Liverpool University

 

Did you know that the term redbrick university was first coined by a Liverpool professor to describe the red brick built civic universities that were built in the UK’s industrial cities, mostly in the latter part of the 19th century, up to the outbreak of World War II. These were characterised by Victorian buildings of red brick, such as the Victoria Building of Liverpool University seen above. Historically this was the administrative heart of the University.
The University was established in 1881 as University College Liverpool, admitting its first 45 students in 1882 in a building on Brownlow Hill. In 1884, it became part of the federal Victoria University. From the start, it recruited notable scholars and received generous financial support from the people of Liverpool. A high proportion of the original students came from Merseyside; for poor yet able students there were scholarships and fellowships. The University grew quickly, and the famous Victoria Building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, was opened in 1892. Following a Royal Charter and Act of Parliament in 1903, it became an independent university with the right to confer its own degrees called the University of Liverpool. From its origins as one of the first civic universities to its place as a groundbreaking Russell Group university which excels at teaching, learning and research, the University of Liverpool has remained committed to the 'advancement of learning and ennoblement of life'. Today, the University has over 230 first-degree courses offered across 103 subjects, over 19,000 registered students and an annual income of £219 million, which includes £75 million for research.


The University attracted the pioneers of the day, including Professor Oliver Lodge, who made the world's first public radio transmission in 1894. Two years later, Lodge demonstrated the use of X-ray photography by taking an image of a bullet in a boy's wrist. It was the first time an X-ray had been used for surgical purposes in the UK. The University has produced eight Nobel Prize winners, including the first British Novel Laureate, from the fields of science, medicine and peace.


This is the student union building. I spent a fair bit of time in there in the late 60s, early 70s as it was one of the best places in my home town to play snooker. I recall my first visit was with Tony Hall, a former school friend who was a super artist and who was, I think, doing an art course of some sort at the university. I was always amazed that he could not only draw a perfect circle freehand but could do so both anti-clockwise and clockwise..