Bedford College was founded in London, England, 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 coeducational 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, Univerisity of London (RHUL). Some the old Bedford College alumni are quite unhappy about this as they view it as the college dropping the Bedford name.) London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – 60,609... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... The University of London is a federation of colleges and institutes which together constitute one of the worlds largest universities. ... Coeducation is the integrated education of men and women at the same school facilities; co-ed is a shortened adjectival form of co-educational. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... This article is about the year. ... Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) is one of the larger colleges of the University of London. ...

History

The college was founded by Elizabeth Jesser Reid, 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 strong believers in the need for better 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 trustees, and persuaded a number of her friends to serve on the management committees and act as teaching professors. Elizabeth Jesser Reid (25 December 1789 - 1 April 1866), was an English social reformer, anti-slavery activist and philanthropist. ... Bloomsbury may refer to: Bloomsbury, London, an area in the centre of the city the Bloomsbury group, an English literary group active around from around 1905 to the start of World War II. the Bloomsbury Gang, a political grouping centred on the local landowner, John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford... GBP redirects here. ... The word trustee is a legal term that refers to a holder of property on behalf of some other beneficiary. ...

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. A governess is a female employee from outside of the family who teaches children within the family circle. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ...

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. 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 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. ...

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. 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 94 Baker Street, formerly the Apple Boutique. ... // Events and Trends Technology The invention of the telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell. ...

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. 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B., from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... A Bachelor of Science (B.S., B.Sc. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ... // Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ...

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. A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... A Royal Charter is a charter given by a monarch to legitimize an incorporated body, such as a city, company, university or such. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

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. This article is about Regents Park in London. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Basil Champneys (1842-1935) Champneys was the architect for Newnham College, Cambridge, Manchesters John Rylands Library and Oriel College, Oxfords Rhodes Building. ... Mary of Teck Mary of Teck (26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953), later Queen Mary, was the Queen Consort of George V of the United Kingdom. ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

After a brief period of admitting a small number of male postgraduate students, the college became fully coeducational in 1965, and the name was changed back to Bedford College. Quaternary education or postgraduate education is the fourth-stage educational level which follows the completion of an undergraduate degree at a college or university. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...

In the early 1980s, Bedford College had approximately 1,700 students and 200 academic staff based in 20 departments. MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ...

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 Egham, 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 past 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. Egham is a small town in the Runnymede borough of Surrey in South East England and part of the London commuter belt. ... Surrey is a county in southern England, part of the South East England region and one of the Home Counties. ...

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