Chelsea Polytechnic , Department of Chemistry Chelsea College of Science and Technology , Department of Chemistry Chelsea College , Department of Chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry traces its origin back to the opening of the South-Western Polytechnic in 1895. Chemistry was initially taught in day classes within the School of Science for Boys and Girls, the Technical Day College for Men and in evening classes. Known as the Chemical Department, it included a metallurgical and pharmaceutical section. In 1927 the Chemical Department was re-named the Department of Chemistry within what was then Chelsea Polytechnic. The work of the department was very diversified and in 1933 the School of Pharmacy became a separate department and in 1939 Metallurgy was transferred to Battersea Polytechnic. Work was seriously disrupted during World War Two and, as in World War One, some of the laboratories were given over for emergency use. In subsequent years, the numbers of full-time students increased rapidly as grant-holding servicemen enrolled and the numbers of full-time research workers also increased. The Polytechnic was designated a College of Advanced Technology in 1957. Changes were made to the constitution of the Board of Governors to provide greater representation to industrial and professional activities. Work below the standard of University degrees including Intermediate teaching was discontinued and the College was renamed Chelsea College of Science and Technology. The Department of Chemistry introduced a sandwich course leading to graduate membership of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, which was discontinued in 1961. In 1966 the College was admitted as a School of the University of London and was renamed Chelsea College. It merged with King's College London and Queen Elizabeth College in 1985 to create King's College London (KQC).