Hughes Parry Hall, London facts for kids
Hughes Parry Hall was a special place where students from the University of London used to live. It was one of eight "intercollegiate halls." These halls were like dorms or residences for students from different colleges within the university.
Hughes Parry Hall is now closed. It is being rebuilt as part of a big project by the University of London. The university got permission to rebuild the area in August 2013. The last students moved out of the hall on June 14, 2014. After that, the hall closed its doors.
The rebuilding work is still happening. Part of the old building from the 1960s is being taken down. The tall, 13-story tower, which is the main part of the building, is being fixed up. It will be part of the new student homes when they are finished.
What Was Inside Hughes Parry Hall?
Before it closed in 2014, the hall could house more than 300 students. Students from any college could live there. However, many students came from nearby colleges like UCL, King's, and LSE.
The hall first opened in 1969. Its design showed what was important back then. The tall, 13-story tower had shared bathrooms. There were not many shared kitchens for students to use. But the hall did provide both breakfast and dinner for its residents.
The hall also had fun things to do. It had squash courts and rooms for watching TV and playing games. There was also an active student club. Students ran this club themselves. The hall was also in a great spot. It looked out over Cartwright Gardens in London. Students living in the hall could even use the tennis courts there.
In the early days, students had a fun tradition at Christmas. They would wrap paper around the statue of John Cartwright in the gardens. This tradition stopped in the 1970s.
A Look at the Hall's History
Some students jokingly called Hughes Parry Hall "Huge Party Hall." But it was actually named after a very important person. He was Sir David Hughes Parry (1893–1973). He was a famous lawyer and a leader at the University.
When it first opened, only male students could live in the hall. But in 1971, it became a mixed residence for both male and female students. The halls next door, Canterbury (for females) and Commonwealth (for males), stayed single-sex much longer.
Who Were the Wardens?
The first person in charge of the hall was Dr. Jeffery David Lewins. He was chosen in December 1968. The first students moved in during 1969. The hall was officially opened by the Queen Mother in February 1970. Dr. Lewins lived in the hall with his family for ten years.
For most of the 1980s, Dr. P Throsby was the warden. Students knew him for his fancy dinner parties. Only special guests were invited to these parties.
From 1995 to 2009, Professor Martyn Rady was the Warden. In 2009, Dr. Paul Stock took over as Warden. He had been Professor Rady's assistant.
