History of Gresham College

For over 400 years Gresham Professors have given free public lectures in the City of London. The College is named after Sir Thomas Gresham, son of Sir Richard Gresham who was Lord Mayor in 1537/38 and who conceived the idea of building an Exchange modelled on the Antwerp Bourse. This was brought to fruition by Sir Thomas, on land provided by the City of London Corporation, and was given the royal appellation by Queen Elizabeth I.

Sir Thomas was appointed Royal Agent in Antwerp by Edward VI, a position which he held throughout Mary’s reign and the first nine years of Elizabeth’s. His fine mansion in Bishopsgate was the first home of Gresham College. It was there that the Professors gave their lectures until 1768, their salaries being met from rental income from the shops around the Royal Exchange which Sir Thomas had bequeathed jointly to the City of London Corporation and the Mercers’ Company. This period saw the formation and early development at Gresham College of The Royal Society, and the tenure of chairs by a number of distinguished Professors, including Sir Christopher Wren.

In later years lectures were given in various places in the City until the construction of a new Gresham College, opened in 1842, in Gresham Street. The College has been based at Barnard’s Inn Hall since 1991. Barnard’s Inn was an Inn of Chancery associated with Gray’s Inn, and was described by Dickens in Great Expectations. In 1892 it was purchased by the Mercers’ Company to house the Mercers’ School, which remained there until it closed in 1959. In 1985 the Chair of Commerce, funded by the Mercers’ School Memorial Trust, was added to the seven ancient Professorships of Astronomy, Divinity, Geometry, Law, Music, Physic and Rhetoric. Professors generally have a three-year tenure.

Gresham College is an independent institution, governed by a Council and with the Lord Mayor of London as its President. Sir Thomas left his estate and control of his benefaction to the City of London Corporation and the Mercers’ Company, which operate through the Joint Grand Gresham Committee. In addition to the free public lectures, the College runs occasional seminars and conferences, and provides support to initiatives by the Gresham Professors and others which seek to reinterpret the ‘new learning’ of Sir Thomas Gresham’s time in contemporary terms.

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8 [1]
A Brief History of Gresham College 1597-1997

This survey of the history of the College in its quatercentenary year not only discharges a debt of piety but also concentrates the mind on the prospects for Gresham College in its fifth century.
Like some mythical island, the College has emerged from the engulfing waters and disappeared again on several occasions. Each time very similar questions have arisen. What were the Founder's intentions and how can they be honoured in vastly changed circumstances? What kind of educational constituency should the Professors of the College seek to address? Would it be wise for the College to associate itself with complementary institutions? Who should in the last analysis make decisions about these matters and how can a consistent policy be developed?

Catholic Elegance and Joy
The Rt Revd Lord Harries
Museum of London
Wednesday 14 December 2011

In the period under consideration a fair number of the artists considered have been Roman Catholics, but at one time there was a...
Art and literature, Religion, Religion and art, Visual art
Britain in the 20th Century: The Conservative Reaction, 1951-1965
Professor Vernon Bogdanor FBA CBE
Museum of London
Tuesday 13 December 2011

The Conservatives recovered remarkably rapidly from the debacle of 1945. Their narrow election victory in 1951 led to 13 years of...
20th century history, British politics, Government, History, Politics
David and Goliath: Strength and Power in Sport
Professor John D Barrow FRS
Museum of London
Tuesday 13 December 2011

Top athletes seem to get bigger and bigger. How does size affect performance? Why do some sports have weight categories while others don...
Everyday mathematics, Mathematics, Mathematics and Sport
Remember Me
Professor Christopher Hogwood CBE
Museum of London
Monday 12 December 2011

Pachelbel: Canon
Purcell: Dido's Lament
Fauré: Violin Sonata

...
Music, Musical interpretation
The City Livery Companies
Professor Tim Connell
Museum of London
Wednesday 7 December 2011

Trade and craft associations have flourished all over Europe for many centuries, but the City of London companies, now collectively...
Business, Business - other, History, London history
The Psychology of Politics
Professor Glenn D Wilson
Museum of London
Tuesday 6 December 2011

Political affiliations reflect social class and upbringing but personality factors also contribute, including genetically determined...
Medical science, Politics, Politics - other, Psychology
Christianity in Evolution: An Exploration
The Rev Emeritus Professor Jack Mahoney
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Thursday 1 December 2011

Evolution has provided a new understanding of reality, with revolutionary consequences for traditional Christian beliefs. This will be...
Art and literature, Book launch, Philosophy of religion, Religion
St Paul's at 300 (Part 2)
Martin Stancliffe
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Wednesday 30 November 2011

A continuation of the story of St Paul's...

