council could not argue that the creation of what were then disparagingly known as 'Lilliputian' Universities would in any way result in a decrease in the standard of British universities. H.O. Wills had little contact with the college apart from the fact that he had sent his son Harry to classes there. He died in 1911 after becoming the first chancellor of the University of Bristol. The Wills Memorial Building was built by his two surviving sons in memory at a cost of £500,000. The impact of the Wills family upon the university can also be founding in the naming of the H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory built by George in memory of his brother which cost some £200,000 and the building of Wills Hall, a hall of residence for the university in Stoke Bishop. Unlike many of the supporters of the university the Wills were not Liberals or Quakers but Congregationalists. Later an agreement with the Merchant Venturers was made with the organisation being merged with the college's Engineering Department to create a new Faculty of Engineering. All teaching was to take place in the Merchant Venturers Building. The principal Julius Wertheimer was left with little bargaining power after the destruction of his own institutions buildings. As government funding was linked to endowment this massive endowment created further wealth for the college. Later in 1908 a petition was presented