Sometimes while working in the archives, we come across things that are just too good not to share.
Currently here in the University Archives we are working on a project to improve our catalogue and at the moment we have turned our attention to our collections of student publications – we are getting them fully catalogued so you will all be able to search for them and know what we have got. This project is very much in the early stages but something has sprung up that we feel we have to share.
While cataloguing one of the (hundreds) of Bare Facts we have we made a chance discovery in the letters pages. The issue in question is 7 November 1969.
US/CR/2/1/1969/22
At first the publication seemed to be following the pattern of all those before it – editorials, news and events on campus and town –but then the letters section appeared and something titled ‘Text of Letter from Kent University’ caught our attention.
On further reading it would appear that the University of Kent were not exactly on their best behaviour during one of their sporting visits to Guildford.
The letter is an apology for their behaviour while at Surrey and acknowledging the bill for damages amounting to £66.17 (rather a large amount for 1969) and apologising for the removal of one painting from the University!
It would seem that in its early history the University of Kent was a bit of a hell raising university!
