Clubs and Societies of Bedford College

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0505 BC AS210-215
Held at	: Royal Holloway, University of London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/archives ›
Full title	: Clubs and Societies of Bedford College
Date(s)	: 1894-1974
Level of description	: Subfonds of Bedford College View parent record
Extent	: 6 boxes or 0.06 cubic metres
Name of creator(s)	: Bedford College
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Student societies began to emerge at Bedford College in the 1880s, and were actively encouraged by the first Principal, Emily Penrose, in order to increase the sense of community felt by the students. Types of society included subject-based academic groups, sporting societies such as the Boating Club, and political clubs. The Bedford College Union Society was created in 1913, and all the student societies except the Athletics Union and restricted societies (such as religious groups) came under its control. The Athletics Union, also formed in 1913, was responsible for sporting groups. Each society had its own set of rules (some even had magazines) and reported regularly in the College news sheet until World War Two. The number of student societies continued to increase, with 32 in 1936, 42 in the 1950s and 51 in 1980-1981. The Athletics Union ceased to exist as a separate body in 1969-1970, when it was replaced by a Sports Committee of the Bedford College Union Society.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers relating to the Athletics Union, comprising correspondence concerning the purchase and equipping of College sports grounds, 1919-1934, and an accounts book, 1937-1944; correspondence of the Sports Club, 1912 and 1942; minutes of the Architectural Society, 1894-1919; programmes and posters relating to the Bedford Light Opera Group, [1960-1970]; copies of Bots Up, the magazine of the Botany Department, 1972-1974; copy of Bio-Log, the magazine of the Biological Society (and successor to Bots Up), 1977; copies of Ho, the magazine of the Psychology Department, 1972-1974; minutes and member lists of the Geological Society, 1910-1944.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged according to subject.

Conditions governing access:

Open to registered users of the Royal Holloway, University of London Archives.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be supplied, subject to the condition of the original. Requests to publish original material should be directed to the Archivist.

Finding aids:

'A catalogue of the Archives of Bedford College (University of London), 1849-1985' by Claire Gobbi Daunton and Elizabeth Bennett, 1987.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were transferred from the Bedford College Archives when the College merged with Royal Holloway in 1985.

Allied Materials

Related material:

The Royal Holloway, University of London Archives hold photographs of student activities, including sport and drama, 1887-[1970] (BC PH6).

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

A history of Bedford College for Women, 1849-1937 (Oxford University Press, London, 1939), by Dame Margaret Jansen Tuke; Educating women: a pictorial history of Bedford College, University of London, 1849-1985 (Alma Publishers, Surrey, 1991), by Dr Linna Bentley.

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with general International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Apr 2000