Bedford College
Encyclopedia
Bedford College was founded in London
in 1849 as a higher education
college for the education of women. It was the first institution of its type for women in the United Kingdom
. In 1900, the college became a constituent school of the University of London
. It played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education, and also in public life in general. The college became fully coeducation
al in the 1960s. In 1985, Bedford College merged with another of the University of London's colleges – Royal Holloway College. The merged institution was named Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC). This remains the college's official name today, though for day-to-day use the college now often calls itself "Royal Holloway, University of London" (RHUL).
The college was founded by Elizabeth Jesser Reid
(née Sturch), a social reformer and anti-slavery activist who had been left a private income by her late husband, Dr. John Reid, which she used to patronise various philanthropic causes. Mrs. Reid and her circle of well-educated friends were firm believers in the need for improving education for women. In 1849, she leased a house at 47 Bedford Square in the Bloomsbury
area of London, and opened the Ladies College in Bedford Square. The intention was to provide a liberal and non-sectarian education for women, something no other institution in the United Kingdom provided at the time. Reid placed £1,500 (GBP
) with three male trustee
s, and persuaded a number of her friends to serve on the management committees and act as teaching professors.
At the outset, the governance of the College was in the hands of the Ladies Committee (comprising some influential women), and the General Committee made up of the Ladies, the professors of the college and three trustees. The General Committee (later the Council) soon took over the running of the College, while the Ladies Committee directed the work of the Lady Visitors, who were responsible for the welfare and discipline of the students, and also acted as their chaperones. Initially the professors were shocked by the generally low educational standards of the women entering the college, who for the most part came in having had home-based, governess
education. In response to this, Reid founded a school close to the college in 1853, in an attempt to provide a better standard of entry. In 1860, the college expanded into 48 Bedford Square, which enabled it to become a residential establishment. "The Residence" was under the charge of a matron, who introduced the practice of students helping towards the running of the house, and keeping their own accounts.
Elizabeth Reid died in 1866, and left the college in the hands of three female trustees. These three women defied the views of the Council that the existing funds should be invested in the running of the school (which was closed in 1868), and instead ensured that the trust fund was used to improve conditions and teaching at the college, and establish it as a fully fledged institute of higher education. The trustees insisted upon a new constitution (as the college had no legal charter at the time). The Council was replaced by a Committee of Management, and the college was reconstituted as an Association under the Board of Trade
, and officially became known as Bedford College.
In 1874, the Bedford Square lease expired and the college moved to 8 and 9 York Place, off Baker Street
. The two houses acted as one, with the college using the downstairs rooms, and the upstairs being the Residence. As numbers began to rise, the college expanded with the addition of extensions housing science laboratories. In the late-1870s, an entrance examination was introduced, and a preparatory department set up for those who did not meet the standards required for college-level entry.
In 1878, degree examinations of the University of London were opened to women. Bedford College students began gaining University of London Bachelor of Arts
, Bachelor of Science
and Masters
degrees from the early-1880s.
In 1900, when the University of London became a teaching university (where it had previously been only a degree-awarding body), Bedford College became one of the university's constituent colleges. The college applied to the Privy Council
for a Royal Charter
to take the place of its Deed of Incorporation. Royal Assent for the new chartered body was received in 1909, and the College became officially recognised as Bedford College for Women.
Continued growth of the college led to a search for new premises, which culminated in the purchase of the lease of a site at Regent's Park
in 1908. A major fund-raising effort was undertaken to provide the new site with modern amenities. The new purpose-built buildings were designed by the architect Basil Champneys
, and were officially opened by Queen Mary
in 1913. The buildings continued to be extended and rebuilt throughout the 70 years that the college spent at Regent's Park, especially following extensive damage caused by wartime bombing.
Bedford firsts include:
· first woman barrister (graduated 1857)
· first woman professor at an English university
· first Social Sciences department in the UK, established 1918
· first woman Vice-Chancellor
· first women factory inspectors under the 1913 Health Act
· first woman to be appointed to the Companionship of the Order of the Bath
· one of the first two women Fellows of the Royal Society
· fourth woman chairman of the TUC - Trades Union Congress
, Marie Patterson
· the first art school in England where women could draw from life
· first bob cut
: Bedford launched the fashion for bobbed hair (when the first bobbed head was seen it is recorded that it "nearly caused other students to faint.")
After a brief period of admitting a small number of male postgraduate students, the college became fully coeducational when 47 men passed through clearing
in 1965, and the name reverted to Bedford College.
In the early 1980s, Bedford College had approximately 1,700 students and 200 academic staff based in 20 departments.
