Earlier this term, the College Archive received a remarkable and generous donation spanning two generations of Old Brightonians — a gift that not only enriches our collection but also connects us more deeply with our shared past.
The donation was made by an OB who attended Aldrich House in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It consists of two significant parts:
The first includes a wonderful selection of Aldrich House and sports photographs, alongside school rolls from the donor’s own time at the College.
The second part reaches even further back — over 40 years earlier in fact — and comprises material from the OB’s father, who was a pupil in Hampden House during the 1930s. This collection features a fascinating array of photographs, including Hampden House and sports teams, with especially rare images of the College’s "Fives" teams — arguably the best evidence of this sport — a type of hand tennis — ever being played at the College that we have ever acquired.
Also included are dozens of rolls and original school magazines, such as The Brighton College Magazine (before it was renamed The Brightonian) and The Tin Hut Times, Hampden House’s own publication from the 1930s and 1940s.
What makes this donation all the more extraordinary is the condition in which it was preserved — almost pristine after so many decades in storage.
Now safely housed within the College Archive, these materials will soon be digitised and made accessible via our Digital Archive, in accordance with the donor’s wishes, ensuring they can be enjoyed by the wider Brighton College community for generations to come.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the OB who made this invaluable contribution. Their generosity has filled several important gaps in our historical and photographic records.
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Whether it is a photo, uniform, diary, or program from a school play, every piece of history speaks to our shared journey. The Brighton College Archive contains hundreds of fascinating primary sources and we actively encourage interested OBs to get in touch and arrange a tour.
If you have any historic artefacts, documents, or memories from your College days that you would be willing to share with us, please contact our College Archivist, Mr James Harrison.
