Two Egyptian students studying to be teachers at Goldsmiths between 1907-9. Image: Goldsmith, University of London archives. Back row second from the right and middle row standing at centre.
They were apparently the first overseas students to study at University of London, Goldsmiths’ College, as it was then calling itself.
They were two young Egyptian men who enrolled on the two year training certificate for qualification as a teacher between 1907 and 1909.
The spelling of their names varies in documentation: Osman Fareed (or Farid) and Mohommet (or Mohammed) Subhi.
Mr Fareed appears to be standing in the middle of the second row.
Mr Subhi second from the right standing at the back.
They had all the appearance of young Edwardian gentlemen like their fellow students.
Mr Subhi sports the traditional pocket-watch with its chain visible on the outside of his waistcoat.
Mr Fareed’s waistcoat is more colourfully patterned, despite the black and white nature of the image.
His moustache has gone by the time he features in the College first Rugby XV a year later in 1908.
Osman Fareed from Egypt, arms crossed, sitting in the second row third from the right by the side of the team captain who is holding ball. Image: Goldsmiths, University London archive.
The Egyptian students were among the few trainee teachers paying private fees.
Most of students in ‘The Training Department’ from Britain were sponsored by bursaries provided by county education authorities anxious to promote and fund the recruitment of qualified teachers in their expanding local authority schools at Elementary and Secondary level.