Westfield College was a small college situated in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, London, from 1882 to 1989. It was the first college to aim to educate women for

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

degrees from its opening. The college originally admitted only women as students and became

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

in 1964. In 1989, it merged with

Queen Mary College , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...

. The merged institution was named Queen Mary and Westfield College until 2013, when the name was legally changed to

Queen Mary University of London , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...

History

The college was founded in 1882 by Constance Louise Maynard (1849–1935) and Ann Dudin Brown with five students in Maresfield Gardens in Hampstead. Dudin Brown had intended to found a missionary school but she had been persuaded otherwise by Maynard and Mary Petrie.Janet Sondheimer, 'Brown, Ann Dudin (1822–1917)', ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 200

accessed 8 September 2018 They worked with the Fanny Metcalfe, Metcalfe sisters. In 1891 the now named "Westfield College" moved to purpose-built buildings in Kidderpore Avenue, Hampstead. Dudin Brown was the founding benefactress and council member from 1882 to 1917.

Twentieth century

1902: Westfield College admitted as a School of the University of London in the Arts. 1915: University of London recognised the Botanical Laboratory for Honours work, allowing Westfield students to sit for Honours BSc as Internal students. 1927: Chapman Wing was completed. Decision taken to name individual college buildings. The Old Wing was renamed Maynard Wing, the New Wing was renamed Dudin Brown Wing, the new building was named Chapman Wing and the New Library was renamed Skeel Library. 1928: Westfield College confirmed as a School of the university. The Head of Westfield College was included among 9 Heads of Schools of the university to be members of the Senate. 1933: Grant of the

Royal Charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

, Incorporating the college. 1939-1940: Westfield College relocated to

St Peter's Hall St Peter's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford and is located in New Inn Hall Street, Oxford, United Kingdom. It occupies the site of two of the university's medieval halls, dating back to at least the 14th c ...

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

after war broke out. 1941: Many of the college buildings, including Old House, requisitioned by the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

for training the

Women's Royal Navy Service The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS; popularly and officially known as the Wrens) was the women's branch of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. First formed in 1917 for the First World War, it was disbanded in 1919, then revived in 1939 at the ...

. 1945: Westfield College returned to London. 1960: Westfield College formally acknowledged by the University of London as a School in the Faculty of Science. 1961: New Science Building completed. Westfield College began offering degrees in Botany, Zoology, Physics and Chemistry. 1969: Computer Services established, connected through a data link to the new central university computer. 1971: New Caroline Skeel Library was completed. 1971: First students admitted to study Computer Science at the new Department of Computer Science and Computer Unit. 1972: New purpose built Halls of Residence in Kidderpore Hall completed. The University of London's Murray Report published, expressing concerns about the smaller colleges, and placed in question the future of Westfield College as an independent institution. 1982: Decision made to transfer the Science Faculty to Queen Mary College. 1984: Most of the Science Faculty including Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Biochemistry and Zoology, and 68 members of staff transferred to Queen Mary College in Mile End. Computer Science teaching was transferred to Kings College. In the mid-to-late 1980s, the University of London underwent considerable reorganisation, and many smaller colleges were merged. Consequently, Westfield was merged with

in 1989, forming Queen Mary and Westfield College. Most student accommodation, administrative offices and several academic departments continued to be based at the Hampstead campus until 1992, however, and the college retained its separate identity. The new, combined, college was finally located at Queen Mary's site in

Mile End Mile End is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, England, east-northeast of Charing Cross. Situated on the London-to-Colchester road, it was one of the earliest suburbs of London. It became part of the m ...

, East London from 1992 onwards. However, some departments moved to

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

and many academic staff moved to other colleges, such as

Royal Holloway College Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...

.CHRONOLOGY OF WESTFIELD COLLEGE
/ref> A history of the college called ''Castle Adamant in Hampstead'' was published in 1983.Janet Sondheimer (1983). ''Castle Adamant in Hampstead.''

Principals

Constance Maynard Constance Louisa Maynard (9 February 1849 – 26 March 1935) was the first principal of Westfield College (1882–1913) and a pioneer of women's education. She was the first woman to read Moral Sciences (philosophy) at the University of Cambridge. ...

, 1882–1913 *

Agnes de Selincourt Agnes de Selincourt (1872–1917) was a Christian missionary in India, responsible for the founding of missions, becoming the first Principal of Lady Muir Memorial College, Allahabad, India and then Principal of Westfield College, London, UK from ...

