About this Event
Lunchtime Talk - Student London: 200 Years of Student Life in the Capital
Speakers: Georgina Brewis and Sam Blaxland
Tuesday 19th May 2026
1pm
Free, booking required
Students have formed a significant part of London’s population since the foundation of its first university in 1826. This talk centres their experiences in the city’s history and is based on the book Student London: A New History of Higher Education in the Capital (UCL Press, 2026). The book offers a detailed examination of life at the original London University (known as University College London since 1836) alongside many other institutions that eventually joined with UCL (including the Middlesex Hospital Medical School).
It captures a diverse range of higher education experiences across medical schools, teacher training colleges and specialist institutes that were clustered in London’s student quarter. The book engages in much greater depth with London’s imperial history than earlier studies of higher education. The event will open with a short film that explores the making of Student London, followed by an examination of some of the book’s core themes including students’ everyday lives, fees and funding, collegiate cultures, social and political engagement, physical and mental health, recreation, sports and leisure.
Student London was published by UCL Press in February 2026. You can buy a hard copy for the discounted price of £20 in person or online at The Hanger or read for FREE via UCL Press.
Watch a ten-minute film about the research behind Making London here.
The Fitzrovia Chapel is wheelchair accessible. For specific access requirements email [email protected]
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Fitzrovia Chapel, 2 Pearson Square, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