2011 is the 300th anniversary of the completion of Christopher Wren's...
Architecture, Art and literature, Heritage, History, London history
Vision and Values in a Volatile World: Lecture Two
Professor Kenneth Costa
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Tuesday 29 November 2011

Professor Kenneth Costa is joined by Matthew Hancock MP to discuss vision and values in a volatile world.

Matthew Hancock is the...
Business, Business ethics
Queer Presences and Absences: Citizenship, Community, Diversity - or Death
Professor Yvette Taylor
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Monday 28 November 2011

This lecture considers moments of US and UK sexual citizenship situating these in terms of LGBT campaigning groups' actions,...
Philosophy, Unusual
St Paul's at 300
Martin Stancliffe
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Wednesday 23 November 2011

2011 is the 300th anniversary of the completion of...
Architecture, Art and literature, History, London history
The Sounds of the Universe
Professor Carolin Crawford
Museum of London
Wednesday 23 November 2011

In space no-one can hear you scream... but it is still a noisy Universe. We are familiar with the many stunning images of space, but...
Astronomy, Science

The Scramble for Africa
Professor Richard J Evans FBA
Museum of London
Tuesday 22 November 2011

In the early 1880s, informal imperial expansion gave way to formal imperial acquisitions. Between this point and the outbreak...
Colonial history, European history, History, Military history, Victorian history
The Future of the EU and Global Markets
Dr Robert Barnes
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Monday 21 November 2011

After the largest financial crisis in the history of the capital markets, what changes do we need to promote liquidity recovery? As...
Business, Business - other, City business, Finance
The Price of Fish: Making sense of the way the world really works
Professor Michael Mainelli
Barnard’s Inn Hall
Thursday 17 November 2011

The Price of Fish addresses issues related to 'real' (as opposed to 'transactional') commerce: the complex ways in which people...
Business, Business ethics, Philosophy of business, Sustainable business
A Lark Arising: The Rural Past and Urban Histories, 1881 - 2011
Professor Alun Howkins
Museum of London
Wednesday 16 November 2011

The Census of April 1881 revealed an England which was a firmly urban and industrial nation. Although the number of ‘urban’...
20th century history, Environment, History, Unusual
Distinctive Individual Visions
The Rt Revd Lord Harries
Museum of London
Wednesday 16 November 2011

As at the end of the 18th century William Blake developed a highly individual style that did not fit easily into the...
Art and literature, Religion, Religion and art, Visual art
Britain in the 20th Century: The Attempt to Construct a Socialist Commonwealth, 1945-1951
Professor Vernon Bogdanor FBA CBE
Museum of London
Tuesday 15 November 2011

To the surprise of many, the 1945 general election led to the return of Britain’s first Labour majority government. Labour’s 1945...
20th century history, British politics, Government, History, Politics
How Fast Can Usain Bolt Run?
Professor John D Barrow FRS
Museum of London
Tuesday 15 November 2011

How can Usain Bolt improve his world 100 metres sprint record significantly without improving his speed? How fast should he be able to...
Everyday mathematics, Mathematics, Mathematics and Sport
The Sir Thomas Gresham Docklands Lecture: Get Shorty
Andy Haldane
Four Seasons Hotel, Canary Wharf
Monday 14 November 2011

Patience is a virtue. But does it have value? Andrew Haldane will discuss the importance of patience to growth and stability, its recent...
Business, Finance
The History and Music of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Congregation in the City of London
Chazan Eliot Alderman
Bevis Marks Synagogue
Thursday 10 November 2011

Bevis Marks Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the UK (consecrated 1701), and is the 'cathedral synagogue' of a community which...
History, History - other, History of religion, London history, Religion
Sheep Across London Bridge - The Freedom of the City of London
Murray D Craig
Museum of London
Wednesday 9 November 2011

One of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today is the granting of the Freedom of the City of London. ...
London history, Unusual, Very unusual
The Joy of Six
Professor Christopher Hogwood CBE
Museum of London
Tuesday 8 November 2011

