Building    From 1887  To 1931

People's Palace

Proposed by Walter Besant, the first People's Palace was built by the Beaumont Trustees, ‘Unitarian philanthropists’, to replace Beaumont's Philosophical Institution which had been in Beaumont Square. 

It was built on 5 acres of land on the Mile End Road, starting with the Queen's Hall, opened in 1887. By 1892 a library, swimming pool, gym and winter garden had been added. Entertainment and education were provided and by 1900 the University of London introduced a Bachelor of Science degree. It burnt down in 1931 but the educational sections were quickly rebuilt as Queen Mary College. In 1937 a hall, called the People's Palace (pictured here), was built and in 1954 was subsumed into QMC.

Queen Marys hold a plan of the original Palace (annoyingly that link is dead, 2024).

The Theatre Trust has a description of the 1937 hall and how it has been restored and used.

Sources include: Elizabeth Doyle Research, Queen Mary College archives.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
People's Palace

Commemorated ati

Baron de Stern clock tower

Ornamental Passions has a photo of the seagull relief and explains that "Time...

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Clement Attlee statue

It's rather disconcerting that the plaque refers to "Queen Mary College" as "...

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People's Palace

The plaque names only 6 relief panels but there are 7, music being represente...

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Other Subjects

Elizabeth Croll

Elizabeth Croll

Born New Zealand. Scholar at SOAS specialising in the role of women in China. Vice Principal of SOAS. 2007 awarded CMG.

Person, Education, Gender Issues, China/Hong Kong, New Zealand

1 memorial
Nightingale Nurse Training School

Nightingale Nurse Training School

In full, the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care. The world's first nursing school to be continuously connected to a fully serving hospital (St Thomas's) and me...

Group, Education, Medicine

1 memorial
Sarah Parker Remond

Sarah Parker Remond

African American abolitionist, lecturer, suffragist, polyglot, UCL & Bedford College graduate.  Sarah Parker Remond was an American lecturer, activist and abolitionist campaigner. Born a free ...

Person, Education, Gender Issues, Race Issues, Italy, USA

1 memorial
W. H. Hall

W. H. Hall

Erstwhile superintendent of London Central District Schools from 1888 to 1900.

Person, Education

1 memorial
John Runtz

John Runtz

Born at 3 William Street, Kingsland Road. He became a Tunbridge Ware manufacturer, then a music teacher. He broadened his interests to the general education of working-class children and became the...

Person, Education, Gardens / Agriculture, Politics & Administration

1 memorial