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City University

Departmental records


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 2107 Departments

Held at: City University

Title: Departmental records

Date(s): 1927-2000

Level of description: sub-fonds

Extent: 36 linear feet

Name of creator(s): Northampton Polytechnic Institute
Northampton Polytechnic
Northampton College of Advanced Technology
City University

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The early educational work of the Northampton Institute reflected the trades found in the Clerkenwell district of London. Thus the six departments of the 1890s were Mechanical Engineering and Metal Trades (including the building and furniture trades), renamed Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering in 1918; Artistic Crafts (for industrial applications), which closed in 1916 and was transferred to the London County Council Central School for Arts and Crafts; Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering; Horology, which developed into a National College of Horology and Instrument Technology in 1947; Electro-Chemistry (renamed Technical Chemistry in 1900, and later Applied Chemistry); Domestic Economy and Women's Trades. The Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering department, under the direction of the Principal, was the largest department and included telegraphy and optics, and introduced pioneering sandwich courses in engineering in 1904-1905. In 1903-1904 Technical Optics emerged as a department in its own right, renamed the Department of Applied Optics in 1926, Ophthalmic Optics in 1946, and Optometry and Visual Science in 1977. In 1909 the Institute started classes in Aeronautics, with Frederick Handley Page arriving as lecturer in the following year, though Aeronautical Engineering remained with the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering until 1958, when it became a separate Department of Aeronautics. In 1925 Electrical Engineering became a department in its own right. Physics and Mathematics became separate departments in 1937 and 1931 respectively. A Computer Unit emerged as a separate department from Mathematics in 1976. A Department of Production Technology and Control Engineering was introduced in 1959 (renamed Automation Engineering in 1968 and Systems Science in 1973), following redesignation of the Institute as a College of Advanced Technology.
Upon conversion to The City University, Civil and Mechanical Engineering became separate departments in 1966. A Department of Management Studies commenced in 1966, developing into the City University Business School in 1976. A Centre for Information Science was started in 1970. A Department of Social Science and Humanities was developed and a City University Business School evolved in 1975 from the Department of Management Studies. A Centre for Arts and Related Studies was inaugurated at the same time to cater for courses in Arts Administration, Music, Journalism and Adult Education.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Departmental records of City University and predecessors, including Dept of Aeronautics course details and syllabuses, conference reports and other papers, 1957-1986; Centre for Arts and Related Studies, later Dept of Continuing Education, prospectuses and some examination papers, 1972-1984, and prospectuses and programmes, 1983-1990s; Business School papers, 1960s-1970s; Dept of Chemistry examination papers, students' marks, and syllabuses, 1948-1986, with Heat Engines Laboratory stockbook, 1927-1938; Royal Institute of Chemistry examination papers and reports, 1969-1973; Dept of Civil Engineering, including Nuclear Power Plant, syllabuses and progammes with other papers, 1957-1988, and papers of design course, 1960, and International Conference on Behaviour of Slender Structures Proceedings, 1977; Centre for Educational Technology programmes and other papers, 1969-1990; Dept of Electrical Engineering syllabuses and other papers, 1969-1990; Health Sciences annual reports, 1989-1990, 1995-1996; Dept of Information Science papers, 1960s; Dept of General Studies examination papers, 1984; Dept of Mathematics syllabuses and other papers, 1962-1995; Dept of Mechanical Engineering Board of Studies meetings, 1961-1984, student handbooks, syllabuses, course details and research reports, newsletters, 1957-1990, with G. Haley's Engineering Dept course work file on Theory of Machines, 1943; Dept of Music prospectuses, leaflets and other papers, 1975-1989; Dept of Optometry and Visual Science prospectuses, syllabuses and other course information, 1953-1996; Dept of Physics syllabuses and other papers, 1957-1979, with summer school proceedings, 1954; Dept of Social Science and Humanities Board of Studies minutes, syllabuses and other course details, 1962-1983; Dept of System Science and dependent centres syllabuses and other course details, 1957-1990, with summer school proceedings, 1979; Details of conferences, courses, summer schools, Open Days, lectures and other events, 1957-2000; Music and Drama events, 1960s-1970s; Public lectures, 1950s-1990s.

Departmental research reports: City Consultancy Service Reports, 1990-1992; Aeronautical Engineering, 1966-1975; Business School, 1968-1981; Chemistry, 1956-1984; Civil Engineering, 1967-1977, 1983-1988; Centre for Clinical Communication Studies research programme, 1986-1987; Computer Science, 1984-1989; Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1952-1957, 1963-1970, 1990-1991; Centre for Information Science, 1979; Mathematics, 1966-1985; Mechanical Engineering, 1966-1988; Music, research and performances including Advanced Composition Research Group, 1988; Opthalmic Optics and Visual Science, 1966-1970; Dept of Physics, 1966-1985; School of Community Planning, 1970-1982; Social Science and Humanities, 1968-1980; System Science, 1969-1988.

Departmental promotional literature, 1960s-1990s for all departments as above and Arts Administration; SBH School of Nursing and Midwifery; Business School; Centre for Banking and International Finance; Adult Education; School of Informatics; Dept of Journalism; Centre for Legal Studies; Studies in Property Valuation and Management; Validated Courses: Ashridge Management College; City Literary Institute; Cordwainers College; Gyosei International College in the UK; Guildhall School of Music and Drama; Inns of Court School of Law; Laban Centre London; Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre; School of Psychotherapy and Counselling; City Innovation Centre, 1988; Halls of Residence; Industrial Liaison Centre, 1968-1973.

Departmental publications, including TCU Business School Economic Review, Spring 1983-Summer 1988; Informaniac, undated, Information Science Society publication; Islington Angel and City Star with other CU Journalism students publications, 1980s-1990s; Insight, 1992-1997, newsletter of CU Business School; Evening MBA Newsletter, 1990-1991; Research News, 1970-1976; GEORGE, PROBE and Newsheet, 1974-1976, newsletters of the Dept of Social Science and Humanities; Journal of Arts Policy & Management 1-3, 1984; TCU Computer Unit Bulletin/Newsletter, 1972-1982, 1992-1997; Careers Service Newsletters and Bulletins, 1970s, 1990s.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English.

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

On written application to the University Librarian.

Conditions governing reproduction:

At the discretion of the University Librarian.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Survey lists of City University archives by Janet Foster, 2000 (available in hard copy at City University).

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Further accruals are expected.

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Internal accumulation during the course of business.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

City University Archives hold Philip de la Hay le Marquand's notebooks, 1923-1924, and A D Roscoe's Laboratory Reports, 1945-1951, with the Dept of Electrical Engineering syllabuses and papers, 1969-1990; research papers of Professor T E Allibone, 1934-1979, are held with papers of the Dept of Physics, 1966-1985. See City University collection level description for relevant related material held elsewhere.

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project, based on survey information by Janet Foster. Source: The City University - a history by S John Teague (City University, London, 1990).

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Mar 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Chemistry education | Science education
Computer science education | Higher science education
Educational administrative structure | Educational organizations
Engineering education | Higher science education
Humanities education | Social science education
Journalist education | Vocational education
Management education | Vocational education
Physics education | Science education
Technological institutes | Universities | Higher education institutions | Educational institutions
Educational personnel training
General technical education
Mathematics education

Personal names

Corporate names
City University
Northampton College of Advanced Technology
Northampton Polytechnic
Northampton Polytechnic Institute

Places
Clerkenwell | Islington | London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe