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Hawking's Cambridge Home: Birthplace of 'A Brief History'
8 Oct
Summary
- Victorian villa was adapted for Hawking's wheelchair accessibility.
- The house served as the writing location for 'A Brief History of Time'.
- A new building now stands on the site, named in his honor.
Stephen Hawking resided at a Victorian villa at 5 West Road, Cambridge, owned by Gonville & Caius College. The college adapted the property for wheelchair access in 1975, enabling him to balance family life with his academic career. This house became the site where Hawking wrote his influential book, 'A Brief History of Time', published in 1988. The book introduced complex cosmological concepts to a wide audience, selling approximately 20 million copies worldwide.
Gonville & Caius College made further adaptations to its historic buildings to ensure Hawking's continued participation in college life. These included installing a lift and modifying structures for his attendance at meetings and events. Following a severe pneumonia episode in 1985 that resulted in the loss of his voice, he communicated through computer-assisted technology, yet continued his prolific work.
The original villa was eventually replaced by the Stephen Hawking Building, which now serves as accommodation for Gonville & Caius College. Construction began in February 2005, with Hawking himself cutting the first sod. Completed in 2007, the S-shaped building now stands as a permanent physical connection to his scientific legacy and contributions.
