Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1955-1974 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
City of Westminster College has its origins in an evening institute established in the First World War providing lip-reading classes for deafened servicemen in the vestry of St George's Church in Hanover Square, Westminster. The institute, which became known as St George's Institute, only ran evening classes and moved to a number of different sites, successively St George's Row School, Ebury Bridge and Dean Farrar Street. A further move was made to the Burdett Cookery School, with some classes held in the Townsend Foundation School, Rochester Row. The institute grew rapidly during the 1930s, becoming one of the largest commercial institutes in London, with classrooms and chemistry laboratories in Westminster City College. In 1936 an arrangement with Westminster Training College was made enabling the institute to provide more student hours than any comparable institute in London and replacing the link with Westminster City College. The institute moved again to the Millbank School, Erasmus Street. In 1939 two social studies courses were introduced, whilst languages and commercial, administrative and social studies were all well established.
The Waterloo Road School site was taken over by the institute in 1951, shared with the Law Department of Kennington College. By 1959 there were 41 full-time staff, more part-time lecturers and over 30 rooms used. Full-time courses were offered in 1959 in the institute's three departments of Civil Service, Commerce and University Entrance, with part-time and evening work. In 1954 the institute moved to Francis House, renting space from the Army and Navy Stores. Further space was rented from them in 1955, enabling matriculation work to be transferred from Regent Street Polytechnic. New departments of Science, Social Studies and Day Release work were created. Awards and courses were rationalised following the 1959 McMeeking report 'Further Education in Commerce', with the introduction of national certificates in business studies, and establishment of new departments of Economics and Arts and Science and Maths. By 1962 there were over 6000 students associated with the institute. In 1965 the work of the Arts Department was transferred to the West London College of Commerce.
In 1959 the institute was renamed City of Westminster College. In the early 1960s the first courses in Hospital Administration were organised, and part of the college moved in 1966 to Blackfriars Road where housing laboratories and the Social Studies Department were accommodated (later to become part of Southwark College). In the mid 1960s new departments of Professional Studies, later renamed Accountancy and Finance, and Business Studies were established. The publication of the White Paper 'A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges', published in 1966, had announced the creation of some 30 polytechnics throughout the country to form what became called the public sector of the binary system of higher education. The 13 existing colleges managed by ILEA were to be reorganised into five. City of Westminster College joined with Borough Polytechnic, the Brixton School of Building, and the National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering to become the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970.
Repository
Archival history
GB 2110 CWC 1955-1974 Fonds level 2 boxes City of Westminster College
St George's Institute
City of Westminster College has its origins in an evening institute established in the First World War providing lip-reading classes for deafened servicemen in the vestry of St George's Church in Hanover Square, Westminster. The institute, which became known as St George's Institute, only ran evening classes and moved to a number of different sites, successively St George's Row School, Ebury Bridge and Dean Farrar Street. A further move was made to the Burdett Cookery School, with some classes held in the Townsend Foundation School, Rochester Row. The institute grew rapidly during the 1930s, becoming one of the largest commercial institutes in London, with classrooms and chemistry laboratories in Westminster City College. In 1936 an arrangement with Westminster Training College was made enabling the institute to provide more student hours than any comparable institute in London and replacing the link with Westminster City College. The institute moved again to the Millbank School, Erasmus Street. In 1939 two social studies courses were introduced, whilst languages and commercial, administrative and social studies were all well established.
The Waterloo Road School site was taken over by the institute in 1951, shared with the Law Department of Kennington College. By 1959 there were 41 full-time staff, more part-time lecturers and over 30 rooms used. Full-time courses were offered in 1959 in the institute's three departments of Civil Service, Commerce and University Entrance, with part-time and evening work. In 1954 the institute moved to Francis House, renting space from the Army and Navy Stores. Further space was rented from them in 1955, enabling matriculation work to be transferred from Regent Street Polytechnic. New departments of Science, Social Studies and Day Release work were created. Awards and courses were rationalised following the 1959 McMeeking report 'Further Education in Commerce', with the introduction of national certificates in business studies, and establishment of new departments of Economics and Arts and Science and Maths. By 1962 there were over 6000 students associated with the institute. In 1965 the work of the Arts Department was transferred to the West London College of Commerce.
In 1959 the institute was renamed City of Westminster College. In the early 1960s the first courses in Hospital Administration were organised, and part of the college moved in 1966 to Blackfriars Road where housing laboratories and the Social Studies Department were accommodated (later to become part of Southwark College). In the mid 1960s new departments of Professional Studies, later renamed Accountancy and Finance, and Business Studies were established. The publication of the White Paper 'A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges', published in 1966, had announced the creation of some 30 polytechnics throughout the country to form what became called the public sector of the binary system of higher education. The 13 existing colleges managed by ILEA were to be reorganised into five. City of Westminster College joined with Borough Polytechnic, the Brixton School of Building, and the National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering to become the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970.
Acquired on the amalgamation of the City of Westminster College into the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970.
Contains the records of the City of Westminster College, comprising:
CWC/1, Minutes of the Governing Body, Heads of Departments and the Staff Association, 1960-1974;
CWC/2, Publications: prospectuses and the student magazine 'Unicorn', 1955-1971;
CWC/3, Library: annual reports and photographs of the Library, 1959-1970;
CWC/4, External Publications: Ministry of Education Inspector's Reports, 1959;
CWC/5, Staff Association Constitution, 1965.
The collection is catalogued.
The collection is available to the public, except for records restricted under the Data Protection Act. Please contact the University Archives Centre for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.
Reproduction is at the discretion of University Archives Centre staff
English
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/archivescatalogue
The National Archives holds reports of the Technical Branch and Further Education Branch of the Department of Education and Science on City of Westminster College, 1947-1966 (Catalogue reference: ED 168/932-935) and
Inspection Reports of the Department of Education on City of Westminster College, 1956-1959 (Catalogue reference: ED 114/1389).
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. December 2009. City of Westminster College Commercial education Educational levels Educational personnel England Europe Higher education Higher education institutions London Periodicals Publications St George's Institute , London UK Vocational education Vocational schools Western Europe Westminster Communications media Information sciences City of Westminster Personnel People by occupation People Educational institutions
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired on the amalgamation of the City of Westminster College into the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Contains the records of the City of Westminster College, comprising:
CWC/1, Minutes of the Governing Body, Heads of Departments and the Staff Association, 1960-1974;
CWC/2, Publications: prospectuses and the student magazine 'Unicorn', 1955-1971;
CWC/3, Library: annual reports and photographs of the Library, 1959-1970;
CWC/4, External Publications: Ministry of Education Inspector's Reports, 1959;
CWC/5, Staff Association Constitution, 1965.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is catalogued.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The collection is available to the public, except for records restricted under the Data Protection Act. Please contact the University Archives Centre for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction is at the discretion of University Archives Centre staff
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The National Archives holds reports of the Technical Branch and Further Education Branch of the Department of Education and Science on City of Westminster College, 1947-1966 (Catalogue reference: ED 168/932-935) and
Inspection Reports of the Department of Education on City of Westminster College, 1956-1959 (Catalogue reference: ED 114/1389).
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
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.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English