Central Technical College
of the City and Guilds of London Institute,
1885 Unable to find a large enough site within the City of London for their Central Institution, the City of London's livery companies were eventually persuaded by the Secretary of the Science and Art Department, General Sir John Donnelly (who was also a Royal Engineer) to found their institution on the 87 acre (350,000 m²) site in South Kensington alongside Exhibition Road bought by the 1851 Exhibition Commissioners (for GBP 342,500) for 'purposes of art and science' in perpetuity.
The Central Technical College building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse, better known as the architect of the Natural History Museum. Located on the same site adjacent to the Central Institute were the Royal School of Mines and the Royal College of Science.
Olaus Henrici was appointed professor of mathematics and economics.
1884 William Edward Ayrton was appointed Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering at the Central Technical College, South Kensington, a post which he retained until his death.
1885-6 The first complete session of the Central Technical College had 35 students[1]
1892-3 The total number of regular students attended the Central Technical College was 205[2]
1900 Royal Charter granted by Queen Victoria
1907 One of the constituents of the new Imperial College of Science and Technology[3]. The Central Technical College would be known as the City and Guilds College; it would continue to be managed by a committee of the City and Guilds of London Institute; it would continue to award diplomas and, until issues of its incorporation in the University could be resolved, it would be known as a "school" of the University.
1910 Fully incorporated into Imperial College