Coventry University Archives: News

Items donated to Archives & Special Collections in 2024

The most visually interesting material came via a donation in July from Nick Hull, now-retired Associate Professor, Automotive & Transport Design, who worked on an exhibition and book to celebrate 50 years of the Transport Design course at Coventry University. 

Items in the donation included cuttings from university and other magazines on the course and the car industry in general, photographs, files on the history of the course and material compiled for the book, course work and presentations, and degree show catalogues for courses such as Industrial Design, and Automotive Transport & Design.

Donations from other sources included: staff and student guides on the university library, another copy of the commemorative video to celebrate the official opening of the Frederick Lanchester building in 2001 by Princess Anne, university publications, Coventry Polytechnic 1990 agreements with various further education colleges in Coventry and Warwickshire, plus graduation ceremony programmes.

As the university continues to adjust its portfolio of assets it sometimes leads to buildings being demolished or moved out of - which often means the 'discovery' of material that should be transferred to the archives. The most recent donation in this category includes items rescued from the now-closed Inkwell building at Jordan Well, including examples of material that can be printed on such as glass, metal, and wood, plus Coventry University giftware catalogues.