Special Collections news

Open House Festival 2022

August 2022: Library Services and Special Collections are excited to announce that the Wash Houses on Aldgate Campus will be participating in this year’s Open House Festival 2022, a two-week celebration of London’s housing, architecture and neighbourhoods. Our RIBA* award-winning building will open its doors on Friday 16th (10am - 4pm) and Saturday 17th September 2022 (1pm – 5pm) when, in addition to appreciating the many striking architectural features of the building, visitors will have the opportunity to view displays of choice items from the diverse collections contained within its walls.

The Festival Programme is set to go live on 24th August 2022; in the meantime, however, please do spread the word!

*Royal Institute of British Architects

TUC Library centenary celebration

May 2022: The TUC Library is celebrating it’s centenary this year. Founded in 1922 to support the Trades Union Congress, affiliated trade unions and the Labour Party, the library has become the major research library for the study of all aspects of trade unions, industrial relations and labour history. The University is fortunate to house the TUC Library in its Special Collections. To mark the occasion the TUC has produced a lovely badge which can be purchased from their website.

E & A Wates Collection

April 2021: We are delighted to announce that we have taken delivery of a substantial collection of archival and other material from the E & A Wates Furniture and Interior Design Company in Streatham, London. This includes recent British wallpaper and fabric samples as well as the business records of the company.