Strauss: Sextet from Capriccio
Brahms: String Sextet Op.18
With players from the Royal Academy...
Music, Musical interpretation, Musical performances
Bubble Trouble - Pop Goes Sustainability?
Professor Michael Mainelli
HSBC Canada Square
Friday 4 November 2011

Keynote presentation by John Redwood, MP. Introduced by Professor Michael Mainelli.
Business, Financial regulation, Sustainable business

Council members

Dr Andrew Burnett FBA
Deputy Director, The British Museum. Formerly Keeper of Coins and Medals at the British Museum, Dr Burnett’s major research work is his two-volume Roman Provincial Coinage, which for the first time makes historical sense of the coinages struck by subsidiary communities under Roman rule between the death of Caesar and the death of Vitellius. He has also throughout his time at the BM contributed to the publishing the coin hoards of Roman Britain.

Mr John C. Carrington
John C. Carrington has over thirty years experience at the leading edge of telecommunications. A pioneer in the development of international broadband telecommunications services in the early1980’s, he has also played a key role in the development of cellular communications in the UK and Europe. John founded Cellnet – now O2, and Mercury PCN – now T Mobile. He is still deeply involved in both fixed and mobile telecommunications innovation and has over the past fifteen years become more involved with software creation and solutions deployment.
John is non-executive Chairman of Leisurejobs.com Ltd, and The Speech Recognition Company Ltd. and an Advisory Director to Alegro Capital. John is Chairman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists Charity, a Trustee of the Seckford Foundation (Governor of Woodbridge School, Suffolk) and a member of the Council of Gresham College.
John Carrington is a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, a liveryman of the Clockmakers’ Company and a Fellow of the British Computer Society.
Together with Mr James Brotherhood, he has advised Gresham College and assisted in its plans to improve the College’s website.

Simon D’Olier Duckworth DL
Simon Duckworth is an investment trust director. A Cambridge University graduate, he became an elected member of the City of London Corporation (Court of Common Council) in 2000 and has served on a number of key local authority committees, primarily involved with Policy, Finance and Investment. He became actively involved in the work of the City’s Police Authority in 2002. He chaired reviews into Asset Management and Counter Terrorism, and became Deputy Chairman in 2006. He joined the Association of Police Authorities’ Strategic Policing and Police Authority Reform Groups in that year. In 2007 he joined the National Olympics Security Oversight Group (NOSOG). In 2008 he became Chairman of the City's Police Committee and also serves on the City's CDRP. Later that year he was appointed to the APA’s Board of Directors. In this capacity he represents the specialist non-geographical Authorities related to the City of London, British Transport, Ministry of Defence and Civil Nuclear Constabularies.
 
He joined the Home Office's Olympic Security Strategy Group in 2008 and, on its formation, was subsequently appointed to the Olympic Security Board. Since January 2009 he has been Chairman of NOSOG, and now serves on a number of Home Office and ACPO led Programme and Project Boards relating to Olympic Safety and Security. A member of the Advisory Board of City University, London, he served on the University's Governing Body from 2001-6. He holds a number of non-executive posts in both the public and private sector including the Reserve Forces Association and the Order of St John. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London in 2008.

Wg Cdr Mike Dudgeon OBE DL
Mike Dudgeon represents the Mercers’ Company at Gresham College. He is joint Vice Chairman of the Gresham College Council and Chairman of the College’s Finance Committee. He served as an RAF helicopter pilot in several UK and overseas appointments, and in various advisory roles. After retiring in 2000 he became involved with charitable organisations such as Action for Blind People, and is Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London. He is a past-master of the Mercers’ Company, enjoys travel, is a City of London guide, and rings the bells of his church in Fulham. He is married to Gilly, and they have two married daughters.

Mr Anthony Eskenzi CBE
Anthony Eskenzi established his Chartered Surveyors and Arbitration practice in the City after military service in the Middle East. He is a former Chairman of the City Police Authority and was instrumental in the implementation of the “ring of steel”. Senior member of the Court of Common Council; served as Sheriff of The City of London and subsequently Chief Commoner. Mr Eskenzi has served on the majority of City Corporation Committees over the years and currently is a member of the Finance Committee. Mr Eskenzi has a particular interest in business education for young men and women and was a co-founder of Young Enterprise. He is Chairman of the City Side of the Joint Grand Gresham Committee, Deputy Chairman of Gresham College Council and Chairman of our Nominations Committee.
Mr Eskenzi received a CBE for services to the City of London and Young Enterprise, and a DSc (Hon) from the City University.

