City and Guilds College

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0098 FC-FS
Held at	: Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/recordsandarchives ›
Full title	: City and Guilds College
Date(s)	: Created 1876-1985
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 16 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: City and Guilds College

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The City and Guilds College was originally known as the Central Institution of the City and Guilds Institute. A meeting of the livery companies in 1876 led to the foundation of the City and Guilds Institute (C&GLI) for the Advancement of Technical Education, which aimed to improve the training of craftsmen. One of the objectives of the C&GLI was to create a Central Institution in London. As they were initially unable to find a site for the Institution, Finsbury Technical College was established in 1878 in Cowper Street. The other main objective of the C&GLI was to conduct a system of qualifying examinations in technical subjects. This was done in 1879, when the system established by the Society of Arts in 1873 was taken over by the C&GLI. The Central Institution opened in 1884, in a purpose designed building in South Kensington. It became known as the City and Guilds College after its full incorporation into Imperial College in 1910.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records relating to the City and Guilds College (formerly the Central Institution of the City and Guilds Institute), 1876-1995, comprising a history, 1896; printed reports and schemes for the new institution, 1876-1884; speeches and accounts of the opening of the Central Institution, 1884; correspondence relating to the Jubilee, 1933-1935; programmes of the Central Institution, 1884-1931; letter books of the Secretary to the City and Guilds College Delegacy, 1911-1927; papers relating to the City and Guilds College Centenary, 1885-1985, and visitor's book (FC);
minutes of the Board of Studies, 1885-1913; report on equipment, 1889 (FE);
papers relating to the Engineering Board, notably minutes, 1915-1965, 1980-1984; correspondence and papers, 1911-1935; conference on postgraduate courses, 1962-1965; Chairman's notes and correspondence, 1955-1961; correspondence of the Research Committee, 1932-1951; senior appointments, 1913-1933 (FF);
papers of the Delegacy, notably minutes and reports, annual reports of the Dean of the Central Institution, 1911-1968; correspondence, 1910-1937, including research grants, 1915-1921; appointment of members, 1936-1970; minutes and accounts of the Finance and Special Committees, 1911-1924; correspondence and reports of the Organisation Committee, 1930-1931; chairmans' notes and correspondence, 1954-1968, donations, 1934-1936 (FG);
papers relating to links with Imperial College and the University of London, notably history of the City and Guilds London Institute, 1910; joint meetings and committee relating to the Delegacy, 1907-1910, 1955; correspondence of the Delegacy concerning the University of London, 1911-1921; degree and diploma examinations, 1926-1930; suspension of the Delegacy, 1966-1976 (FH);
papers relating to staff roles, including staff conference with Imperial College, 1911-1912; powers and duties of the Rector, 1918 and Deanship, 1931-1936; organisation and administration, 1918; papers relating to the Chemistry department, comprising regulations, examination papers and course notes of Professor Henry Edward Armstrong, 1884-1897; papers relating to the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department, comprising notebook of Professor William Ernest Dalby on courses, 1904-1908; notes on lectures given by Professor William Cawthorne Unwin, 1885-1887; lecture and laboratory notebooks of C E H Salmon, 1894-1896; examination papers, 1913; correspondence relating to the Unwin Library, 1933-1934; papers relating to the Mechanics and Mathematics department, comprising notes on lectures given by Professor Olaus Henrici, 1885-1889; examination papers, 1888-1929; papers relating to the Electrical Engineering department, comprising notes on lectures given by Professor William Edward Ayrton, 1885-1887, notebooks of C Percy Taylor, 1892-1895 (FK);
records relating to students, 1884-1913 (FP); matriculation and entrance examination results; 1905-1938, examination results, 1887-1913 (FQ); registers of students, 1884-1948, tuition fees ledgers, 1911-1918, attendance registers, 1919-1940 (FR); Central Gazette and other journals, 1889-1906 (FSG).

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The records are arranged in sections as outlined in the scope and content.

Conditions governing access:

Researchers wishing to consult the Archives should first contact the College Archivist, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, for an appointment.

Conditions governing reproduction:

A photocopying service is available at the discretion of the Archivist. Photocopies are supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.

Finding aids:

A catalogue is available in the reading room of the College Archives.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Created by the City and Guilds College (formerly the Central Institution), and accumulated by Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine during the course of business.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

Records of the City and Guilds of London Institute (F), Finsbury Technical College (FA) and papers of Henry Edward Armstrong (B/ARMSTRONG), held at Imperial College.

Correspondence concerning land next to the City and Guilds College building, 1910-1939, held by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Imperial College.

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Sources: A Centenary History, A History of the City and Guilds College, 1885 to 1985 edited by Adrian Whitworth (City and Guilds College of Imperial College of Science and Technology, [London, 1985]). Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions:
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:
October 2000