as the University College was able to cater for more academic interests. Campaign for a royal charter At the turn of the century the chances of the college gaining a royal charter seemed a distant prospect. Many on the College Council were aware of the need to progress and achieve greater financial support including Lewis Fry. They were aware that was it not for the anonymous donations made to the college (by a Mr Fenwick Richards) during the last century there would have been bankruptcy. The establishment of the University Colston Society (named after one of Bristol's great benefactors Edward Colston) was the impetus for the campaign to create a university for Bristol and the West of England. It was non-political and was aimed at shaking off the image that the college was a Liberal institution as it was recognised broad political support needed to be generated in order for the plan to become a university to succeed. The first Society Dinner was held on 7 December 1899 with the guest speaker James Byrce (later Viscount Bryce). In 1900 a committee was set under the chairmanship of the Bishop of Bristol. However, the committee only ever had one meeting after the first resulted in the announcement that a report into the viability of a university for Bristol would require a Registrar at a cost of £1000 per annum. There was some debate as to whether an autonomous University should be formed for Bristol and the West of England or whether a federal organisation should be created which included University College, Bristol as well as Merchant Venturers' Technical College as possibly the colleges of Reading, Exeter and Southampton. Lord Haldane had proposed the idea of a federal university as a compromise but it failed to increase support. Morris Travers who gained the post of lecture in chemistry at the college is generally credited with pushing forward the campaign to gain a charter by courting the local press and pressing for the support of the Fry brothers who held power on the City power continuously from 1882 and 1909. There is evidence that Marshall had told Travers to reject the compromise idea of a federal university and push for a Bristol university. Travers spoke to Lewis Fry head of the College Council on 1 February 1905 and was able to make Fry write to relatives to increase support. Lewis Fry was able