Bedford College

Bedford College was founded in 1849 by Elizabeth Jesser Reid as a college for the education of women. The college was the first university institution in the United Kingdom open to women, and played a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education, and also in public life in general.

The college took its name from Bedford Square in London, where it was originally located. However the Bedford Square location proved to be expensive and restricting, and the struggle to provide suitable accommodation for a continually expanding but financially under-endowed establishment led to a move to York Place in 1874. In 1913, the college moved again to purpose-built buildings, designed by Basil Champneys , in Regent's Park.

Bedford College became a college of the University of London in 1900.

The college began to admit male students in 1965.

In the early 1980s, the college had approximately 1700 students and 200 academic staff based in 20 departments.

In 1985, Bedford College merged with Royal Holloway College, another college of the University of London, and moved to Royal Holloway College's campus in Egham, Surrey, just outside London. The merged insitution took the name of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College.

External links

• History of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College