| Description Of Item | 37 digital photographs of student life at the former Cowan House, a University of Edinburgh Hall of Residence on the site of what is now the Main Library in George Square. Cowan House opened in 1929 following a £15,000 donation to the University by ship owner Thomas Cowan in recognition of students' assistance during the 1926 General Strike. It housed male students from all faculties and students were allowed to stay for three years before being required to find private accommodation. The house was closed and a new building with the same name was opened on the Pollock Halls site in 1973. There are also photographs of the former Masson Hall, the female Hall of Residence which was next to Cowan House and of students taking part in the Principal’s Race. This event was established by Principal Sir Edward Appleton to encourage students from Cowan House to attend classes on time, as they were notoriously late for lectures. The race was from Cowan House to Old College and students participated in fancy dress with a prize for the best costume.
A few of the photographs may be from locations other than Cowan House, but the collection retains the original order of the images as they were received. No hard copies of the digital images are held. |