Imperial's heritage celebrated at engineering alumni event

Staff, students and alumni from the Faculty of Engineering pay tribute to one of Imperial's founding colleges, the City and Guilds College.

Over 300 people gathered at the City and Guilds College Association’s (CGCA) annual dinner, which acts as an association for engineering alumni. Hosted by the CGCA President and former Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Emeritus Professor David Nethercot, this year’s event at Mansion House on 17 May, was particularly significant, marking the one hundredth annual dinner for the Association.

President of the City and Guilds College Association, Emeritus Professor David Nethercot, welcomes guests

As well as recognising the past, the dinner also gave a nod to the future. Professor Jeff Magee, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering announced that the College’s Mechanical Engineering building, which is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment work, will be renamed the City and Guilds building at the start of the new academic year. The building stands on the site of the former City and Guilds College Building and still houses the building’s original bells and clock.

Students from the City and Guilds College Union

The dinner serves as an opportunity for members to recognise and celebrate the unique origins of the Association, which was founded in 1897 by students and staff from the Central Technical College. Based on Exhibition Road and known in later years as the City and Guilds College, the engineering institution became part of Imperial shortly after its formation in 1907. It is now part of the College’s Faculty of Engineering.

With over 3,700 members, the Association plays an important role by paying tribute to the London Livery companies who created the City and Guilds College and in celebrating the contributions that its alumni have made to industry. Membership is open to all departments in the Faculty of Engineering. The spirit of City and Guilds also lives on at Imperial in the form of the City and Guilds College Union, run by the College’s engineering students.

Over 300 guests attended this year's event

Professor Jeff Magee, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering said: “Imperial’s reputation for engineering owes its foundation to the City and Guilds. The building’s future name pays tribute to this, ensuring that this legacy is present in the world class facilities we are developing.”

Over time the engineers’ alumni association has established a number of unique celebratory traditions, many of which are an established part of the dinner. The centenary dinner was no exception, with current students escorting the guest speaker, Sir John Parker, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, to the venue in ‘Bo’, the official mascot of the City and Guilds College Union.

Guest speaker, Sir John Parker and Professor Jeff Magee arrived in 'Bo' the official mascot

President of the City & Guilds College Union, third year student Temi Ladega (Chemical Engineering), also attended; “It was truly amazing to attend the one hundredth dinner. The Association has given so much to the college and the students, and it made me proud to be an engineering student from Imperial."

Click on the links for more information on the City and Guilds College Association and the City and Guilds College Union.

Photos courtesy of Xiaojie Wang and Lam Kam.