Originally called Royal Holloway College, the establishment was founded by Thomas Holloway as a female-only college in 1879. It became part of the University of London in 1900. Males were not admitted until 1965, following the Royal Holloway College Act of 1962. In 1985 the college merged with Bedford College to become Royal Holloway and Bedford New College. This name was changed for day-today use to Royal Holloway, University of London in 1992 by the College Council, although the registered title remained the same.
The main college building was designed by Willian Henry Crossland and inspired by the Chateau of Chambord. It is part of a campus which is set in 120 acres of parkland and within walking distance of Windsor Great Park. The building was officially opened on 30 June 1886 by Queen Victoria, who allowed the use of Royal in its name. The college has had a number of royal connections since this time. In 1939 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Literature (DLit) Degree by the University of London. As of 2003, the college had 5,500 students enrolled and was ranked within the top ten university institutions in the UK.
See also: Elizabeth Jesser Reid, founder of Bedford College
Famous Alumni
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