Skip Navigation

Edge Hill archive

The Edge Hill University archive is the repository for the print and visual history of the institution from its foundation in 1885.

The University was originally opened as Edge Hill College in 1885 in Liverpool and was the first non-denominational teacher training college for women.

In the 1930s, the college moved to Ormskirk and during the Second World War was evacuated to Bingley, Yorkshire, with the Ormskirk site requisitioned for use as a military hospital. Therefore, the archive is a significant legacy for the history of teacher training and women’s education, as well as broader social histories.

Black and white image of girls laughing

We also hold, and are actively seeking, collections that support the teaching, learning and research interests of the University. 

The expansion of Edge Hill in recent decades means its history has a great deal to tell us about the development of higher education in Britain as well as the changing experiences of those who studied and were employed here. Each milestone changed and broadened the horizons of what Edge Hill University is today.

Access

The archive manages enquiries and makes material available for use Monday – Thursday 9am- 5pm. Please note that all archive appointments must be pre-booked. Please visit our online archive catalogue to discover more about and search our collections. However, many of our collections are still being catalogued and gradually added to the site, so please contact the archive service if you are interested in something that you cannot find in the catalogue.

Collections management

For information on collections management, please see our Collection Management Policy for Special Collections and Archives.

FAQs

What do we hold?
How do I access the archive?
Can I borrow material?
What are the archive opening times?
Can I bring staff and students to visit the archive?
How do I know what you have?
How might I use the archive
Can I add material to the archive?