GB 1249 Plans - Royal College of Music: Building plans

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1249 Plans

Title

Royal College of Music: Building plans

Date(s)

  • 1894-1990 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

26 rolls

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Since the opening of the Royal College of Music (RCM) building in 1894, the College has undergone a series of extensions and additions. Of particular note are the extension block, constructed 1963-1964, and officially opened in November 1965, and the new Dining Room, Library, and Britten Opera Theatre designed by the Casson Condor Partnership, 1982-1986. The bulk of the plans held by the RCM pertain to this latter scheme, but also represented are drawings by Norman and Dawbarn of the Concert Hall, existing floor plans and plans of extensions to the RCM, squash court [proposed but never built], vault practice rooms and Parry Opera Theatre, opera school and students' recreation room, 1960-1973; a new Opera School staircase by Building Design Workshop North West, 1979; the refurbishment of the RCM Concert Hall by the Essex Goodman Design Company, 1990.

Archival history

GB 1249 Plans 1894-1990 Sub fonds of the archives of the RCM 26 rolls Royal College of Music
Since the opening of the Royal College of Music (RCM) building in 1894, the College has undergone a series of extensions and additions. Of particular note are the extension block, constructed 1963-1964, and officially opened in November 1965, and the new Dining Room, Library, and Britten Opera Theatre designed by the Casson Condor Partnership, 1982-1986. The bulk of the plans held by the RCM pertain to this latter scheme, but also represented are drawings by Norman and Dawbarn of the Concert Hall, existing floor plans and plans of extensions to the RCM, squash court [proposed but never built], vault practice rooms and Parry Opera Theatre, opera school and students' recreation room, 1960-1973; a new Opera School staircase by Building Design Workshop North West, 1979; the refurbishment of the RCM Concert Hall by the Essex Goodman Design Company, 1990.

Internal accumulation by the RCM during the course of business.

Records of the Council of the Royal College of Music, 1894-1990, including floor plans of College c1894; plans of Concert Hall organ by Harrison and Harrison, 1958; Concert Hall (existing), 1960; extensions to the college, 1962; floor plans of College (existing), 1963; lifts, kitchen, squash court [proposed but never built], fire alarms and emergency lighting, electrical installations, 1961-1985; Opera School and Students' Recreation Room, 1970-1973; additional vault Practice Rooms, 1972; alterations to the Parry Theatre, 1973; Opera School staircase, 1979; Dining Room, 1982-1983; Library, 1984; Britten Opera Theatre, 1984-1986; Concert Hall refurbishment, 1990.

Arranged in series as given in scope and content.

The release of any material will be at the College's sole discretion to bona fide researchers who supply a letter which states their credentials and their relationship (e.g. biographer, genealogist, family member) to the individual concerned and which defines clearly the purpose of their research. Access to non-confidential material will normally be available at the College's discretion and under the supervision of library staff. Direct access to confidential records containing personal or private information will not normally be automatically granted until the death of the correspondents can be reliably established, or 25 years after their creation, whichever is later. Permission of the use of records for aggregate research (e.g. statistical data) will normally be granted provided that such research does not identify individuals. Access to other college records, including minutes and correspondence will normally be granted at the College's discretion.

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.
English

Researchers should apply to the Archivist for further information on these records.

RCM also holds papers of the Building Committee, 1888-1894 (ref: 0037), 1981-1986 (ref: 1170); correspondence relating to Library alterations, 1984-1987 (ref: 1120); papers, plans, photographs and correspondence relating to building extensions, 1962-1963 (ref: 1144); report by Norman and Dawbarn on condition of 1894 RCM building interior, 1972 (ref: 1163); building consultants' meetings minutes, 1982-1983 (ref: 1168); papers and reports on Opera Theatre, 1984-1988 (1155-1160); papers on completion of Library works, 1984 (1161); specification for refurbishment of Concert Hall, 1993 (1223).

Compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Source: The Royal College of Music: a centenary record by H C Coles and John Cruft (Prince Consort Foundation, London, 1982). 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. Mar 2001 Academic buildings Architecture Cultural education Drawings Educational buildings England Europe Kensington London Music education Royal College of Music UK Visual materials Western Europe Kensington and Chelsea Illustrations

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Internal accumulation by the RCM during the course of business.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Council of the Royal College of Music, 1894-1990, including floor plans of College c1894; plans of Concert Hall organ by Harrison and Harrison, 1958; Concert Hall (existing), 1960; extensions to the college, 1962; floor plans of College (existing), 1963; lifts, kitchen, squash court [proposed but never built], fire alarms and emergency lighting, electrical installations, 1961-1985; Opera School and Students' Recreation Room, 1970-1973; additional vault Practice Rooms, 1972; alterations to the Parry Theatre, 1973; Opera School staircase, 1979; Dining Room, 1982-1983; Library, 1984; Britten Opera Theatre, 1984-1986; Concert Hall refurbishment, 1990.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in series as given in scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

The release of any material will be at the College's sole discretion to bona fide researchers who supply a letter which states their credentials and their relationship (e.g. biographer, genealogist, family member) to the individual concerned and which defines clearly the purpose of their research. Access to non-confidential material will normally be available at the College's discretion and under the supervision of library staff. Direct access to confidential records containing personal or private information will not normally be automatically granted until the death of the correspondents can be reliably established, or 25 years after their creation, whichever is later. Permission of the use of records for aggregate research (e.g. statistical data) will normally be granted provided that such research does not identify individuals. Access to other college records, including minutes and correspondence will normally be granted at the College's discretion.

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

RCM also holds papers of the Building Committee, 1888-1894 (ref: 0037), 1981-1986 (ref: 1170); correspondence relating to Library alterations, 1984-1987 (ref: 1120); papers, plans, photographs and correspondence relating to building extensions, 1962-1963 (ref: 1144); report by Norman and Dawbarn on condition of 1894 RCM building interior, 1972 (ref: 1163); building consultants' meetings minutes, 1982-1983 (ref: 1168); papers and reports on Opera Theatre, 1984-1988 (1155-1160); papers on completion of Library works, 1984 (1161); specification for refurbishment of Concert Hall, 1993 (1223).

Finding aids

Researchers should apply to the Archivist for further information on these records.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal College of Music

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area