The site of what was once the Crown and Anchor pub on London’s Strand is now occupied by two chain coffee shops, deserted on a day when train strikes conspired to rid the city of its – already diminished – commuter crowds.
It was here where hundreds of students came together to found the London Mechanics’ Institute – a precursor to Birkbeck, University of London – two centuries ago this year.
Operating on a subscription model whereby students clubbed together to pay lecturers to teach them subjects of their choice, London’s “night university” would later employ or educate some of the 20th century’s most influential thinkers – from activist Marcus Garvey to historian Eric Hobsbawm – while retaining a commitment to offer a high-quality education to those already working or who might otherwise be excluded.
“Birkbeck has always been committed to a much more equal, much more radical educational agenda,” said Joanna Bourke, a professor of history at Birkbeck who has penned a history of the college for its bicentenary year.
