Our history

The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths set up its Technical and Recreative Institute in 1891 to provide educational opportunities for the people of New Cross. The University of London acquired the new Institute and re-established it as Goldsmiths College in 1904. Since 1989, Goldsmiths has been a full College of the University with its own distinctive role as an independent university institution, at the same time committed to its membership of one of the world's great academic federations.

A brief history of Goldsmiths
1843
Royal Naval School

1891
Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute is founded by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Established in the former Royal Naval School - still the College's main building - at New Cross, it is dedicated to'the promotion of technical skill, knowledge, health and general well-being among men and women of the industrial, working and artisan classes'.


1904
The Goldsmiths Company hands over the Institute to the University of London, which re-names it'Goldsmiths' College'.

1907
A new School of Art, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and funded by the Goldsmiths' Company, opens at the back of the Main Building.

1939
The Second World War forces the teacher-training department to evacuate to University College, Nottingham.

1940
In December, incendiary bombs set off a fire which guts much of the New Cross Main Building.

1946-7
Repairs to the war-torn College carried out.


1960s
The College expands degree-level and teacher-training work and greatly increased its student intake. In this fertile period, the Lockwood, Whitehead and Education Buildings, the extension of the Main Building, Warmington Tower and St James's Hall are erected.

1977
St Gabriel's and Rachel McMillan Colleges of Education are merged with Goldsmiths.

1988
Goldsmiths becomes a full School of the University of London.

1990
HRH The Princess Royal presents the College with its Royal Charter.

1991
Goldsmiths is included in Lewisham's successful bid to the Department of the Environment for City Challenge funding to promote the regeneration of Deptford.


1998
The Chancellor opens the Rutherford Information Services Building, which receives a RIBA award as one of the ten best new buildings in the capital.

2000
The College completes the purchase of the Deptford Town Hall Building from Lewisham, and in the same year the Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company, Sir Adam Butler, opens a new Students' Union extension, which the Company has helped to fund.

2001
Goldsmiths is successful in its application for a £2.4 million Funding Council grant towards the first phase of a major new Arts Complex on the St James's site.

2004
Goldsmiths celebrates 100 years as part of the University of London.

2005
The new Ben Pimlott Building, named after the former Warden of Goldsmiths opens on campus. Designed by Alsop & Partners, the flagship seven-storey structure, provides purpose-built teaching space within the New Cross campus, including art studios, lecture theatres, and cutting edge psychology and digital media labs.

2006
Main Building renamed Richard Hoggart Building in honour of Professor Richard Hoggart, former Warden of Goldsmiths.

2007
Goldsmiths was announced as one of the UK's coolest brands for the fifth year running.

2008
The various league tables of universities arising from Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008 all place Goldsmiths firmly within the top 35 of research-intensive universities. When it comes to the very peak of world-leading research, shown by the top 4* grade, Goldsmiths comes an even more impressive 9th.

2009
Goldsmiths is successful in its application for planning permission for a cutting-edge £20 million new building to house the Department of Media & Communications. Work has started on site and is due to finish in Summer 2010.