Curiosities

Explore the Homerton College cabinet of curiosities.

A Florentine Procession

Worldly fripperies and vanities

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

The Homerton Bureaux

Well-loved furniture

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

Foundation Stone

Hidden Homerton history

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

First World War Memorial Plaque

Remembrance and reflection

A memorial for Armistice Day, 11 November 1918

The Unnamed Sculpture

By Geoffrey Clarke

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

The Homerton Bell

Or, a bell called ‘Big’

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

Damp Forest Walk

A painting by Ivon Hitchens

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

Organum: ‘Lullula arborea 14.5.61’

A long tradition of composition

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).

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

Homerton’s Stone Carvings

Created by David Kindersley

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

Coqué Martínez Collection

Memorial to the Basque children of 1937

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

The Pilkington Doors

Earliest examples of this engraved, armoured, glass!

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

The Tale of a Fluffy Tail

Peter Rabbit Early Edition

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

Margaret Johnson’s Weaving

A long lasting memento

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.

Two for Tea Settee

Entertaining hapless men

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

The Buck Stops Here

Unassuming yet unusual

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

The Skillicorn Gates

A remarkable gift

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