Mysteries – Goldsmiths History Project

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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postcardofgoldsmithswithbeggartoleftofentrance

Entrance to Goldsmiths College – a picture taken between 1910 and 1912. Three small boys are standing left, right and centre. To the left of the entry route into the college you can see the figure of a man sitting on a box and the outline of his broom leaning against the wall.

In the early part of Goldsmiths history a character known as ‘The College Beggar’ occupied a makeshift box to the left of the college’s entrance.

Fully equipped with a broom stick he kept the pavement and drive-way of the college clear of rubbish for many years.

He has no name. In the portrait he looks distracted. It is possible his right arm is missing as it does not appear to be present in his apparently empty jacket and coat sleeve.

The ‘College Beggar’ outside the entrance of Goldsmiths College 1910-12.

He wears a big, shabby coat and bowler hat. He has a white, long, unkempt, and drooping moustache.

His boots or shoes are worn. His right eye is bright and focused on the camera, but his left eye is closed.

Perhaps he is a wounded and vagrant veteran from some Victorian colonial war.

Had he been a cadet in the Royal Naval School that inaugurated the building from 1844 and was grievously disabled in battle, losing an arm and an eye?

Ex-servicemen have always made up the ranks of the homeless in history.

Who was this elderly gentleman of the road who decided to make this position on Lewisham Way his home?

His presence and character had been so strong that somebody who worked in the college, and was ready to put together a photographic album of its staff, key interiors and locations, decided that he should be included.

That album was acquired by a former Director of Marketing, Recruitment and Communications, Vicky Annand, and donated to the College’s Special Collections and Archives.

Goldsmiths History Project

Primary page content

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

The mystery of Goldsmiths ‘College Beggar’