, 1913–1917. * Anne Wakefield Richardson, 1917–1919 *

Bertha Phillpotts Dame Bertha Surtees Phillpotts (25 October 1877 – 20 January 1932) was an English scholar in Scandinavian languages, literature, history, archaeology and anthropology. Biography Phillpotts was born in Bedford on 25 October 1877. Her fa ...

1919–1921 *

Eleanor Constance Lodge __NOTOC__ Eleanor Constance Lodge (18 September 1869, Hanley, Staffordshire – 19 March 1936) was a British academic who served as vice-principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford from 1906 to 1921 and then principal of Westfield College, Hampstea ...

, 1921–1929 * Dorothy Chapman, 1929–1939 * Mary Stocks, 1939–1951 * Kathleen Chesney, 1951–1962 * Pamela Matthews, 1962–1965 * Bryan Thwaites, 1965–1984 * John E. Varey, 1984–1989

End and legacy

King's College London took over the former Westfield site, which has been divided up over the years. The majority of the south side of the site (The Queen's Building and other teaching blocks) was demolished in the early 1990s to make way for The Westfield Apartments, a block of luxury private flats. The remainder of the south side (the Caroline Skeel Library, Ellison, Temple, Chesney and Stocks buildings) was used by King's College as student accommodation and as an archive. The north side of the site (Queen Mother Hall, Bay House, Old House, Maynard, Lady Chapman, Orchard I and II, Dudin-Brown and Skeel buildings) remains in use as student accommodation, with Orchard I and II renamed for Lord Cameron and

Rosalind Franklin Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July 192016 April 1958) was a British chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), viruses, co ...

, respectively. Until 2005, the Old House was home to the London Jewish Cultural Centre. The Westfield College name was lost following the 2013 change of the merged institution's legal name to Queen Mary University of London. The new college's student accommodation complex (opened in 2004) is named the ''Westfield Student Village'' as a reminder of the history of Westfield College. Moreover, the Westfield Trust Prize, an academic cash prize given to outstanding undergraduate or postgraduates studying at Queen Mary, has been established in memory of the college. One of the university buildings, the non-denominational chapel built in 1929, was sold and became part of the Hampstead Manor development with its 156 homes of various types and sizes. Because it had deteriorated, the building was taken apart, re-built with modifications and renovated by the new owners. The chapel was on the market in early 2020 for £7.5 million. The Skeel Library, a Grade II listed property built in 1903–1904, also became part of the Hampstead Manor, and was also converted into a four bedroom family home.

Gallery

Westfield College (4625092160).jpg, 4 & 6 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead, the original location of Westfield College Westfield College (4624486187).jpg, Plaque at 4 & 6 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead Ann Dudin Brown.jpg, Ann Dudin Brown Constance Louisa Maynard by George William Joy died 1925.jpg, Constance Maynard Bertha Surtees Phillpotts-1.jpg, Bertha Phillpotts (Part of) King's College London Hampstead Campus, Kidderpore Avenue, NW3 - geograph.org.uk - 1109791.jpg, The Old House, Westfield College, Kidderpore Avenue, Hampstead King's College Hampstead Campus, Kidderpore Avenue, NW3 - geograph.org.uk - 1087212.jpg, The Old House and Maynard building, Westfield College, Kidderpore Avenue, Hampstead

Alumni

* Bill Bailey, comedian * Joyce M. Bennett, first Englishwoman to be ordained a priest in the Anglican Communion * Rhys Bowen (née Janet Lee, married to John Quin-Harkin), author *

Jill Braithwaite Gillian Mary Braithwaite, Lady Braithwaite ( Robinson; 15 September 1937 – 10 November 2008), known as Jill Braithwaite, was a British diplomat and archaeologist. Early life Lady Braithwaite was born in London to Ida and Patrick Robinson. She ...

(née Gillian Mary Robinson), archaeologist, diplomat and social reformer * Margaret Graham Brooke, missionary * Constance Bryant, missionary *

Mary Butts Mary Francis Butts, (13 December 1890 – 5 March 1937) also Mary Rodker by marriage, was an English modernist writer. Her work found recognition in literary magazines such as '' The Bookman'' and ''The Little Review'', as well as from fellow mo ...

