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Our history

The University has roots going back more than 120 years. You can see how student life has changed here during that time in our photo gallery.

Watch a video of Kingston University through the ages:

Kingston University timeline

Key landmarks in our history include:

College of Art and Technical Institute, St James Road (c.1890-1910) Photo credit: Kingston Museum & Heritage Service
Gypsy Hill staff and students in Kingswood garden, c.1931
Knights Park building (the School of Art moved here in 1939) Photo credit: Kingston Museum & Heritage Service
Ewell Surveying camp, 1951
Gipsy Hill College at Kingston Hill, outside Rennie Halls, March 1956
Kingston College of Technology, Penrhyn Road campus, c.1967 Photo credit: Kingston Museum & Heritage Service
Kingston Polytechnic students, 1978
Dorich House
Centenary Plaque, 1999
1899
 Kingston Technical Institute opens, offering courses ranging from Chemistry, Electric Wiring and Building Construction to Nursing, Dressmaking and Clay Modelling
1917
 Gipsy Hill College for teacher training opens
1926
 The Board of Education formally recognises the Institute as a Technical College
1930
 The Kingston School of Art separates from the Technical College (moving to Knights Park in 1939 and becoming a College of Art in 1945)
1946
 Gipsy Hill College moves to Kingston Hill
1951
 The first Penrhyn Road campus buildings open (by 1963 they are housing 955 full-time students; 2,259 part-time students and 2,629 evening students)
1953
 The Technical College opens its first library (with lending services starting in 1954)
1957
 The Ministry of Education recognises Kingston as a Regional College of Technology
1963
 Gipsy Hill College gains College of Education status
1965
 The College of Technology establishes its own orchestra
1966
 The College of Technology purchases its first computer, costing £50,000
1970
 The College of Technology and the College of Art merge to form Kingston Polytechnic; it offers 34 major courses, 17 of which at degree level
1975
 Gipsy Hill College merges with Kingston Polytechnic
1992
 Kingston Polytechnic becomes Kingston University
1993
 Roehampton Vale campus building opens
1995
 The University acquires Dorich House
1999
The University celebrates its centenary

Find out more

Find out more from A History of Kingston University by Professor Michael Gibson (PDF).

Photo credit – photos 1, 3 and 6: Kingston Museum & Heritage Service.

Thanks to the alumni department for supplying many of the other images.

Contact us

Kingston University
Tel: +44 (0)20 8417 9000