Fylde College - History

History

Talks of forming a sixth college in Lancaster University started in October 1968. A group of young lecturers formed "College 6", which they envisaged as a commune style College where students could have more influence over their college. The College officially came into being on 1 August 1969.

The first intake of students was planned for 1970, however, by 1968 the first phase of Furness College was completed ahead of schedule and £125,000 under budget so the University re-allocated this to the ‘Sixth College Project’ to build Blocks 3-7.

These blocks were erected within just 12 months allowing it to offer accommodation to its first students from October 1969, a year ahead of schedule. The Assembly governed the College from Furness borrowing Bowland's JCR.

The lecturers advertised places for existing Lancaster second and third year students who wished to become part of their commune college. The ultra-left wing of the University took up their offer. Following the left-wing ethos of the founding lecturers the College formed an assembly with 68 elected positions rather than a JCR as in other colleges. Further, the students rejected the University’s plan to name the newly-constructed Fylde residence blocks after areas of Lancashire, preferring names such as Lenin and Guevara. As a compromise the blocks were instead simply given numbers.

The College received four more blocks in 1970 and a College Building in 1971. More blocks were added to the College over the years; blocks 10-12 in the early 1980s and blocks 14 - 16 in the early 1990s.

Fylde had a reputation as the socialist college. Its original second and third year students were inspired by the events of May 1968 to seize the opportunity to make a socialist commune. In 1969 The Queen came to open The County College. As she passed through Alexandra Square, the first Chairman of the College Assembly, Bill Corr, invested a Malayan toad Archduke of Lancaster. Over-eager press coverage saw this as a scandal. Further, its College building was never formally ‘opened’ in 1971, as planned, as the Minister for Higher Education was advised not to attend the opening as Fylde students had threatened to demonstrate about the level of grants on that day.

Fylde has had a strong socialist influence on the politics of Lancaster University Students Union. 3 of the last 5 LUSU Presidents (Tim Roca, George Gardiner, Steven Smith) were formerly Presidents of Fylde JCR.