
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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