Homerton College, Cambridge

Image: © Marathon Taken: 18 Sep 2011

With around 1,200 students, Homerton has more students than any other Cambridge college. In 1850 Homerton Academy in London, with a history stretching back a century, was refounded by the Congregational Board of Education to concentrate on the study of education itself. Towards the end of the 19th century, the growth of industry around the village of Homerton had lowered the quality of life of the students and led to seven deaths between 1878 and 1885 from tuberculosis, smallpox and typhoid. In 1894 the Congregational Board of Education were able to purchase the estate of Cavendish College, Cambridge which had become available. Cavendish College had been founded to allow poorer students to sit Cambridge tripos exams without the expense of joining a true Cambridge college, but a lack of money had brought the venture to an end. All its estates and furniture were bought by the Congregational Board for £10,000, and their students and staff moved from the old Hackney premises into the vacant college buildings at Cambridge. Initially taking the name of Homerton New College at Cavendish College, it shortly became just Homerton College, Cambridge. In December 1976, Homerton was accepted as an Approved Society of the University of Cambridge. In late 2000 the Regent House approved a proposal to converge Homerton with the rest of the University. This view looks towards the oldest part of the college, erected in 1876 for Cavendish College. On the left is the Great Hall.

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