1960s Student bedroom exhibition

6 October 2014

 

The beginning of October sees the return to Loughborough of its student population, taking up their studies after the summer break.  Here, local heritage officer Fiona Ure discusses the experiences of Loughborough University students of the 1960s, as commemorated in a display at Charnwood Museum.

Hazlerigg Halls of Residence

Dr Herbert Schofield oversaw the building of the original Hazlerigg and Rutland halls of residence, which are now home to the University’s administration and the Vice Chancellor’s offices.

The furniture at Hazlerigg Hall was designed by Peter Waals (1870-1937). Waals was a Dutch cabinet maker, associated with the Arts and Crafts movement, who worked with Leicester-born Ernest Gimson.

In 1935 Waals was invited to act as a consultant in design at Loughborough College which was the main centre for training handicraft teachers in England. The furniture, as well as other fittings throughout the college, was built by final year students under his direction. A set of the bedroom furniture is on display in the exhibition. It was in use up until 2008 when Hazelrigg was converted into offices.

Loughborough Student Life in 1966

Loughborough University offered a wide range of social opportunities in the 1960s.

Sports on offer included, among many others, football, tennis and cricket. There were cycling clubs, darts teams and walking groups.

The Edward Herbert Building became the student union in 1966. Famous bands, such as the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, all played there in the 1960s. The building was also the venue for student ‘bops’.

Most students didn’t have a personal TV and watched programmes such as ‘Dr Who’ and ‘The Man from Uncle’ in communal sitting rooms. However, many students had radio. They listened to groups like the Beatles and the Kinks on Radio Caroline.

Loughborough University had its own cinema. In 1966 a student could have watched ‘Batman’ with Adam West, ‘Alfie’ with Michael Caine, ‘Our Man Flint’ with James Coburn, One Million Years B.C.’ with Raquel Welch and ‘Carry on Screaming’.

Personal hobbies would have taken up the rest of a student’s free time. You might read the latest James Bond book (‘Octopussy and the Living Daylights’ came out in 1966) or try your hand at cooking Italian style. Photography was also very popular. Many new types of camera were developed in the 60s.

Board and card games were also a major feature of life. As a student, you couldn’t afford to go out every night but you could always have fun playing favourite old games like dominoes or the latest thing, such as ‘Frustration,’ in Halls.

Fiona Ure, Local Heritage Officer

The 1960s Student bedroom was on display at Charnwood Museum until 4th January, 2015.

Do you have memories of Loughborough University in times gone by?  Share them by emailing: a.s.mott@lboro.ac.uk 

Read an article about watching The Beatles perform in Nottingham in 1963.