Professor Sir Roderick Floud FBA
Provost of Gresham College and Chairman of the College Council, Sir Roderick Floud [1] is also the Chairperson of the Standing Committee for the Social Sciences at the European Science Foundation and President Emeritus of the London Metropolitan University.
His particular interests in part-time and mature students in higher education has been reflected in many of his publications as well as his participation in numerous boards and committees. Of particular note are his roles as President of Universities UK (representing 121 British Universities), Vice-President of the European University Association (where he was particularly involved in the 'Bologna process' of converging European education systems), and Chair of the Social Sciences Committee of the European Science Foundation (representing research councils and learned academies from thirty European Countries). In 2005 he received a knighthood for his services to Higher Education in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Sir Roderick Floud is an economic historian, with publications on topics as diverse as technological change, the use of IT in the study of history, the evolution of technical education and changes in human height, health and welfare. He holds honorary fellowships from Emmanuel College Cambridge, Wadham College Oxford, Birkbeck College London and the Historical Association, as well as honorary degrees from City University London and the University of Westminster. He was elected an Academician of the Social Sciences in 2000 and a Fellow of the British Academy in 2002.

Alderman Alison Gowman
A member of Gresham College Council and a member of the College’s Finance Committee. Alison Gowman is a partner at DLA Piper, where she specialises in commercial property and advises on landlord and tenant matters, real estate finance and development work. She is experienced in sustainability and waste issues. Prior to becoming an Alderman she served for 11 years as a member and Deputy for the Ward of Dowgate. She has been involved in all aspects of the work of the City of London during her years of service and is presently Chairman of the Energy and Sustainability Subcommittee, as well as a member of many other City of London Corporation committees. Alderman Gowman is a Warden of the Glovers’ Livery Company. She is a Member of the City of London Law Society Land Law Committee. Alison Gowman is also a Trustee of the Sir John Soane’s Museum and of the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College.

Emeritus Gresham Professor Daniel H Hodson
Daniel Hodson [2] is Chairman of the Lokahi Foundation and serves as Senior Non-Executive Independent Director of SVM Global Fund PLC. A former Master Mercer, he was until recently Chairman of the Design and Artists’ Copyright Society and of the University of Winchester as well as being a director/governor of a number of private companies and not for profit organisations, including St Paul’s Girls’ School and Collyers’ College . Previously he was Group Finance Director of Unigate, Finance Director of Nationwide Building Society and Chief Executive of LIFFE. Daniel Hodson is a member of the Gresham College Council and a former holder of the Mercers’ School Memorial Chair of Commerce.

Mr Tom Hoffman
Tom Hoffman read Law at the University of Exeter, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. In 1971 he went into merchant banking and for the past 40 years he has been engaged in investment banking and international banking. He retired in 2003, but remains the senior adviser to a Portuguese financial group, and Honorary Vice-President of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce.
He was elected to the Court of Common Council in 2002. He is Chairman of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, a Trustee of both the Guildhall School Trust and the Guildhall School Development Fund, a Governor of the Museum of London, a Governor of the Barbican Centre, a Trustee of the City of London Festival and the Stour Music Festival in Kent, and is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the Cambridge Music Festival. Since 2003 he has also been engaged with one of London’s leading teaching hospitals as a Governor of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He is also a Trustee of both the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy and the Friends of the Clergy Corporation.
He is a Governor of the City of London School for Girls (Chairman 2003-2006). Until recently he was also a Trustee of the Christ’s Hospital Foundation, a Member of the Council of the University of Exeter, and a Governor of Birkbeck College in the University of London (of which he is an Honorary Fellow).
As a Common Councilman of the City of London he is a Member of the Finance Committee, Investment Committee, Planning Committee, Culture Heritage & Libraries Committee, and the Gresham Committee of which he is Chairman. He is also a Member of the Court of the Honourable the Irish Society (Deputy Governor 2009-2010). He is a Past Master of the Tylers & Bricklayers’ Company, Honorary Treasurer of the Guildhall Historical Association (who published his Paper on The Rise & Decline of Guilds in Great Britain and Ireland, and a Life Member of Leander Club.

