Catalogue description PLUMPTON COLLEGE

Summary of contents

PAC 1 Administration

PAC 1/1 Indexes of applicants; 1949-1955

PAC 1/2 General prospectuses and publicity; 1987-1994

PAC 1/3 College Jubilee publication; 1976

PAC 1/4 Programmes for opening ceremonies; 1967

PAC 1/5 Brochures for linked courses with schools; 1973

PAC 1/6 Leaflets on Youth Training Scheme courses; 1988

PAC 1/7 The Plumptonian; 1936-1987

PAC 1/8 Prospectuses for part-time courses; 1975-1996

PAC 1/9 Newscuttings and articles concerning the college; 1933-1937

PAC 1/10 Students' reunion dinners; 1933-1939

PAC 1/11 Other records; 1927-1947

PAC 2 Agriculture Department

PAC 2/1 Particulars of full-time courses; 1980s-1994

PAC 3 Agricultural Engineering Department

PAC 3/1 Particulars of full-time courses; 1981-1988

PAC 4 Equine Department

PAC 4/1 Particulars of full-time courses; 1988-1994

PAC 5 Extra Mural Department

PAC 5/1 Prospectuses for part-time courses; 1975-1989

PAC 6 Horticulture Department

PAC 6/1 Stock and equipment records; 1948-1973

PAC 6/2 Prospectuses; 1986-1990

PAC 7 Poultry Department

PAC 7/1 Particulars of full-time courses; 1980s

PAC 8 Agricultural and Horticultural College and Training Farm, Uckfield; 1897

PAC 9 Photographs; c1920-1972

Minutes of the various committees and sub-committees empowered to run agricultural education are at C/E 10/24-25 (Agricultural Education sub-committee, 1903-1911); C/C 11/59/21-30 (Agricultural Education sub-committee with its committees, 1916-1945); C/E 10/170-171 (1945-1965); for the minutes of the Agricultural [Education] Advisory Committee, 1948-1958, see C/E 10/251-152; for publications and reports of the County Agricultural Committee and Agricultural Education sub-committee including experiments at Wales Farm, 1918-1932 see AMS 6603/2/1-8.

For governors' and their sub-committees' minutes, 1945-1968, see EMA 135/1-9; for governors' copy minutes and agendas, 1979-1982, see R/E1/40/11; for instrument of government and amendments, 1975-1987 see R/C 59/6; for files, 1919-1920, 1938 see C/C 82/64, and for files 1959-1974 see C/E 27; for photographs of Oakwood Farm, Streat (part of the College) showing fire damage to the barn, 1961 see C/A 4/245; for photographs of milking parlours and staff cottages in 1949 see C/A 4/247; for photograph of farm buildings and cottage at Wales Farm, 1950s see C/A 5/58; for files concerning the lease of Wales Farm, 1919-1920 see C/C 82/64 and for 1938 see C/C 75/18; for file concerning the requisition of land at Wales Farm for use as a searchlight site, 1942-1947 see C/C 55/239; for file concerning the construction of a farm institute and other buildings at Wales Farm, 1925 see C/C 75/18; for file concerning proposals for a water supply to Plumpton and district, including the purchase by Chailey RDC of land to the south of Wales Farm, 1931-1934 see C/C 75/20; for files concerning buildings, employment of staff, minutes and reports, and prospectuses, 1959-1974 see C/E 27/1-12; for file concerning a summer school at the College to give young people training in leadership (originally to be held at the Old Palace, Mayfield), 1944 see C/E 47/3; for file concerning the requisition of land at Wales Farm by the military authorities, 1942-1948 see C/J 2/34; for prospectus, c1945 and correspondence concerning fees for courses at and goods supplied to the College, 1942-1950 see C/T 16/10; for Wales Farm trading accounts and field-by-field valuations, 1944-1958 see C/T 16/11; for diaries and report books of the Middleton Manor Training Centre (formerly used as an annexe to the College), 1975-1985 see R/S 66/1-12.

For photographs of Frank Kenward, lecturer in apiculture at the college, 1920s see AMS 6451/1-30; for plan, 1979-1987 see R/A 11/6.

Plumpton Agricultural College, East Sussex, 1919-

Deposited 28 June 1995 (ACC 6656)

Some of the records listed in PAC were received from the County Council college and formerly had ESC 203 references.

• Plumpton, East Sussex
• Agricultural education

In May 1894 the County Council established an Agricultural and Horticultural College and Training Farm on the west side of the road at New Town, Uckfield, which was run by the Technical Instruction Committee until 1903, when the Agricultural Education sub-committee of the Education Committee took control; for the minutes of these two bodies, see C/E 35/1 (to 1896 only) and C/E 10/24 (1903-1911 only). During the First World War many of its students joined the forces, the buildings were requisitioned and the sub-committee recommended closure. The Uckfield college closed in 1915 and was sold in 1917 (see C/C 11/3/41).

The County Agricultural Committee and a subsequent conference of interested parties recommended the establishment of a new farm institute to serve both East and West Sussex in 1917; it was felt necessary to encourage the production of home-grown food at a time when the submarine was threatening imports. East Sussex County Council took a five-year lease of the 340a Wales Farm, Plumpton, from the Chichester Estate in 1919; the freehold was purchased in 1924. The only buildings were the farm house and its set of old buildings, the Flint Cottage on the Offham-Ditchling road, and the Moat Barn. The first intake of students was on 18 October 1926, and RHB Jesse was the first principal. The institute was opened by the Minister of Agriculture in July 1927. The name was changed to the East Sussex School of Agriculture in 1934.

A new extension was officially opened in 1937 by the Minister of Agriculture, WS Morrison, and included a new lecture room, Principal's room, matron's sitting room, staff room, dining room, locker room and students' sleeping accommodation. Normal courses were discontinued during the Second World War, and the school was used for short courses to entrants to the Women's Land Army. Much of Wales Farm was used for food production, and the Moat Barn area become one of the County War Agicultural Committee's machinery depots.

At the end of the war responsibility for Plumpton passed from the County Agricultural Committee to the County Education Committee, which ran the college until April 1992. RHB Jesse retired in 1953 (he died in April 1960), and NJD Nickalls was appointed Principal in February 1953.

Middleton Manor, Westmeston, was used to provide additional residential accommodation from 1951 until a new residential block adjoining the main college building was completed in 1969. Oakwood Farm in Streat was purchased in December 1957; its 112 acres had separated Wales Farm from the rented parkland at Middleton. A western extension to the main building and the new machinery block were built between 1964 and 1966, and were officially opened by Lord De La Warr on 28 April 1967. The name of the school was officially changed to Plumpton Agricultural College on 1 January 1967.

For a history of the college, see PAC 1/3/1