, writer *

Eleanora Carus-Wilson Eleanora Mary Carus-Wilson (1897 – 1 February 1977) was a British economic historian. She is known for her work on rural Medieval textile industries in England. She made significant contributions to the understanding of Medieval technology in ...

, economic historian *

Adrian Chiles Adrian Chiles (born 21 March 1967) is a British writer and television and radio presenter. He has co-presented both ''The One Show'' (2007–2010) and '' Daybreak'' (2010–2011) with Christine Lampard. He was also the chief presenter for foo ...

, TV presenter *Jane Coker, Judge of the

Upper Tribunal The Upper Tribunal is part of the administrative justice system of the United Kingdom. It was created in 2008 as part of a programme, set out in the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, to rationalise the tribunal system, and to provide a ...

(Immigration and Asylum Chamber) * Howard Colquhoun, chemist * Sarah Frankcom, artistic director of the

Royal Exchange Theatre The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

, Manchester * Frances Gardner, cardiologist * Margaret Gilmore, BBC journalist *

Jane Hawking Jane Beryl Wilde Hawking Jones (born 29 March 1944) is an English author and teacher. She was married to Stephen Hawking for 30 years. Early life and education Jane was born to George and Beryl Wilde (). She grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire ...

, author, wife to Stephen Hawking *

Naomi Lewis Naomi Lewis (3 September 1911 – 5 July 2009) was a British poet, essayist, literary critic, anthologist and reteller of stories for children. She is particularly noted for her translations of the Danish children's author, Hans Christian A ...

, author *

David McCandless David McCandless (born 1971) is a British data-journalist, writer and information designer. Early life and education McCandless is an alumnus of Westfield College. Career McCandless is the founder of the visual blog ''Information Is Beautiful''. ...

, information designer and author * Andrea Newman, author *

Sylvia Payne Sylvia May Payne (née Moore; 6 November 1880 – 30 May 1976) was one of the pioneers of psychoanalysis in the United Kingdom. Early life Born as Sylvia May Moore in Marylebone, London, the daughter of Rev. Edward William Moore and his wife ...

, psychiatrist *

Martyn Rady Martyn Rady (born 1955) is Masaryk Professor Emeritus of Central European History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University College London. He was from 1995 to 2009 Warden of Hughes Parry Hall, an intercollegiate h ...

, historian * Jan Royall, Labour politician *

Eric Scerri Eric R. Scerri is a chemist, writer and philosopher of science of Maltese origin. He is a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles; and the founder and editor-in-chief of '' Foundations of Chemistry'', an international peer reviewed ...

, author, historian-philosopher of chemistry *

Richard Verrall Richard Verrall (born 1948) is a British Holocaust denier and former deputy chairman of the British National Front (NF) who edited the magazine '' Spearhead'' from 1976 to 1980. Under the ''nom de plume'' (pen name) of Richard E. Harwood, Verr ...

, fascist *

Guy Walters Guy Edward Barham Walters (born 8 August 1971) is a British author, historian, and journalist. He is the author and editor of nine books on the Second World War, including war thrillers, and a historical analysis of the Berlin Olympic Games. ...

, author *

Nesta Webster Nesta Helen Webster (née Bevan, 24 August 1876 – 16 May 1960) was an English author who promoted antisemitic canards and revived theories about the Illuminati.Who are the Illuminati? ''Independent on Sunday'' (London) 6 November 2005. S ...

(née Nesta Bevan), fascist *

Ed Whitmore Ed Whitmore is a British screenwriter. He has written for a number of successful British TV series such as ''Waking the Dead (TV series), Waking the Dead'' and ''Silent Witness''. Whitmore is an alumnus of Westfield College. Career In 2003 he wro ...

, screenwriter *

Zeng Baosun Zeng Baosun or Tseng Pao Swen (; 9 March 1893 – 27 July 1978) was a Chinese feminist, historian, and Christian educator. Biography Zeng was born into a prominent family in Xiangxiang, Hunan Province, and was the great-granddaughter of Zeng Gu ...

, teacher

Sources

* *

References

External links

2007 : Women@QM Project and Exhibition, a celebration of students and teachersWestfield College student lists
{{Authority control Queen Mary University of London Former women's universities and colleges in the United Kingdom Educational institutions established in 1882 1882 establishments in England Former colleges of the University of London