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Gresham College

Coordinates: 51°31′03″N 0°06′35″W / 51.5175°N 0.1098°W / 51.5175; -0.1098
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Gresham College
MottoFor the Love of Learning since 1597
Established1597; 427 years ago (1597)[a]
Endowment£1,617,929 (2022) [1]
Chair of CouncilLoyd Grossman[2]
Academic staff
10 professorships
Location,
CampusUrban
Colours 
 
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in Central London, England that does not accept students or award degrees. It was founded in 1597[a] under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, and hosts over 140 free public lectures every year. Since 2001, all lectures have been made available online. As of 2024 the Provost is Professor Martin Elliott.[3]

History

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First four centuries

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Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of the Royal Exchange, left his estate jointly to the City of London Corporation and the Mercers' Company, which today support the college through the Joint Grand Gresham Committee under the presidency of the Lord Mayor of London. Gresham's will provided for the setting up of the college – in Gresham's mansion in Bishopsgate, on the site now occupied by Tower 42, the former NatWest Tower – and endowed it with the rental income from shops sited around the Royal Exchange.

The early success of the college led to the incorporation of the Royal Society in 1660,[4] which pursued its activities at the college in Bishopsgate before moving to its own premises in Crane Court in 1710. Gresham College was mentioned "particularly and academically" alongside the Inns of Court and other colleges in London as part of a figurative University of London in Sir George Buck's tract, The Third Universitie of England: Or a Treatise of the Foundations of all the Colledges, Auncient Schooles of Priviledge, and of Houses of Learning, and Liberall Arts, within and about the Most Famous Cittie of London, published in 1615 as an appendix to John Stow's Annales. The 17th century saw various proposals for a third university in England, including one in London, taking in Gresham College.[5] The college remained in Gresham's mansion in Bishopsgate until 1768, and moved about London thereafter until the construction in 1842 of its own buildings in Gresham Street EC2. Gresham College did not become part of the University of London on the founding of the university in the 19th century, although a close association between the college and the university persisted for many years. In 1892 the foundation of a 'Gresham University' in London was proposed in Parliament, intended to be a "Teaching University worthy of this Metropolis."[6] This was opposed by the Victoria University on the grounds that its medical faculty would dominate medical teaching in the country to the detriment of Manchester.[7] The proposed university may just have borrowed the name from the college.

21st century

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Since 1991, the college has operated at Barnard's Inn Hall, Holborn EC1. Since 2000, the college regularly invites visiting speakers to deliver lectures on topics outside its usual range, and it also hosts occasional seminars and conferences. The college provides over 140 lectures a year, all open to the public free of charge.

Since 2001, the college has been recording its lectures and releasing them online in what is now an archive[8][9] of over 2,000 lectures. Since 2007, lectures have also been available through YouTube, with 54 million views of 3,000 videos and 282,000 subscribers as of August 2024.[10][11]

Annual lectures series of particular note hosted by the college include: the Gresham Special Lecture, the Annual Lord Mayor's Event, and the Gray's Inn Reading.

The college is a registered charity under English law.[12]

Professors

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Gresham College, engraving by George Vertue, 1740
Barnard's Inn Hall, the current home of Gresham College

The seven original Gresham College professorships that date back to the origins of the college are:

These original endowed chairs reflect the curriculum of the medieval university (the trivium and quadrivium); but as a place for the public and frequent voicing of new ideas, the college played an important role in the Enlightenment and in the formation of the Royal Society. Early distinguished Gresham College professors included Christopher Wren, who lectured on astronomy in the 17th century, and Robert Hooke, who was Professor of Geometry from 1665 until 1704.[13]

The geometrician is to read as followeth, every Trinity term arithmetique, in Michaelmas and Hilary terms theoretical geometry, in Easter term practical geometry. The astronomy reader is to read in his solemn lectures, first the principles of the sphere, and the theory of the planets, and the use of the astrolabe and the staff, and other common instruments for the capacity of mariners.[14]

The professors received £50 a year, and the duties of their positions were specified tightly.

