Proposed by Walter Besant the first People's Palace 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, was built and in 1954 was subsumed into QMC.
Queen Marys hold a plan of the original Palace.
