The University of Northampton Archive Collections

Our Archive collections

As well as the collections that relate to the University and its predecessors the archive contains several smaller collections that have relevance to the learning, teaching and research activities of our staff and students.

Of particular prominence are:

The creation of an online catalogue is currently in progress; our intention is to make all of our archive collections available electronically via the catalogue, however, as it is a work in progress please bear this in mind when carrying out any online searches.

Electronic versions of outline box lists for some collections, not currently appearing on the catalogue, are also available for you to search.

Images

The University Archive contains numerous images of events and occasions relating to our history and that of our predecessors. While these will, in time, be added to our online catalogue, many can currently be viewed on the University of Northampton archive Flickr stream.

Video material

Due to the lack of proper storage facilities and the cost of creating such a facility at the University, the decision has been taken to deposit our collection of video material with the Media Archive for Central England (MACE).

  • The records contained in the collections lis​ted below relate to the University and its predecessor organisation​s. They chart the progress of further and higher education in Northampton, from the evening classes that started the journey in October 1867 through to what is now the University of Northampton.

    A collection of documents and other records relating to the formation of the Northampton School of Art, its relationship with the College of Technology and its subsequent amalgamation into Nene College in 1975.

    A collection of documents and other records relating to the formation of the Northampton School of Art, its relationship with the College of Technology and its subsequent amalgamation into Nene College in 1975.

    A collection that documents the building of a new college of education at Park Campus, the movement of students and staff from Kirkby Fields Teacher Training College in Liverpool and its subsequent amalgamation into Nene College in 1975.

    A collection of documents and other items that provide a record of the formation of Nene College, its growth as a provider of higher education and the change of name to University College Northampton (UCN) to reflect this in 1999.

    A collection of records that document the continued progress of the College, from its gaining of full degree awarding powers and the granting of university status, through to the launch of the University of Northampton in 2005.

    A collection of documents and other records relating to the formation and history of the Institute. From beginnings as an evening class in Technical Instruction in Leather Manufacture at the Borough Polytechnic in South London The Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) is a unique research and education centre based at the University.

    A collection of documents and artefacts relating to the development of training for occupational therapy students. From its’ beginnings at St. Andrews Hospital in 1941 the teaching of occupational therapy moved to Nene College, a predecessor institution of the University, in 1997.

    The archive collections relating to the University of Northampton continue to grow with regular deposits of records, ephemera and memorabilia. Material relating to both University College Northampton and the University of Northampton is available in the Archive but has not yet been added to the catalogue.

  • The Centre for the Study of Comprehensive Schools (CSCS) was a charitable trust affiliated to both the University of Leicester and the University of Northampton. The Centre produced journals as well as circulars and guidance for head teachers of secondary schools.

    Kindly donated to the University, by the family of graphic designer Angela Reeves, this collection contains design ephemera and memorabilia relating to all aspects of graphic design. Collected by Angela throughout her lifetime the collection reflects both her freelance work and that carried out while employed by companies such as British European Airways, the BBC, Royal Mail, New York University, Chermayeff and Geismar, Ilford and the Torin Corporation.

    A collection compiled by Professor Sue Ralph during the course of her research in to education and special educational needs.

    Collected by the anti-fascist Searchlight Magazine, this archival collection contains anti-fascist, anti-racist and left wing publications as well as those published by far right, racist groups. Documents and ephemera relating to Searchlight investigations, correspondence between the organisation and its domestic and overseas partners, as well as papers gathered from far right groups are also contained in the archive.

    Andrew (Andy) Bell worked as a researcher as well as holding other positions for World in Action and later for BBC’s Panorama. This collection donated by Andy includes details of the investigations for various programs, and show how the features were assembled.

    This collection was kindly donated by the first headmaster of the school together with the BBC Master 128 computer that was used to create the school’s records. These records are held, almost entirely, on 5.25 inch floppy disks. Work is currently underway to catalogue these records and make them more easily accessible to users.

  • Managed by the School of the Arts this collection includes the posters donated to the University by Thomas Osborne Robinson OBE (1904-1976).

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