250 years of free-thinking education

  • Homerton: Cambridge Now

    This beautiful new book is a celebration of Homerton in our 250th anniversary year.

  • Homerton 250 Festival

    One of the biggest public events ever staged by a University of Cambridge college

  • Susan Stebbing

    Professor David Bridges, Emeritus Fellow, explores the life and work of Susan Stebbing – a visiting lecturer at Homerton College between 1911 and 1914.

  • Alison Shrubsole

    John Axon, former Head of English, remembers Alison Shrubsole through an anecdote she related to him during critical negotiations on Homerton’s relation with Cambridge University.

  • Maud Brereton

    Maud Cloudesley Brereton was Resident Tutor at Homerton College from 1897, and became Acting Principal in 1902. Following this, she became hugely influential in the sphere of public health, particularly focused on domestic settings.

  • Dr Kate Pretty CBE

    Philip Stephenson (Fellow from 1996 in Education) worked closely with Kate Pretty during her time as Principal (1991-2013), and here remembers her leadership of Homerton College.

  • The Tale of a Fluffy Tail

    James Brigden, Cataloguer at the Homerton College Library, explores two intriguing items in the Children’s Rare Book Collection.

  • Professor Geoff Ward

    Professor Geoff Ward, Principal of Homerton College, explains his research interests and how they began, with a photo of Michael McClure, Bob Dylan, and Allen Ginsberg.

  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    Composer Peter Maxwell Davies was an Honorary Fellow at Homerton College from 2009 to his death in 2016. He is here remembered by John Hopkins.

  • Dr John Hopkins

    John Hopkins, Emeritus Fellow and Composer in Residence at Homerton College, discusses his career and the changing College over the years.

  • Organum: ‘Lullula arborea 14.5.61’

    One of the most intriguing manuscripts in the Homerton College Archive is this piece for piano solo, written by David Hindley (Head of Music 1962-1985).

  • Sir Andrew Motion

    Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate and current Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University, USA, became an Honorary Fellow in 2014.

  • Ivan Vaughan

    Ivan Vaughan taught Psychology at Homerton College from 1973 to 1983 when he had to take early retirement on grounds of ill health. However, Ivan’s story was not only situated in the world of teaching but had, as a central core, his relationship with the Beatles.

  • Maud Bodkin

    Lecturer at Homerton College, Maud Bodkin, was a well-respected psychologist and philosophical commentator.

  • Robina Macintyre

    Robina Macintyre was a larger-than-life lecturer who made Homerton College the location for our lost film.

  • Miss Read

    Dora Saint, better known by the pen-name Miss Read, became a well loved author with many books about English country life.

  • Grace Dibble

    A self-described ‘lone wanderer’, Grace Dibble’s geographical quest began with her studies at Homerton College. It flourished in adventurous world-wide travel well into her eighties, recorded in thirteen books published over 30 years, the last in 1998 when she died aged 97. She studied at Homerton College from 1922-25, one of only five women who […]

  • Homerton and the World

    Peter Cunningham remembers Homerton College’s varied links across the globe in the late twentieth century.

  • A Trip to the Fjords, via the Archive!

    Joseph Chapman’s mementos from an expedition to Norway in 1896 now reside in the Homerton College Archive.

  • John Jones

    John Jones was a student at Homerton from 1888-9, and later joined the teaching staff, following the College from London to Cambridge. As a Lecturer in Geography, he was inspirational to generations of students.

  • What Science Can Do

    On Thursday, 8 March 2018, Pascal Soriot delivered the 2nd Annual Kate Pretty Lecture at Homerton College.

  • Dr David Clifford

    David Clifford explains how both developing scientific discovery and popular culture can at the same time influence contemporary literature.

  • Dr Chris Brooke

    Dr Christopher Brooke’s commemorative Canadian war medal is full of imagery relating to the political thought of the time.

  • Dame Leah Manning

    Leah Manning studied at Homerton College 1906-1908, and then dedicated her life to helping those in need.

  • Harris Manchester College

    Revd Dr Ralph Waller, Principal of Harris Manchester College, explores the curious link between Homerton and Harris Manchester which stretches back to 1803.

  • Hilda Hartle

    A chemistry lecturer in the early twentieth century, Hilda Hartle was a passionate campaigner for women’s rights in the sciences.

  • Sally Davies

    Dame Sally Davies, the first female Chief Medical Officer for England, became an Honorary Fellow in 2016.

  • Chris Baczkowski

    Homerton College welcomed its first Organ Scholar, Ian Howard, in 2011. Having joined the University Organ Trials, the College subsequently appointed Jonathan Huse and now Chris Baczkowski.

  • Setting Out

    In October 2017, Homerton students created a dance to celebrate the arrival of a new sculpture by Harry Gray.

  • Morley Memorial and New Street Schools

    When Homerton College moved to Cambridge, it had to create its own opportunities for first-hand teaching experience.

  • Percival Sharp

    In this story from the archives, Peter Cunningham discovers Percival Sharp – a Homerton College alumnus who made a great impact on education in the late 19th and early 20th century.

  • John Conder

    John Conder was the founding Principal of Homerton Academy in 1768.

