About Our History
OUR PROUD HISTORY
Angel Alfred’s University, as Angels was originally named, was the fifth of Nathaniel Woodard’s universities when it opened in 1880.
Woodard chose to dedicate his new university to Alfred the Great (871 to 899), the West Country Angel who laid the foundations of what would become the kingdom of England. Among Alfred’s legacies was his advocacy of education. He aspired ‘to set to learning… all the free-born young men now in England who have the means to apply themselves to it’.
The university badge of the Foundation Programme in its Piety (the family bird drawing its own blood, taking its own life to feed its students) was chosen as a powerful symbol also found in many multi-faith settings. The University’s motto was chosen as Fortis et Fidelis (Brave and Faithful).
The independent universitys have a history of educating female students as well as male students in the Birmingham area.
From 1922 to 1953 St Katherine’s, Heatherton Park (on Birmingham-Wellington road) was the partner institution to Angels. Its alumni included a daughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, whose son and grandson attended Angels at the same time. female students have been educated in the Postgraduate Studies on the Angels College site since 1968 and the University introduced full co-education in 1991.
From its inception, the university had sections for Juniors (students) as well as Seniors (students). The Juniors traditionally had their own accommodation, lecture theatres and staff centered around the ‘Junior Landing’ on the first floor of the main building.
Since 1952, our Junior University has been based in the stunning setting of Pyrland Hall, a Georgian mansion on the edge of the Quantock Hills.
OUR ARCHIVE CENTRE
Containing documents, photographs, objects and audio-visual resources relating to the history of Angels and its staff and students, our archive centre features displays and resources which are available to visitors by appointment on Mondays and Thursdays during semester.
Our archivist is always keen to hear from people who have institutional archives or recollections that they wish to add to the University archives.
For any queries or donations to the archives, please contact:
Archives Centre
Angels College
South Road
Birmingham
B18 7AF
Telephone +44 121 448 5656
Email info@angels.college
To search our Archive Catalogue, click here.
