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Twenty Goldsmiths’ history short stories you may or may not know about- Part One: 1-20

Goldsmiths’ main building entrance. Image: Tim Crook

Goldsmiths’ historian Professor Tim Crook relates twenty short stories about the university’s history you may or may not know about in four sentence narratives.

This is Part One- many more to follow… perhaps until we get to 1,000.

1.Black Magic and Goldsmiths

If you are inclined to give any kind of Goldsmiths-themed present to anyone, you might consider ‘Black Magic’.

The iconic box of chocolates brand was designed for Rowntrees by Goldsmiths Art School alumnus William Larkins in 1933 while working as Director for Display for the global advertising agency J Walter Thompson.

The ‘Black’ referred to the dark chocolate and the ‘Magic’ to the idea that this affordable version of what at the time was usually an expensive luxury present was the most romantic gift anyone could give to a loved one.

Larkins (1901-74) would go on to be Art Editor for Reader’s Digest and Nestlé now own the ‘Black Magic’ brand and have retained much of the original design.

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Goldsmiths’ College Green looking toward Blomfield block rear of main building. Image: Tim Crook

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University of London, Goldsmiths’ College- the Opening Ceremony in the Great Hall 29th September 1905

The Great Hall of University of London, Goldsmiths’ College filled with flowers, ferns and palms for the Opening Ceremony Friday 29th September 1905. Image: Goldsmiths Special Collections.

It was Friday 29th September 1905. A total of 249 of the first teacher training students had arrived the day before.

149 Arts School students and 1,612 Science, Engineering and Building Trades students had started their academic year at the beginning of the week on Monday 25th September.

Many of them were packing the floor and balconies of The Great Hall which had been adorned with palm plants, ferns, flowers and bunting.

Margaret Carter L.R.A.M. A.R.C.M, the Training Department’s new ‘Directrice of Music’, had finished days of rehearsing the eleven pieces of classical music she would be playing on the magnificent Art Nouveau organ commissioned and built by the City of London Goldsmiths’ Company for the previous Technical and Recreative Institute in 1891.

She was to perform a beautiful recital for a spectacular late afternoon ceremony when the Goldsmiths’ Company of the City of London handed over a golden key to the University of London.

It was the key to the building and grounds that over 17 years they had developed for community and working class education and it was their gift to what was then the fastest growing and most pioneering British University.

The grateful Chancellor of London University was the witty and charismatic Liberal politician, Lord Rosebery, known as the Oscar Wilde of politics, who would present an entertaining and inspirational speech which would have the aisles rocking in laughter and the hearts and minds of every one present full of hope and aspiration for their futures and that of Higher Education in this part of London.

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