This month marks the 70th anniversary of the dissolution of University College, Dundee and the establishment of Queen’s College, Dundee as its replacement. This was an important step towards independence for the institution and Queen’s College became the University of Dundee in 1967. In this blog the University Archives explain more about its history.
University College, Dundee had been founded in 1881 and from 1897 was incorporated into the University of St Andrews. This was not always an easy relationship as there were areas of disagreement between the College’s authorities and the University’s leadership. By the 1930s many in Dundee felt that the College was clearly being treated as an inferior by the rest of the University. At the same time, some in St Andrew’s felt that the College had too much autonomy.
Things came to a head in the years after World War Two and there were various proposals to change the relationship between the two. However this proved difficult as there was no consensus on the way forward. Some in Dundee wanted to break away from St Andrews entirely, while others favoured reforms that would see more development of the College within the University. However many in St Andrews, led by its Principal Sir James Irvine, wanted a complete restructuring that would see the College lose its autonomy and be fully absorbed into the University.
D.C. Thomson had long been one of the greatest champions of University College, Dundee and he was convinced that the best way forward was for Dundee to sever the link with St Andrews and become a university in its own right. As a result The Courier and its sister publications, along with local politicians, strongly supported the College and the idea of it becoming a separate University.
In an attempt to settle the issue, a Royal Commission was set up under Lord Tedder in 1951; the recommendations emerging from its inquiry led to an Act of Parliament which restructured the University. It replaced University College with a new College which would also incorporate the Medical School, the Dental School and the Dundee School of Economics. It was decided to name it Queen’s College, Dundee, in honour of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. A crown would be incorporated into new College’s arms which were based on the arms of the University of St Andrews.
On 1 October 1954 an article appeared in The Courier written from the viewpoint of the 1881 Deed of Endowment of University College lamenting the fact that University College had been dissolved. The article pointed with pride to the many talented figures associated with the College in its history and the permanent impact it had had on the city. Interestingly, it ended by saying that one day the Deed might be looked at again and be seen as the document that led to the creation of “our own University”. Thirteen years later this would be proven correct when Queen’s College became the University of Dundee.
Many had wanted to retain the St Andrews link and were pleased with the changes, believing that the new College would have more influence in the University as a whole. The Medical School’s relationship with University College had long been a source of tension between Dundee and St Andrews, and the new structure seemed to resolve the issue. However there was much unhappiness over the treatment of Principal Wimberley, who had led University College since 1946. He was not offered a post at Queen’s College despite strong support for him in Dundee and his departure was much lamented.
This meant the new College began with many of the old ill-feelings still in place. However, Thomas Malcom Knox, the Principal of the University of St Andrews, made great efforts to make the new arrangements work. He made clear he saw Queen’s College as an important part of the University and regularly spent time there. He also ensured that University meetings would take place in both Dundee and St Andrews. Knox was instrumental in appointing Professor David Rutherford Dow as the Master of Queen’s College. This was a popular appointment which helped calm the situation. Professor Dow was a former student at University College and had been its Professor of Anatomy since 1925. He was well liked by staff and students and was a unifying figure. As Master he developed excellent relations with the town council, which helped the College obtain the land it needed to expand. He retired in 1958 and was replaced by Professor A. A. Matheson who had come to University College in 1949 as the first holder of the Chair of Scots Law. Matheson remained Master until 1966 when he was succeeded by James Drever who had been chosen to be the first Principal of the University.
Queen’s College rapidly grew during its short life with several new buildings being erected on the campus, most notably the Tower Building.
When in 1963 the Robbins Report into higher education in the UK recommended increasing the number of universities in the UK, many felt that the time was right for the College to become a University in its own right. This vision was strongly supported by Dundee Corporation and again enjoyed the backing of the local newspapers. In 1964 it was agreed that this was the best way forward and ultimately the University of Dundee came in to being in 1967.
This wonderful film shows a visit by Queen Elizabeth in 1955 to mark the creation of the College and records the expansion of the campus north as well as the replacement of the old College frontage by the Tower.