Our Students’ Union: celebrating 130 years
Photo courtesy UCL Students’ Union.
This year marks 130 years of Student Union activity at University College London.
Last week, on Wednesday 18th October, the Students’ Union celebrated its 130th birthday. Founded on 3rd June 1893, current students, alumni and staff gathered on Wednesday to officially mark the occasion. Although Jeremy Bentham’s auto icon was not in attendance, the event was aptly held in the Jeremy Bentham Room.
In addition to serving excellent chocolate cake, the evening opened with an address from Union Affairs Officer Mary McHarg before Dr Sam Blaxland, lecturer in education, gave a brief history of the union. The evening also saw the launch of a new book, Students’ Union UCL: a short history, written by Dr Blaxand. The book details student life from 1826 up until today, and reveals some fascinating insights, including photographs of the original Phineas statue—alleged to have been stolen by Imperial College students; the opening of UCL’s first college bar in 1947, the “most popular” aspect of union activity; and the founding of historic societies, such as UCL Gay Soc, the first of its kind on any university campus.
Dr Sam Blaxand, left, author of Student’s Union UCL: a short history. Courtesy UCL Students’ Union.
Dr Sam Blaxand, left, author of Student’s Union UCL: a short history. Courtesy UCL Students’ Union.
Originally taking the form of the Men’s Union Society of University College London, the union has changed significantly over the past 130 years. Following world war two, a joint union comprising both men and women was formed in 1946. This rebirth saw the emergence of UCL Film Soc, a society that would later shape the career of legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan, and Pi Media, UCL’s oldest (and arguably best) student publication.
As the second largest Students’ Union in the UK, our union is home to the largest number of societies in the country. Last year we also hosted the largest student leadership election in Britain (take that Manchester), with over 10,000 voters electing both sabbatical officers and society committee members.
Although a substantial force on campus, the union has never had a proper “home”. The current union building at 25 Gordon Street was only meant to be a temporary residence. However, several decades later, the building now crams in the majority of the union’s administration, as well as the much-loved bar, Phineas, Gordon’s Cafe, and the Hanger. In her speech, Mary alluded to this decade-long struggle for a designated union space, citing that “progress” has been made. Rumour has it that, in the coming years, a new home for the union could turn from long-promised fantasy to a genuine reality. Watch this space (pun intended).
Closing the evening, UCL Provost Dr Michael Spence commented on how UCL student-life is distinct, not simply for its historic or inclusive nature, but because, for 130 years, it has been “organised by students for students”.
Union Affairs Officer Mary McHarg, left, cutting the cake with Provost Dr Michael Spence, right. Courtesy UCL Students’ Union.