| Admin History | The Midland Agricultural College has had a long and complicated history within the University of Nottingham and its predecessor the University College, Nottingham. In 1893 the University College established a Department of Agriculture. Two years later in 1895 the Midland Dairy Institute was opened at Kingston-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire. Affiliated to the University College, the Institute was established with the aid of a joint agricultural education committee made up of local government representatives. In 1900 the Agricultural Department of the University College moved to Kingston and combined with the Midland Dairy Institute to form the Midland Dairy and Agricultural College. The College ended its association with the University College, Nottingham becoming an independent college in its own right.
The college offered courses in theoretical and practical agriculture, dairying, horticulture and poultry. It was also the headquarters of the Board of Agriculture in the Midlands. The expansion in the Board of Agriculture's advisory role and an increase in student numbers led to the College purchasing a new 100 acre site at Sutton Bonnington in 1911. Building work began on the new site in 1914 but was halted in 1916 when the site was taken over for use as a prisoner of war camp. The building work was resumed in 1926 and the Kingston site finally closed in 1928.
In 1943 the Midland Dairy and Agricultural College's affiliation with the University College, Nottingham resumed after a 43 year gap. A joint faculty of agriculture and horticulture was established with 17 Board members from the Agricultural College and 11 from the University College. Principal HG Robinson of the Agricultural College became the first Professor of Agriculture. In 1946 it was agreed that the buildings and faculty at Sutton Bonnington would be transferred from the county council to the University College. On 1 April 1947, the Midland Agricultural College became the Faculty of Agriculture of University College, Nottingham. It became a part of the new University of Nottingham in 1948.
Richard Smith (d 1976) was the son of Richard and Florence Smith and lived at 49 Bramcote Road, Beeston, Nottingham. He attended Midland Agricultural College in the 1930s to learn dairy farming and subsequently worked for a milkman. |
| Custodial History | The photographs were gifted in March 2015 by a relative of Richard Smith. |
| Content Description | Two black and white photographic prints showing the members of Midland Agricultural College in March 1935 and March 1936.
A student, Richard Smith, is identified as the tall bespectacled young man standing 6th from the right in the photograph of 1935 and 13th from right in the photograph of 1936.
Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational and private study purposes only. The copyright for these images does not lie with the University, so please contact Manuscripts and Special Collections for further advice about all other use of images from this collection. |