University of Nottingham (Estates & Facilities Dept.)

1881 - Nottingham’s first civic college Nottingham's first civic college was opened in the city centre in 1881, four years after the foundation stone was laid by former Prime Minister, W E Gladstone. An anonymous benefactor had offered £10,000 for a college on condition that a suitable building be erected by the Council and that the college should be provided with £4,000 a year. 1928 - The move to University Park After the First World War, the college outgrew its original building. A generous gift by Sir Jesse Boot, of 35 acres of land at Highfields, presented the solution and in 1928 the College moved to what is now the main campus, University Park. Initially, it was accommodated in the elegant Trent Building and was officially opened by King George V in November of that year. Even in its early days on this site, the College attracted high profile visiting lecturers including Professor Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and H G Wells. 1948 – Becoming The University of Nottingham In 1948, the college was awarded the Royal Charter and became The University of Nottingham, now able to award degrees in its own name. During this period the School of Agriculture was established when the Midland College of Agriculture at Sutton Bonington merged with the University.