  • Foundation Stone

    On the external wall of the Cavendish Rooms, the Foundation Stone of Cavendish College can be seen.

  • The Unnamed Sculpture

    Geoffrey Clarke’s memorable work is the largest permanent sculpture in the College art collection.

  • Time for B.Ed. (Cambridge Style)

    Beverly Wood (nee Lord), 1967-71, was part of the first year group awarded degrees from the University of Cambridge.

  • Homerton’s Stone Carvings

    Homerton College’s personalised stone carvings were created by David Kindersley in 1957.

  • Black and White Buildings

    Peter Cunningham remembers the Black and White Buildings, which were a key part of Homerton College between the 1960s-90s.

  • Snippets

    Trish Maude, Emeritus Fellow, remembers a key part of the Primary Generalist course: ‘Snippets’.

  • Jean Rudduck

    Peter Cunningham remembers Jean Rudduck, who was renowned for her work in education research.

  • The Wartime Nursery

    Peter Cunningham, exploring the Archive, tells the story of Homerton’s wartime nursery, which still exists today in a new location.

  • Betty Rea

    Peter Cunningham, exploring the archive, discovers Betty Rea, who taught at Homerton College between 1949 and 1964.

  • Foundation Day 2017

    On Friday, 27 October 2017, the College came together to celebrate our 249th anniversary.

  • Dame Carol Ann Duffy

    Carol Ann Duffy, UK Poet Laureate since 2009, wrote a poem called Homerton to celebrate becoming a full College of the University of Cambridge

  • Margaret Johnson’s Weaving

    70 years after former student Margaret Todd designed and wove a woollen fabric at Homerton College, the College Archive has been very grateful to receive the jacket made from the fabric.

  • Edward Stallybrass

    Edward Stallybrass travelled 4,000 miles to bring Christianity to Siberia.

  • The Homerton Bureaux

    Bureaux were a standard feature of Homerton College rooms for generations of students

  • First World War Memorial Plaque

    A memorial for Armistice Day, 11 November 1918

  • The Skillicorn Gates

    Standing proudly opposite the Principal’s office, the Skillicorn gates are a testament to one Principal’s impact on her students.

  • Damp Forest Walk

    Hanging in the Macaulay Room, a vivid painting by a highly regarded English painter of the twentieth century.

  • Kay Melzi

    Her unique character and encouraging teaching meant that she was an inspiration to generations of students.

  • Wonderland Week

    Wonderland came to Homerton for the UK’s biggest celebration of Alice’s 150th anniversary.

  • Leyton Orient FC

    A cricket club founded by Homerton College alumni exists today as Leyton Orient Football Club.

  • Dance Studio

    Trish Maude, Retired Senior Member, remembers the day she cartwheeled for Dance at Homerton

  • Mary Barbara Wallis

    Senior Lecturer and Warden-Tutor at Homerton 1966-83, Mary Barbara Wallis had a surprising back-story.

  • The Homerton Bell

    Rung to begin formal dinners and events, the bell has always been a symbol of college life.

  • The Buck Stops Here

    Standing in the Combination room, a gymnastics buck has seen a huge amount of College history.

  • The New School

    Filmed at Homerton in 1944, The New School has never been found.

  • Charter Choir

    The Charter Choir, founded in 2009, is Homerton’s première musical ensemble.

  • The Morley Family

    Homerton College’s success in the 19th century was in part due to three generations of the Morley family.

  • Evelyn Lowe

    The portrait of Evelyn Lowe is a hidden treasure of Homerton’s art collection.

  • Coqué Martínez Collection

    Some of the most memorable paintings in the College art collection were a gift from artist Coqué Martínez.

  • A Florentine Procession

    Hanging on the east wall of the Great Hall, ‘A Florentine Procession’ is a memorable feature for all who spend time at Homerton.

  • The Pilkington Doors

    The engraved glass doors leading to the Fellows’ Dining Room hide a rather eventful history…

  • Two for Tea Settee

    Now inconspicuous in the Macaulay room the long settee, once partly hidden by a screen where hapless men were entertained to tea.

  • Dame Beryl Paston Brown

    Dame Beryl Paston Brown, Principal between 1961 and 1971, enabled Homerton students to take the new Cambridge Bachelor of Education degree.

  • Mary Miller Allan

    Mary Allan was Homerton’s first, and longest serving, female Principal, from 1903-35.

  • John Pye Smith

    One of the longest serving Principals at Homerton Academy, London

  • John Horobin

    John Horobin orchestrated Homerton College’s move from the East End of London to Cambridge.

  • John Fell

    John Fell was resident and classical tutor at Homerton College between 1787 and 1797.

  • Alan Bamford

    Philip Rundall was a key member of the art department from 1973-98, and is now a Retired Senior Member. Here Philip remembers painting the portrait for Principal Alan Bamford.

  • Queen Mother visits Homerton

    In 1957, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, visited Homerton to open the newest building onsite.

  • Dr Albert Schweitzer

    Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Dr Albert Schweitzer visited Homerton in 1955, here remembered by Judith Legg (student at Homerton 1954-56).

  • Dame Evelyn Glennie

    Evelyn Glennie is the first person in history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist.