200 years and two days in the past (no less than if that is revealed on 13 February 2026, as I anticipate, and if my counting is correct, which I hope it’s), the primary governing council of what turned UCL was established. We’ve visited UCL earlier than, for an Esperanto convention, however in commemoration of its bicentennial, let’s have a better take a look at the early years.
I’m drawing on the very thorough and much-less-dry-than-you’d-expect College Faculty London 1826–1926, by Hugh Hale Bellot, professor of American historical past on the College of London from 1930 and its vice chancellor between 1951 and 1953. He was additionally performed a number one function within the Institute of Historic Analysis: right here’s a brief obituary and observe of appreciation revealed within the institute’s journal.
Poet’s nook
There’s clearly an terrible lot to cowl right here, so I’m simply going to pick a number of elements. And I feel we’ve got to begin with Thomas Campbell. He’s a Scottish poet who I confess I hadn’t heard of, however who seems to have been vital within the romantic motion. He was additionally – and maybe essentially – a person of concepts: “a dreamer of goals”, as Hale Bellot remarks, however “dependent upon others for the realisation of his plans.” Impressed by the newly based Rhein-Universität Bonn, and little doubt by the distinction in tradition between Oxbridge and the Scottish historical universities, Campbell wrote an open letter to Henry Brougham in February 1825 proposing the creation of a metropolitan college. He adopted this up shortly after with an extended piece, reproduced right here, which sought to flesh out the concept considerably.
Primarily, his argument was this: Oxbridge was costly to attend; inaccessible to many, due to non secular checks; and likewise didn’t present a helpful training. There was room, due to this fact, for a college in London, which addressed sciences, regulation and different topics past the classics of Oxford and Cambridge, and which might be funded by charges. The argument discovered favour – Hale Bellot notes that there was a ferment of progressive concepts about training at the moment, however no efficient autos for change – and shortly subscriptions had been invited for shares in an organization to ascertain this college. The hope was to lift about £150,000: this is able to pay for the buildings, and supply working capital for the brand new college (it’s equal to about £12.3m in right this moment’s cash).
Pretty clearly, most poets would discover it troublesome on their very own to lift funds like that for a college, and let’s not overlook – once more in Hale Bellot’s phrases – that Campbell “had no capability for that sustained consideration to element which is critical to the interpretation of an thought into an establishment.” So we’d like now to show to the individual to whom Campbell addressed his letter: Henry Brougham.
The committee
Brougham was clearly an bold man with connections. Partly as a consequence of his affect a provisional committee was established, which organized a share supply, debated insurance policies, organized for authorized steps to be taken, and usually drove the matter ahead. In September 1825 land was introduced in anticipation, and later transferred to the corporate. This was a plot in what was then the suburbs of London, purchased for £30,000 from a developer who had purchased it at public sale lower than a 12 months beforehand, and made £7,950 revenue from the trade.
The primary council had Whig politicians; dissenters and Catholics who had been prevented from attending Oxbridge; academic radicals resembling George Birkbeck; utilitarian philosophers; and protestant evangelicals. It was a coalition of very totally different pursuits, and there was a number of arguing.
Gods and monsters
UCL was famously referred to as the godless establishment on Gower Road. This referred to the shortage of a non secular take a look at: at Oxford and Cambridge college students had been required to affirm, earlier than they might graduate, that they subscribed to the core beliefs of the Church of England. This meant that these following different non secular beliefs (resembling Methodists, Baptists and different dissenters, Catholics and, presumably, followers of non-Christian religions too) had been, successfully, barred from these universities. (The non secular necessities weren’t faraway from Oxford, Cambridge or Durham till 1871, with the passing of the Universities Checks Act.)
However don’t be deceived into considering that UCL was an atheist creation. A few of the proponents little doubt had been non secular freethinkers, however many had been deeply non secular. The argument about whether or not to supply for non secular worship at UCL, and whether or not to show divinity, occupied a number of time. Finally, the choice was made that the brand new college wouldn’t educate any faith, nor wouldn’t it present straight for any type of worship, by way of a chapel or related. This was facilitated by, or maybe required, that the brand new college didn’t present any residential lodging for college kids. (This was additionally a value issue, so to my thoughts it’s about preparations that supported one another reasonably than the non secular concern being the dominant issue.)
The tip outcome was a radical place: non secular observance was, as far as the brand new college was involved, a non-public matter not a public matter. College students weren’t required to make any occupation of any creed as a part of their research. Workers weren’t educating divinity, and due to this fact no query of the prevalence of 1 set of spiritual beliefs over one other may come up as a part of the curriculum. And the college wouldn’t straight present amenities for any faith. However equally some sects offered for church buildings and chapels close by, and organized for providers for college kids who wished to affix in, away from the college’s premises. The “godless” establishment was areligious not irreligious.
The funds raised by February 1825 amounted to £156,749. And spending on the buildings, on furnishings, equipment and the library, amounted to £143,323. Which didn’t go away a number of working capital. When the faculty admitted the primary college students in autumn 1828 the brand new college was – like many in greater training right this moment – managing on payment earnings straight, and, it appears making ensures to professors of future earnings reasonably than paying them straight. (A observe to any vice chancellors studying this right this moment and considering that they might pay employees by IOU. No. This isn’t a great way to do issues. I’m no lawyer however I guess it counts as breach of contract. Don’t even consider it.)
And right here’s a plan of the unique constructing from 1828, and because it modified over the fifty years or so. I haven’t been in a position to observe down a lot on the hearth of 1836 – possibly that’s for an additional weblog – however observe that there was a faculty in addition to the college. Should you’re aware of UCL, how a lot of this do you recognise? Is the semi-circular lecture theatre high proper on the primary flooring what’s now the Gustave Tuck theatre?
Levels of success
Lastly, we have to take a look at how the joint inventory firm referred to as the College of London turned College Faculty London; and the way a College of London got here to be given a constitution. There’s a number of shifting elements right here, and it’s a subject on which a lot historical past has been written. So this abstract will undoubtedly gloss over some essential issues, however I’ll do my finest.
Firstly, we have to take a look at the broader atmosphere. In England and Wales, in 1825, solely Oxford and Cambridge universities may award levels. (In Scotland there have been 4 universities; in Eire, which at the moment was wholly a part of the British Empire, Trinity Faculty Dublin was the traditional college.) Medical training was on the best way to being regularised, however was nonetheless very a lot the priority of the Royal Faculties.
However issues had been altering. Durham College was established in 1832 and chartered in 1837; and it was very a lot forged from the identical mould as Oxford and Cambridge: collegiate, institution, church. St David’s Lampeter was established in 1828 and given a constitution, to coach ministers for the church. And King’s Faculty London was based as a counterbalance to the brand new College of London: and like Durham it was institution and church. Given all of this, it was exhausting to disregard the claims of the brand new college of Gower Road. However Oxbridge opposed the granting of diploma awarding powers to a London establishment, particularly one like the unconventional new college. And the medical institution wasn’t eager both.
Being conscious of this, the brand new college, in petitioning for a constitution or act of parliament to present it a extra stable authorized foundation as an organization, had been clear that it didn’t need diploma awarding powers. However this was a difficult argument to make: was a level not an essential factor to recognise college students’ data and achievement? And wouldn’t the absence of diploma awards act as a disincentive to college students?
A change in authorities – and a Whig premiership – made it attainable to maneuver the matter ahead, however once more it took a lot deliberation. The answer agreed upon was certainly to create a College of London which may award levels. However it wasn’t to be primarily based upon the establishment based in Gower Road. And so, on 28 November 1836, a constitution was granted to College Faculty London, because the establishment now turned named. And the next day a constitution was granted establishing a College of London, which might study college students of College Faculty London, King’s Faculty London and different establishments, and award levels to those that handed the examinations.
And that’s how we bought from a poet’s agitation for a brand new method to college training in London, to an precise college in London, with precise faculties, and a construction distinctive for the time. Although the primary ten years had been eventful, and its identify as UCL dates from 1836, UCL dates its institution from the institution of the Council of the College of London in 1826. And I feel, for what it’s price, that that is very justifiable.
And so blissful anniversary, UCL. Right here’s to the subsequent 200 years!
As all the time, right here’s a jigsaw of the postcard. The cardboard hasn’t been posted, so I can’t date it for certain, however I might guess its from the primary decade of the 20th century.
It’s not solely UCL which is 200 right this moment – that is additionally the 2 hundredth greater training postcard weblog on Wonkhe. I’m very grateful to the very nice folks at Wonkhe for enabling me to share these postcards and tales with you. And I’m much more grateful to you for studying and commenting. There’s stacks extra postcards and universities I haven’t executed but, so I’ll be right here for some time but, so long as I’m welcome.