, Surrey
, just outside London, as its main campus and took on the name of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC). This remains the merged college's official name, although in the early-1990s the College Council decided to simplify the name for day-to-day use to Royal Holloway, University of London
(RHUL). This decision caused a fair degree of discontent among graduates of Bedford College, who felt that their old college had now essentially been taken over by Royal Holloway, and that Bedford College's name and history as a pioneering institution in the field of women's education were being forgotten. In an attempt to give more prominence to the Bedford name, the merged college named a large, newly-built library in the centre of its campus the "Bedford Library". However relations between RHUL and some of the Bedford College alumni today remain somewhat strained. Nevertheless, many Bedford College alumni maintain links with RHUL, supporting alumni events and other college work.
Bedford College's old premises at Regent's Park is now the home of Regent's College
.
Alumni of Bedford College (London)
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1849 as a higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
college for the education of women. It was the first institution of its type for women in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1900, the college became a constituent school of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. It played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education, and also in public life in general. The college became fully coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al in the 1960s. In 1985, Bedford College merged with another of the University of London's colleges – Royal Holloway College. The merged institution was named Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC). This remains the college's official name today, though for day-to-day use the college now often calls itself "Royal Holloway, University of London" (RHUL).
History of Bedford College
Elizabeth Jesser Reid
Elizabeth Jesser Reid , was an English social reformer, anti-slavery activist and philanthropist. She is best remembered as the founder of Bedford College....
(née Sturch), a social reformer and anti-slavery activist who had been left a private income by her late husband, Dr. John Reid, which she used to patronise various philanthropic causes. Mrs. Reid and her circle of well-educated friends were firm believers in the need for improving education for women. In 1849, she leased a house at 47 Bedford Square in the Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
area of London, and opened the Ladies College in Bedford Square. The intention was to provide a liberal and non-sectarian education for women, something no other institution in the United Kingdom provided at the time. Reid placed £1,500 (GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
) with three male trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s, and persuaded a number of her friends to serve on the management committees and act as teaching professors.
At the outset, the governance of the College was in the hands of the Ladies Committee (comprising some influential women), and the General Committee made up of the Ladies, the professors of the college and three trustees. The General Committee (later the Council) soon took over the running of the College, while the Ladies Committee directed the work of the Lady Visitors, who were responsible for the welfare and discipline of the students, and also acted as their chaperones. Initially the professors were shocked by the generally low educational standards of the women entering the college, who for the most part came in having had home-based, governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
education. In response to this, Reid founded a school close to the college in 1853, in an attempt to provide a better standard of entry. In 1860, the college expanded into 48 Bedford Square, which enabled it to become a residential establishment. "The Residence" was under the charge of a matron, who introduced the practice of students helping towards the running of the house, and keeping their own accounts.
Elizabeth Reid died in 1866, and left the college in the hands of three female trustees. These three women defied the views of the Council that the existing funds should be invested in the running of the school (which was closed in 1868), and instead ensured that the trust fund was used to improve conditions and teaching at the college, and establish it as a fully fledged institute of higher education. The trustees insisted upon a new constitution (as the college had no legal charter at the time). The Council was replaced by a Committee of Management, and the college was reconstituted as an Association under the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
, and officially became known as Bedford College.
In 1874, the Bedford Square lease expired and the college moved to 8 and 9 York Place, off Baker Street
Baker Street
Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid the street out in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at a fictional 221B...
. The two houses acted as one, with the college using the downstairs rooms, and the upstairs being the Residence. As numbers began to rise, the college expanded with the addition of extensions housing science laboratories. In the late-1870s, an entrance examination was introduced, and a preparatory department set up for those who did not meet the standards required for college-level entry.
In 1878, degree examinations of the University of London were opened to women. Bedford College students began gaining University of London Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
degrees from the early-1880s.
In 1900, when the University of London became a teaching university (where it had previously been only a degree-awarding body), Bedford College became one of the university's constituent colleges. The college applied to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
for a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
to take the place of its Deed of Incorporation. Royal Assent for the new chartered body was received in 1909, and the College became officially recognised as Bedford College for Women.
Continued growth of the college led to a search for new premises, which culminated in the purchase of the lease of a site at Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
in 1908. A major fund-raising effort was undertaken to provide the new site with modern amenities. The new purpose-built buildings were designed by the architect Basil Champneys
Basil Champneys
Basil Champneys was an architect and author whose more notable buildings include Newnham College, Cambridge, Manchester's John Rylands Library, Mansfield College, Oxford and Oriel College, Oxford's Rhodes Building.- Life :...
, and were officially opened by Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
in 1913. The buildings continued to be extended and rebuilt throughout the 70 years that the college spent at Regent's Park, especially following extensive damage caused by wartime bombing.
Bedford firsts include:
· first woman barrister (graduated 1857)
· first woman professor at an English university
· first Social Sciences department in the UK, established 1918
· first woman Vice-Chancellor
· first women factory inspectors under the 1913 Health Act
· first woman to be appointed to the Companionship of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
· one of the first two women Fellows of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
· fourth woman chairman of the TUC - Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
, Marie Patterson
Marie Patterson
Constance Marie Patterson , known as Marie Patterson, is a former British trade unionist.Patterson attended Pendleton High School and Bedford College of the University of London before becoming active in the Transport and General Workers' Union...