Today three further professorships have been added:

The professors generally hold their positions for three years,[18] extendable for a fourth year, and give six lectures a year. There are also regular visiting professors appointed to give series of lectures at the College, and a many single-lecture speakers.

Gresham Special Lecture series

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The Gresham Special Lecture – now called The Sir Thomas Gresham Annual Lecture – originated in 1983 as a free public lecture delivered by a prominent speaker. It was devised as a focus-point among the many free public lectures offered every year.

Excerpts from Sir Thomas Gresham's will

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Frontage of Barnard's Inn Buildings

THIS IS THE LASTE WILL WRITTEN and disposition of me Sir Thomas Gresham of the cittye of London knighte, concerninge all my mannors, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, mentioned and conteyned in one quadripartite indenture, made betweene me the said Sir Thomas Gresham and dame Anne my wife on the one partye, and Phillippe Scudamore gent. and Thomas Celey on thother partie, dated the 20 day of May, in the seaventeenth yere of the raigne of our soveraigne lady queene Elizabeth....

AND I will and dispose, that ... the said maior and corporation of the said cittye [London] ... shall give and distribute to and for the sustentation, mayntenaunce, and findinge foure persons from tyme to tyme to be chosen, nominated, and appointed by the said maior and cominalty and cittezens and theire successors, mete to read the lectures of divynitye, astronomy, musicke, and geometry, within myne owne dwellinge house in the parishe of St. Hellynes in Bishopsgate streete and St. Peeters the pore in the cittye of London ... the somme of two hundred pounds of lawfull money of England, in manner and forme followinge, viz. to every of the said readers for the tyme beinge the somme of fifty pounds of lawfull money of England yerely, for theire sallaries and stipendes, mete for foure sufficiently learned to read the said lectures; the same stipendes and sallaries, and every of them, to be paid at two usuall tearmes in the yere yerely, that is to say, at the feastes of thannunciation of St. Mary the Virgin and of St. Mighell tharchangell, by even portions to be paid....

AND ... that they and theire successors every yere yerely shall give, and pay, and distribute to and for the findinge, sustentation and maynetenaunce of three persons, by them the said wardeins and cominalty and theire successors from tyme to tyme to be chossen and appointed, meete to reade the lectures of law, phissicke, and rethoricke, within myne nowe dwellinge house in the parrishe of St. Hellyns in Bishopesgate streete and St. Peters the pore, in the said cittye of London ... the somme of one hundred and fifty poundes of lawfull money of England, in manner and forme followinge, viz. to every of the said readers for the tyme beinge the somme of fiftye poundes, for theire sallaries and stipendes, mete for three sufficiently learned to reade the said lectures, at two usuall tearmes in the yere, that is to say, at the feast of thannunciation of the blessed Virgin Marye and of St. Mighell the Archangell, by even portions to be paid....

AND ... shall permitte and suffer seaven persons, by them from tyme to tyme to be elected and appointed in manner and forme aforesaid, meete and sufficiently learned to reade the said seaven lectures, to have the occupation of all my said mansion house, gardeins, and of all other thappurtenaunces, for them and every of them there to inhabite, study, and daylie to reade the said severall lectures. And my will is, that none shall be chossen to reade any of the said lectures, so longe as he shall be married, nor be suffered to reade any of the said lectures after that he shalbe married, neither shall receave any fee or stipend appointed for the readinge of the said lectures....

Sir Thomas Gresham's grasshopper crest, used as a symbol of the College

IN WITNES whereof I the said Sir Thomas Gresham have written this will all with myne owne hand, and to each of the eight leaves have subscribed my name ; and to a labell fixed there unto all the eight leaves have setto my seal with the grasshopper, the 5 day of July, in the seventeenth yere of the raigne of our soveraigne lady queene Elizabeth, and in the yere of our Lord God, ann. 1575.

