London College of Dance – Timeline
1937
- Idea first mooted between Miss Grace Cone and Miss Anita Heyworth during the Dancer’s Circle Dinner.
1944
- College opened as The London College of Educational Dance Training at Rawdon Hall, Holyport, Maidenhead
1945
- Miss Anita Heyworth became Vice-Principal. 17 students
1946
- Moved to The Lodge, Holyport
1947
- 1st Diploma ceremony for 4 students who all had teaching posts
1948
- 5 Diplomas with students going on to teach at Arts Educational Schools (London and Tring); Nonington College; Manning School, Nottingham; Watson-Morris School, Cape Town, South Africa: Pearson School, Edinburgh.
- 4 students danced with Markova and Dolin at Empress Hall, London
1949
- 11 students received Diplomas
- Miss Phrosso Pfister appointed member of staff
- Old Students’ Association formed (first meeting 15th October)
1952
- Miss Patricia Hutchinson appointed Deputy Vice-Principal
1953
- Mrs Olive Ripman became Joint Principal with Miss Grace Cone
1955
- Move to 8, Addison Road, London W.14
- Day students for the first time.
1956
- London College awarded the Haxwell Cup for outstanding work in ISTD National
1960
- 17 Diplomas awarded
- 3 attended 1 year course at Chelsea Physical Training College to teach in State sector
1961
- 34 students entered College
1965
- College moved to Hamilton Place
1966
- Miss Grace Cone and Mrs Olive Ripman retired as Principals
- Miss Anita Heyworth was appointed Principal
1967
- Establishment of new course linked with Dartford College
- Move to Clubland, Camberwell Road, London
- Jacqueline Ferguson and Jill Henderson (former students) joined the full-time staff
1968
- London College became part of the ISTD and moved to 101, Marylebone Lane
- OSA gave a farewell party to:-
Miss Lucy Cross, cook for 22 years
Miss Cherry Morrell, full-time music lecturer and pianist for 23 years
Miss Lloyd-Owen, taught Anatomy and Physiology for 24 years
Also Mrs Katherine Lambert, Drama teacher; Miss Tulson, Theory of Movement lecturer, Mrs Martin, (Miss Heyworth’s secretary) and Mrs Mary Johnson (nee Norris LCED 45-48) part-time teacher’
1970
- Death of Miss Madge Atkinson, Advisory Board member for 24 years
- Miss Phrosso Pfister appointed Vice-Principal
1973
- Miss Heyworth retired and Miss Phrosso Pfister appointed Principal
1975
- First Bachelor in Education degrees
1976
- A record number of students – 89
1977
- Miss Grace Cone awarded MBE in Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List
1980
- Move to 10, Linden Road, Bedford and link with Bedford College of Higher Education.
1985
- Retirement of Miss Phrosso Pfister and resignation of Miss Jacqueline Ferguson
- Appointment of Mrs Patricia Whittock as Principal
1986
- 128 full-time students, including 3 male students
1989
- 3 London College students gained 1st class Honours in the BEd Dance Specialist Route
- London College’s first BA (Hons) degree in Dance validated by the University of Buckingham
1990
- ISTD recognized the London College of Dance Diploma as a dance teaching qualification which was also a direct route to Licentiate.
1992
- 26 students graduated from the Diploma course
- 10 students from BA (Hons) in Dance
1994
- College offered one course – BA Hons degree in Dance, merging with Middlesex University
- 50th Anniversary of the founding of London College
- Commemorative plaque given by the Old Students’ Association, now at ISTD Headquarters
1996
- The Old Students’ Association became London College Network.
2003
- The London College of Dance Closed