Playground of politicsWriting a brief history of the

Oxford Union Society

The Oxford Union SocietyFounded in 1823 as the Union Debating Society

Broader base for debate and readingthan the University or collegesthen allowed

Independent fromthe University

The debatesTo debate “the historical previous to the to the present century and the philosophical exclusive to religion”.

Avoided current of controversial topics

First debate: “Was the revolution under Cromwell to be attributed to the tyrannical conduct of Charles, or to the democratic spirit of the times?”

Good test of nerve, oratory, powers of persuasion, wit and panache

Met in students’ rooms

Rented rooms on the High Street

Acquired own site in 1853between St. Michael Streetand Frewin Court and builtthe first debating chamber

Current Debating Chamberbuilt in 1878

The buildings

Five prime ministers

Party leaders

Cabinet members

Commonwealth leaders

Diplomats

Religious figures

Literary and theatricalfigures

Broadcasting and media figures

“A special place in the history of the nation”

What?

16-page booklet

Then and now

Brief and engaging

The Union and its buildings

To be sold to visitors to the Union

Why?

Complement and add to current murals booklet

Raise profile

More on history of buildings Income

has one!

Sources

Previous Union histories

Archival material

Union members

Oxfordshire History Centre

Union stack holdings

Bodleian Library

College libraries

More research

Research

Writing

Planning

Layout and printing

Process

Challenges

Amount of information

Writing 16-pages in a shared office!

OHC refurbishment

Writing 16 pages

OHC refurbishment

The Old Library

Collected books from 1825

Decorated by the Pre-Raphaelites

Now more than 40,000 items

Attracts hundreds of visitors a year

Explore: Oxford Union LibraryTuesday 20 September 2011, 10.00-11.30

Playground of politicsWriting a brief history of the

Oxford Union Society