University College School

The University College School Archives exists to collect, catalogue and preserve material relating to the history of the school and the lives of its pupils.

 As with many successful schools, at UCS the emphasis has always been placed on the future rather than the past. Nigel Watson, writer of A Tradition for Freedom – The story of University College School commented on a tradition of 'self-effacing modesty about the school's history'. This is in part due to the many gaps in the institution's records. Many items have been lost, through the move from Gower Street to Frognal and in the fire which obliterated the Durning-Lawrence hall in 1978. It is also alleged that C. S. Walton, Headmaster (1936-1956) burnt and buried historical papers.  Some archives relating to the school's time in Gower Street were retained by University College London and are still held in their Special Collections department.  The remaining material was scattered across the school with no formal organisation.

A project has been started to gather the school's historic material, create a catalogue and repackage it in archival boxes to prevent further deterioration. Work is also being done to ensure that the current activities at the school are recorded and retained for posterity.

The archive gratefully accepts gifts of material relevant to the history of UCS and its Old Gowers in line with the collection policy.  If you have any queries about the archive, or have material you wish to donate, please do not hesitate to get in touch.  e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it