By me THOMAS GRESHAM

Witnesses to this last will and testament of the said Sir Thomas Gresham the persons whose names be subscribed,

PH. SCUDAMOR,
THOMAS BILLINGFORD,
HENRY NOWELL.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b 1596 Old Style in the Julian calendar used at the time, 1597 in the Gregorian calendar currently used.

References

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  1. ^ "GRESHAM COLLEGE - Charity 1039962". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Governance | Gresham College". www.gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Governance". Gresham College. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Gresham College and Arundel House". Royal Society.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ John Lawson; Harold Silver (28 October 2013). A Social History of Education in England. Routledge. p. 155. ISBN 9781134531950.
  6. ^ "Gresham University Charter - Hansard - UK Parliament". Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Bundle: Albert/Gresham University petitions - Administrative documents - Victoria University Archive - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Watch Now". Gresham College. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Past Lectures". Gresham College. June 2014. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Gresham College". YouTube. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  11. ^ "GreshamCollege#s YouTube Stats". Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Gresham College, registered charity no. 1039962". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  13. ^ "Gresham Professor of Geometry". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Who invented the calculus? – and other 17th century topics" Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Gresham lecture by Robin Wilson, 16 November 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2006.
  15. ^ "Gresham College". mercers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  16. ^ "Gresham Professor of the Environment: Carolyn Roberts appointed to only the second new Professorship in 400 years" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Gresham College press release, 25 June 2014 (accessed 27/07/15)
  17. ^ "Elizabethan "University" Appoints Professor of IT" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Gresham College press release, 26 June 2015 (accessed 27/07/15)
  18. ^ "Profile of Gresham College". uk-universities.net. 2019. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Populism, Aristotle and Hope". gresham.ac.uk.
  20. ^ "The Journey from Black-Hole Singularities to a Cyclic Cosmology". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  21. ^ "The Barbican Centre at 40 – Past, Present and Future". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Sir Thomas Gresham 1519–2019". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Climate Change: A Defining Challenge for the 21st Century". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  24. ^ "A World Without News?". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  25. ^ "Universities: Some Policy Dilemmas". gresham.ac.uk.
  26. ^ "Women's Careers: From Oxfam to a Cambridge College". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Continuity and Development in Architecture". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  28. ^ "The UK and the New Face of Europe". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  29. ^ "Parliament and the Public: Strangers or Friends?". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  30. ^ "Reinventing the Wheel: The cost of neglecting international history". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  31. ^ "The Challenges of the New Supreme Court". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  32. ^ "The Ascent of Money: An evolutionary approach to financial history". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011.
  33. ^ "Early Christianity & Today: some shared questions". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  34. ^ "The Beauty of Holiness and its Perils (or what is to happen to 10,000 parish churches?)". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  35. ^ "Walking the Line: Preserving liberty in times of insecurity". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  36. ^ "Should We Trust The Scientists?". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  37. ^ "Science in a Complex World: Wonders, Prospects and Threats". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  38. ^ "Towards Freedom from Hunger". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  39. ^ "Commerce and Culture in the Late Twentieth Century". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  40. ^ "A Global Ethic – A Challenge for the New Millennium". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  41. ^ "The Future for Governance: The Rules of the Game". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  42. ^ "Sir Thomas Gresham's London". gresham.ac.uk.
  43. ^ "Banking Today". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  44. ^ "VE Day: Fifty Years After". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  45. ^ "Science and Theology: Traffic Across the Frontier". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  46. ^ "The Decline of Socialism". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  47. ^ "Russian Orthodox Church Life Today: The Second Millennium". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  48. ^ "Popular and Unpopular Science". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  49. ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Entrepreneur". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  50. ^ "Monarchy". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  51. ^ "Human Rights and the Democratic Process". gresham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
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51°31′03″N 0°06′35″W / 51.5175°N 0.1098°W / 51.5175; -0.1098