Bedford – The Orbital

12Nov

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Features

Hidden Heroes

In celebration of Black History Month, Orbital Magazine decided to take a look at the successes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) alumna in the history of Bedford College, Holloway College and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL). There are many prominent people that attended Royal Holloway and Bedford New College but there are only a few that have made such a difference in the world. Sarah Parker Redmond attended Royal Holloway’s predecessor, Bedford College. It is often not mentioned that Bedford College, established in 1849 “the first higher education college for women in the UK”, previously merged with Royal Holloway College to become what we know it as today.Redmond was a lecturer on slavery and race and was part of the American Anti-Slavery Society (AAS). She is...

New Information released about RHUL libraries: the future of Founder’s and Bedford is undecided

Joanne Archer reports on the latest rumours surrounding Founder's and Bedford. "Use of the East Reading Room hasn’t been decided yet so we wouldn’t be able to say whether it will be study space or not at this time," says Amy Sutton, Head of PR. Amy Sutton states that “While the community is excited about the opening of this fantastic addition to campus, we know how important the library in Founder’s is to the College community. We can assure current, past and future students and staff that, once the Emily Wilding Davison Building opens, the Founder’s West Reading Room will remain a Library Reading Room, with study spaces, connectivity and books on shelves and will continue to provide students with space to study and reflect in historic surroundings.” The Emily Wilding Davison buil...

Reclaiming our Suffragette History!

At the general meeting on March 10th, a motion was passed to lobby the college to name the new library after one of our most famous alumni, Emily Wilding Davison. The new library on campus, due to open in mid-2017, remains as yet unnamed. The planning has been under way for some time now, with construction due to begin in the autumn of 2015. The build involves moving the college shop from its current position to an as yet, undisclosed location. Royal Holloway shares a proud history for women and the suffragette movement, being officially opened in 1886 by Queen Victoria as an all-women college with Bedford College, another former all women’s college. Emily Wilding Davison herself was a student at Royal Holloway College in 1891 after winning a bursary from Kensington High School, stud...