page_title: University of Hertfordshire
section_title: Origins
hierarchical_section_title: University of Hertfordshire / History / Origins
caption_attribution_description: English: Carousel2diamondjubileeNB
context_page_description: The University of Hertfordshire is a public university in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The university is based largely in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Its antecedent institution, Hatfield Technical College, was founded in 1948 and was identified as one of 25 Colleges of Technology in the United Kingdom in 1959. In 1992, Hatfield Polytechnic was granted university status by the British government and subsequently renamed University of Hertfordshire. It is one of the post-1992 universities.
  Hertfordshire has two campuses based in College Lane and de Havilland. With over 25,130 students, including more than 5,200 international students that together represent 100 countries, Hertfordshire has a global alumni of over 1,650 The university is one of Hertfordshire's largest employers with over 2,700 staff, 812 of which are academic members of staff. It has a turnover of more than £235 million.
context_section_description: The original campus for the University was at Roe Green in Hatfield, where it was founded as a technical college with a particular focus on training aerospace engineers for the aerospace industry that was then prevalent in Hatfield.  The Gape family of St Michael's Manor in St Albans owned the land at Roe Green from the late 17th century.  In the 1920s they sold it to Hill, a farmer, who then sold it to Alan Butler, chairman of the de Havilland Aircraft Company who lived at Beech Farm nearby. In 1944 he donated 90 acres (36 hectares) of land at Roe Green to be used for educational purposes. In 1948 building commenced. The first principal W.A.J Chapman started on 1 January 1949 and in spring 1952 the 33 full-time and 66 part-time teachers were appointed. Hatfield Technical College opened with 1,738 students in September 1952 and in December officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh. It was the first large technical college to be established in England after the war. Students attended the college on part-time or full-time courses.
  In 1958 it was renamed Hatfield College of Technology and by 1960 offered four-year sandwich diplomas in technology. In 1961 it was designated a regional college in England and Wales by the Ministry of Education. The governors purchased a digital computer at a cost of £29,201 in 1962 so that a computer science degree could be established. The Council for National Academic Awards was formed in 1965 and Hatfield College was recognised for 13 honours degree courses.
  Sir Norman Lindop became the Principal of the College of Technology in 1966. A year later L.E. Haines was made Chair of Governors, but died shortly afterwards and was replaced by F. Bramston Austin. In the same year Bayfordbury is acquired for the college. The following year, L. E. Haines is appointed Chair of Governors, but dies shortly after appointment and is replaced by F. Bramston Austin. It was also in 1967 that Bayfordbury was acquired for the institution.
caption: Hatfield Polytechnic ca 1969
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