timeline
The information contained in this timeline has been copied from a document entitled Bingley Training College / Bingley College of Education Calendar 1906 - 1968.

1906 April

1906 July

Sub Committee set up to consider the possibility of setting up in the West Riding of Yorkshire a residential training college for 200 women.

Sites at Guiseley (Park Estate), Otley (Newall Old Hall), Shipley, Skipton and Bingley were inspected.

1907 October Further sites at Bingley, Horsforth and Otley were inspected.
1908 January Approval was given to the suggestion that the Lady House Estate, Bingley, was the most suitable site.
1908 March County Councillor B Foulds was asked to interview the owners of the Lady House Estate - The Governors of Bingley Grammar School, William Ferrand Esq
1908 June The sketch plans of the proposed hostels and main block were considered.
1908 November

The approval of the Board of Education was given to the plans and estimates excepting those relating to the gymnasium, the laundry and the swimming bath. Tenders were considered, including those for work on the swimming bath.

1909 March Contracts for building operations were let. The President of the Board of Education, The Rt Hon Walter Runciman MP accepted the invitation to lay the Foundation Stone of the Central Block. Walter (Liberal MP for Dewsbury) was in Asquith's Cabinet and was born in South Shields. His wife Hilda, also from South Shields and a women's activist, became an MP and they were the first married couple to sit in the House of Commons.
1909 May 24th Foundation Stone laid by Walter. Memorial stones were laid for each hostel: Hild Hall by Miss Hermione Unwin. Alcuin Hall by County Councillor PH Booth. Ascham Hall by Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell. Priestley Hall by County Councillor Edwin Talbot. Acland Hall by County Alderman Henry Dunn. Originally it was intended to call Hild Hall Britbeck Hall.
1910 June The County Architect was instructed to prepare plans and estimates for the provision of one kitchen to serve all the hostels and for the provision of a communicating passage between the hostels.
1910 August The provision of the swimming bath was abandoned for the time being.
1910 December The post of Principal of the College was advertised - 42 applications were received.
1911 January Provisional estimates for the hostels and general furnishing of the College and for educational equipment were passed by the County Council and tenders for the planting of trees were accepted.
1911 May Miss Helen Wodehouse MA DPhil, at the time Lecturer in Philosophy at Birmingham University, was appointed Principal of the College, as from August 1st.
1911 September The Central Block, three halls of residence, the Kitchen Block and the Block containing the Gymnasium, Laundry and the Heating and Lighting Plants were completed and ready for occupation.
1911 October 2nd The first students - 102 women - came into residence, 22 for one year only, having already passed the Board of Education Teacher's Certificate Examination.
1911 October 31st The College was formally opened by Sir John Horsfall, Chairman of the West Riding County Council. A gold key was presented to Sir John by Mrs Eddison on behalf of the Training College Sub Committee. The Inaugural Address was given by Mr Michael E Sadler CB MA LLD, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Leeds University.
1912 August The first summer school was held.
1912 September Two hundred students were in residence of whom fourteen were taking a one year course. A special course in housecraft was introduced. Three students remained for a three year course, and specialised in English, Botany and Physical Exercises.
1913 June It was agreed that newspapers should be provided for students.
1913 November Plans for the lighting of the stage were carried out.
1914

A voice production course was formed.

Plans for a swimming bath at an estimated £2000 were submitted by the County Architect.

Charges of meals to members of staff:- Breakfast 6d. Lunch od Supper 6d. Dinner 9d. Tea 4d. Bedroom 1/- per night, composite charge per week, excepting Breakfast 7/6 per week.

Students who were able to swim and had obtained their parent's permission were allowed to boat on the river excepting on Saturdays after midday, or any other days considered unsuitable by the Principal.

1915

A weather vane was purchased.

Grants were first given that students might visit places of historical and architectural interest

1915 September Address given by his Grace, The Lord Archbishop of York, to mark the opening of the new session.
1916 First year in which the relation between the number of West Riding and non West Riding students was considered. 114 from the West Riding and 86 from outside this year. For many years the proportion varied; first consideration was given to West Riding applicants.
1917 First Camp School held in the College grounds.
1918 Extensions to the College including the provision of an isolation block were considered.
1919 July

The resignation of Dr. Wodehouse, after her appointment of as Professor of Education at Bristol University, was accepted with regret.

The provision of a motor vehicle was considered. Approval was given for the formation of a Day Continuation Class for Girls.

Miss Mary S Lilley MA., Head of the Training Department for Women at Birmingham University was appointed Principal.

