Groffice Gems Reveal the Historic Lifestyle of Leeds Students
Having been appointed as one of the sub-editors this year for the Gryphon, not much crossed my mind when the office (AKA The Groffice) opened at the start of term. A quick nose around spiralled into a deep dive on the history of student living in Leeds. Early versions of the then ‘Union News’ lay in the corner of the office as timestamps of student lifestyles some 50 years ago. They represent a history untouched, telling the stories of the university and the students that have studied here before us.
This was no small collection, holding more than 20 papers dating back from the 60s. In fact, the paper was actually founded on the 30th of October 1946 (77 years ago!) and celebrated its 250th birthday issue 18 years later (1964). So, has much changed? Well of course. However, at the same time, is everything still just like how it used to be?
Firstly, it’s clear students have always loved to complain and have been doing so for years, with accommodation and facility troubles consistently reappearing over multiple prints. Decades later, these issues still find their way into the paper today. However, with investment in facilities such as The Helix and the rapid development of new student accommodation, the university is playing its role in helping to transform Leeds into a modern and progressive city of the north. These new accommodations really do provide ritz like facilities, including cinema AND karaoke rooms- it seems a bit excessive to me and of course, these come with eye-watering rent prices, but I digress. So while the facilities are the very best, the price is a lot less desirable.
Sticking to finances, articles complaining about tuition fees slowly creeping up have also been another reoccurring topic in the paper. Let’s just say I will chalk up a point to the students of the 60s here and promptly move on.
A sense of community is definitely championed in earlier issues of The Gryphon, keeping campus matters at the very heart of the paper. The prints served as the sole provider of communication throughout the university and was imperative to all things student related. After all, how else would you have known about the new campus vending machines or how many crisps the union bar sold that week?
The price of literally everything in the 60s also came as a shock. Obviously prices advertised here seem unrecognisable from anything you would see today, and I suppose that’s because they are. Although boat journeys across the Atlantic for £50 surely have a catch to them somehow. I feel obliged to give a quick acknowledgement to the formal complaint (and straight boycott) of union beer prices being too high. That made me smile and I’m right here with them…
The articles that grasped my attention the most however were those on the countless historic events that took place over the lifetime of the Gryphon paper, most noticeably on the Vietnam war and advancements in space. Their promotion of peace and sense of defiance really resonated with me; like the students protesting the conflict in Vietnam, I believe Leeds students still believe it’s important to ‘stand on the right side of history’. Reading these historical accounts motivates me as an individual to be more vocal about modern-day issues. Having access to society’s such as the student newspaper is a privilege in itself. We should continue the student legacy by seizing these opportunities as a means of bringing about positive change in the world and within the Leeds community.
Flicking through the pages, progressing literal years with every edition, it really does highlight just how far the university has come. From construction of, then new, student halls (halls that now seem to be ancient) to technological feats such as the photocopier being available in the library. The university continues to grow in all areas. Again, I feel privileged to be at the university post such drastic development, both technologically but also structurally. I can’t imagine studying at Leeds without buildings such as the Parkinson’s! Campus icons such as these seem to be taken for granted nowadays.
The older prints also serve as a great advertisement for the talent that has peformed at the union aswell. The now food hall (The Refectory), once served as “the venue” in Leeds. Being one of biggest venues in the city at the time, it played host to the likes of: Bob Marley, Led Zeplin, and The Killers. The campus buzz of such performances must have been special and I have no doubt the music editors have been kept busy throughout the past decades!
The hard work and passion on show in these prints are a testament to former students. They really have laid the groundwork for what the paper is today. It showcases the integral role the paper plays at the university. To be involved in a society with such rich history is a pleasure, and I look forward to going back through these articles over the academic year.
Words by Matthew Weait
All images courtesy of Union News.