· the first art school in England where women could draw from life
· first bob cut
Bob cut
A "bob cut" is a short haircut for women in which the hair is typically cut straight around the head at about jaw-level, often with a fringe at the front.-The beginning:...
: Bedford launched the fashion for bobbed hair (when the first bobbed head was seen it is recorded that it "nearly caused other students to faint.")
After a brief period of admitting a small number of male postgraduate students, the college became fully coeducational when 47 men passed through clearing
Universities Central Council on Admissions
UCCA, the Universities Central Council on Admissions, provided a central clearing house for university applications in the United Kingdom from its formation in 1961 until its merger with PCAS to form UCAS in 1993....
in 1965, and the name reverted to Bedford College.
In the early 1980s, Bedford College had approximately 1,700 students and 200 academic staff based in 20 departments.
Merger with Royal Holloway
In 1985, Bedford College merged with Royal Holloway College, another college of the University of London which, like Bedford College, had been a college for women only when it was first founded. The merged institution took Royal Holloway College's premises in EghamEgham
Egham is a wealthy suburb in the Runnymede borough of Surrey, in the south-east of England. It is part of the London commuter belt and Greater London Urban Area, and about south-west of central London on the River Thames and near junction 13 of the M25 motorway.-Demographics:Egham town has a...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, just outside London, as its main campus and took on the name of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC). This remains the merged college's official name, although in the early-1990s the College Council decided to simplify the name for day-to-day use to Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
(RHUL). This decision caused a fair degree of discontent among graduates of Bedford College, who felt that their old college had now essentially been taken over by Royal Holloway, and that Bedford College's name and history as a pioneering institution in the field of women's education were being forgotten. In an attempt to give more prominence to the Bedford name, the merged college named a large, newly-built library in the centre of its campus the "Bedford Library". However relations between RHUL and some of the Bedford College alumni today remain somewhat strained. Nevertheless, many Bedford College alumni maintain links with RHUL, supporting alumni events and other college work.
Bedford College's old premises at Regent's Park is now the home of Regent's College
Regent's College
Regent's College is located in Regent's Park, London, England. It is one of the two largest groups of buildings in the park, along with the London Zoo, and was built on the site of South Villa, one of the original eight Regent's Park villas....
.
Notable alumnae
- George EliotGeorge EliotMary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
- Valerie VazValerie VazValerie Carol Marian Vaz is a British politician and lawyer. A member of the Labour Party, she has served as the Member of Parliament for Walsall South since the 2010 general election.-Background:Vaz was born in Aden, Yemen...
current MP for Walsall South - Dinah CraikDinah CraikDinah Maria Craik was an English novelist and poet. She was born at Stoke-on-Trent and brought up in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.After the death of her mother in 1845, Dinah Maria Mulock settled in London about 1846...
- Elizabeth BlackwellElizabeth BlackwellElizabeth Blackwell was the first female doctor in the United States and the first on the UK Medical Register...
- Nick KentNick KentNick Kent is a British rock critic and musician.-Career:Along with writers including Paul Morley, Charles Shaar Murray and Danny Baker, Nick Kent is seen as one of the most important and influential UK music journalists of the 1970s. He wrote for the British music publication New Musical Express,...
http://www.faber.co.uk/work/apathy-for-devil/9780571232857/ - Penelope FarmerPenelope Farmer-Life:She was born as a fraternal twin in Westerham, Kent, on 14 June 1939 to Hugh Robert MacDonald and Penelope Boothby Farmer. After attending a boarding school, she read history at St Anne's College, Oxford and did postgraduate work at Bedford College, University of London.Information about...
- Jeremy NorthamJeremy NorthamJeremy Philip Northam is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Ivor Novello in the 2001 film Gosford Park, as Dean Martin in the 2002 television movie Martin and Lewis, and as Thomas More on the Showtime series The Tudors...
(1961-), English actor - Hazel Alden ReasonHazel Alden ReasonHazel Alden Reason was a British woman chemist who became a school teacher and authored a popular book on the history of science.- Life and Works :Hazel Reason was born in Friern Barnet, London...
- Amanda VickeryAmanda VickeryAmanda Vickery is a British historian and television presenter.She graduated from the former Bedford College, London where she completed her PhD in Modern History...
See also
- Elizabeth Jesser ReidElizabeth Jesser ReidElizabeth Jesser Reid , was an English social reformer, anti-slavery activist and philanthropist. She is best remembered as the founder of Bedford College....
Alumni of Bedford College (London)
- Royal Holloway, University of LondonRoyal Holloway, University of LondonRoyal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
External links
- History of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
- Beginnings website page on history of Bedford College
- Genesis website page on Bedford College's archived papers
- Genesis website page on Elizabeth Jesser Reid's archived papers
- Royal Holloway and Bedford New College Famous Alumnae
- Plaque in Bedford Square
- Bedford College student lists