1919 December Death of Miss Mary Lilley.
1921 Miss Ethel A Spalding MA, Lecturer in History and Senior Lecturer at Goldsmith's College, University of London, was appointed Principal.
1923

Approval was given for exchange visits to be made with students from Goldsmith's College, London.

Goats were first kept at College. (See goats at Bedesworld in Jarrow).

1924 Full inspection of the College by Inspectors of the Board of Education. A satisfactory report was received. A house was built on the back drive for the College Engineer.
1925 Quota of places reserved for candidates from the West Riding was raised to 50% because of the shortage of available places throughout the country.
1926

Quota of places was raised to sixty six and two thirds%, there were 262 applications for 65 vacancies for West Riding Students and 646 applications for 32 non West Riding places. (The General Strike may have had something to do with this).

A request from students to be allowed to smoke in the College was refused.

1927 Plans for the building of the Sanatorium were approved.
1928

Approval was given for the students to receive specialist swimming instruction at Bingley Swimming Baths on one afternoon weekly, during the summer term.

Progress was made in transferring the responsibility of the Final Examinations in Training College from the Board of Education to the governing bodies of the of the Colleges in conjunction with representatives of the Universities. With other Yorkshire Training Colleges, Bingley was associated with the University of Leeds.

English branch of the Bingley Old Student's Association (BOSA) was formed.

Owing to the continued shortage of Training College places the quota of places reserved for West Riding students was raised to 80%. The first recorded exchange of lecturers took place - one going to Cape Town and another to the USA.

1930

Davy fire escape appliances were provided in the Main Block and in each of the Halls. English Branch of BOSA published a book on English with scemes of work and book lists.

The Sanatorium was completed during the Summer Term.

Final examinations were held under the new scheme for the first time.

1931

New College Crest was approved for use on notepaper.

Preliminary arrangements for the celebrations of the 21st anniversary were approved.

1932

21st Garden Party held at the College (June 21). 800 guests were welcomed by Sir Percy Jackson, Lady Jackson and the Principal.

BOSA 21st Birthday Celebrations (October 8) which included Lunch, a gathering in the Hall, a dinner for about 500 on the Saturday and an address by Dr Wodehouse on the Sunday morning entitled Temples and Treasures.

Miss Spalding resigned.

1933 Dr Francis Consitt appointed Principal of the College.
1935 With the approval of the Board of Education a part-time educational clinic for "difficult children" was opened.
1936

The possibility of a three year course of training was discussed by members of the Yorkshire Colleges.

Revised proposals for the provision of a Swimming Bath were approved and included in the 1937/38 estimate. Approval was also given for the provision to form additional hard tennis courts.

1937 Further revision of plans for the Swimming Bath, additional tennis courts and extensive improvements in the college buildings were suggested.
1938

The snicket was placed out of bounds and the Acland Lane after dusk.

A report on the proposed Swimming Bath was submitted. A three month refresher course for teachers of handwork and needlework with weaving was arranged for the summer term

Dr Frances Consitt resigned.

1939

Miss Catherine Fletcher was appointed Principal. Consideration was given to the possibility of accomodating another College, should the need arise.

1940

Staff and students of Edge Hill College, Ormskirk were evacuated to the College.

Appointments to the college restricted to women.

1941 May Some Year Two students from Hull Municipal Training College were evacuated to the college for a short time.
1942 Two members of the Land Army were appointed to the gardening staff.
1943 The students were given permission to play tennis and badminton on Sunday.
1944 Mr CJ Bending was appointed as lecturer in gardening; this was the first time that a man was appointed to a full time post on the lecturing staff. The college laundry was closed.
1945 Edge Hill Training College returned to Ormskirk at the end of the Autumn Term.
1946 Eighty additional students were admitted to the College. Miss Catherine Fletcher resigned.
1947

Miss HM Duncan was appointed as principal. Miss HE Allison was appointed as the first Vice-Principal.

The provision of a central kitchen and dining room was considered. The provision of a shooting brake or similar vehicle was considered.

1948

The report on, and estimates for, the kitchen-dining room were presented and approved.

The University of Leeds Institute of Education draft ordinances were prepared.

The following resolution was referred to the Policy Sub-Committee:- "It is resolved that the appointment of men, as well as women, to non-resident posts on the lecturing staff be approved".

1949

It was suggested that the number of places might be increased to 275 (25 more than the figure recommended by the Ministry of Education).

Plans for the kitchen-dining room were approved; the work to proceed as a matter of urgency. (Owing to delays and monetary restriction it was impossible to proceed with the plans).

The grassing down of all areas being used for vegetables was approved. The purchase of a shooting barke was recommended. Repairs to the heating installations in the Halls was approved.

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