This acknowledgement continued in the naming of the Merchant Venturers Building. The site of the building originally held the School of Veterinary Science, which was built in 1948, and later demolished.¹ The Merchant Venturers Building was designed by Atkins Walters Webster, and completed in 1996.² (Figures 6 and 7).

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The decision to name the building after the Society of Merchant Venturers was first discussed in 1995, led by the University. In a senate meeting in 1995 it was noted that:

Discussions had taken place with the Merchant Venturers, in view of their historical association with Engineering education in Bristol, and a recommendation would be made to Council that the building should be named the Merchant Venturers Building. The Master and Senior Warden could make a formal visit each year and it was hoped that the association would have financial benefit for the University.⁵

The decision to name the building the 'Merchant Venturers Building' was made on 15 November 1995 at a University Council meeting.⁶ Here it was noted that the 'Master of the Society has indicated that the Society would like to contribute to the University by making a donation of £100,000 to the Faculty of Engineering in respect of its occupation of the Park Row Building'. Thus, the association did bring the 'financial benefit' that the University had hoped for. The minutes recorded that the Society of Merchant Venturers 'hoped that this [would] cement the relationship between the University and the Society'. This would be emphasised by the 'display in the Building of the Society's arms'.⁷ On 27 November 1995 it was acknowledged in a senate meeting that the new building was to be named '"The Merchant Venturers Building" (with no apostrophe) in recognition of a donation of £100,000 and to cement the relationship between the Society of Merchant Venturers and the University'.⁸ Both the Society of Merchant Venturers, and R. T. Severn have suggested that the naming of the Merchant Venturers Building came from the University's recognition of the Society of Merchant Venturers's role in the founding of the faculty, alongside its ongoing financial support, including 'fitting out' the new building.⁹ This 'fitting out' likely refers to the £100,000 donated made by the Society of Merchant Venturers. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (an honorary member of the Society of Merchant Venturers) officially opened the building in July 1996 (Figure 8).

Contemporary reports on the publicity of the naming decision can be followed through copies of The Brief (the Bristol Engineering Faculty Newsletter). In the summer term edition of The Brief in 1995 the building's name had not been released, referred to as 'the new building' and the 'Park Row Development'.¹⁰ However, in spring 1996, in The Brief (Alumni edition) the Dean's report (Professor David Blockley), stated that 'perhaps the most significant event this year will be the opening of our new building in Park Row [...]The Merchant Venturers Building, as it will be known, will confirm and renew a long-standing relationship with the Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers'.¹¹ The Autumn 1996 The Brief reported on the opening of the Merchant Venturer's Building by Prince Philip, although no discussion of the naming of the building is mentioned in this edition.¹² Hence, the reasoning behind the building's name was publicly released as a recognition, confirmation, and renewal, of the faculty's relationship with the Society of Merchant Venturers.

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1. ^ LynchPin, Bristol Engineering, University of Bristol 2009 Centenary, p.21
2. ^ LynchPin, Bristol Engineering, University of Bristol 2009 Centenary, p.21
3. ^ University of Bristol, The Park Row Development
4. ^ University of Bristol, The Park Row Development
5. ^ University of Bristol Special Collections, University of Bristol, Minutes of Senate, 1995-1996, p.17
6. ^ It has been suggested that the University first intended to name the building after one of its famous graduates, but this was refused by their family. Information from Caroline Duckworth, Treasurer, Society Merchant Venturers.
7. ^ University of Bristol Special Collections, University of Bristol, Minutes of Council 1995-1996, p.9
8. ^ University of Bristol Special Collections, University of Bristol, Minutes of Senate 1995-1996, p.168
9. ^ R. T. Severn, The Development of the Faculty of Engineering in the University of Bristol 1909-2009 (Bristol: 4word, 2009) p.189
10. ^ The Brief: Bristol Engineering Faculty Newsletter no.2 (1995) University of Bristol Library, Engineering
11. ^ The Brief Alumni Edition: Bristol Engineering Faculty Newsletter no.4 (1996) University of Bristol Library, Engineering p.14
12. ^ The Brief: Bristol Engineering Faculty Newsletter no.5 (1996) University of Bristol Library, Engineering
13. ^ Queen's Library Collections, University of Bristol