Emeritus Gresham Professor Michael Mainelli
Professor Michael Mainelli [3] FCCA FCSI co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading commercial think-tank, in 1994 to promote societal advance through better finance and technology. Michael began his career as a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computer graphics which led to him starting companies in seismology, cartography and energy information for a Swiss publishing firm. In the early 1980’s Michael created a multi-million dollar oil industry consortium which culminated in the development of a complete digital map of the world, MundoCart, along the way having to build laser line-following digitisers. Michael spent several years as a partner and board member of one of the leading accountancy firms directing consultancy work in the UK and overseas. Michael has worked in the public sector on privatisations and strategy; in the private sector in a variety of industries (banking, insurance, manufacturing, media, retail, utilities, television, distribution) on problems ranging from strategy through information systems, quality, human resources, environmental systems and R&D; and in the voluntary sector on a number of assignments to improve performance. Michael’s acclaimed humorous risk/reward management novel, Clean Business Cuisine: Now and Z/Yen, written with Ian Harris, was published in 2000.
Michael is Professor Emeritus of Commerce and a Fellow at Gresham College, Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics Department of Management Information Systems and Innovation Group, a non-executive Director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service - the UK’s sole accreditation body for certification, testing, inspection and calibration services, a non-executive Director of Sirius Exploration Plc - a mining company, a Trustee of Ocean Alliance and The Whale Conservation Institute in Massachusetts and The International Fund For Animal Welfare, on the editorial board of the Journal of Strategic Change as well as the Journal of Business Strategy and on the advisory boards of the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation and Alchemie Technology. Michael is a qualified accountant, computer specialist and management consultant with a degree from Harvard as well as mathematics and engineering at Trinity College Dublin. His PhD from the London School of Economics was in the application of risk/reward methodologies involving chaotic systems and strategic planning quality.

Mrs Menna McGregor
Menna McGregor, who qualified as a barrister, is Clerk to The Mercers’ Company, heading its management team. Previously she was its Company Secretary, providing in-house legal and company secretarial services including ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements of the Company and its charities. She is also Clerk to the Governors of St Paul’s Girls’ School. Previously Menna was Board and Company Secretary of the National Theatre, and Secretary to the Trustees of the Royal National Theatre Foundation. She is currently also a trustee of the National Foundation for Youth Music, and of the Public Catalogue Foundation, and was previously a trustee of the Wales Millennium Centre. From 2007 to 2011 she was a member of the Board Development Team of the Clore Leadership Programme. Menna is a member of Gresham College Council and a member of the College’s Finance Committee.

Mr Jack Wigglesworth
A member of Gresham College Council and of its Nominations Committee, Mr Wigglesworth is Chairman of Numia Capital Associates and of MENA Capital Admiral Fund, and a director of several other private companies. Formerly Chairman of LIFFE and of ABN Amro Futures, he was formerly an economist at Phillips & Drew, then a bond salesman at W Greenwell & Co. Jack Wigglesworth joined a working party with six others from different City disciplines and created the LIFFE futures exchange. He was also Director of Business Development for J P Morgan Futures Inc, Sales Director at Citifutures, and Chairman of ABN Amro Futures. Since then he has been Deputy Chairman of Durlacher Corporation Plc (now Panmure Gordon), Chairman of London Asia Capital Plc, companies in 3g applications, health insurance litigation services, online supply chain management and electronic systems linking end users and multiple financial services providers. Jack Wigglesworth served on the (then) financial services regulatory body, the SFA, was Chairman of Hackney Education Action Zone, founder director of the Securities and Investments Institute (now Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment), director of the Futures and Options Association, member of the London Guildhall University Business School Council and of the Development Board of City University, as well as a director of the Financial Services National Training Organisation, Senior Consultant at IFSL (formerly British Invisibles). He has an Hon DSc from City University.

A member of Gresham College Council and of its Nominations Committee, Mr Wigglesworth is Chairman of Numia Capital Associates and of MENA Capital Admiral Fund, and a director of several other private companies. Formerly Chairman of LIFFE and of ABN Amro Futures, he was formerly an economist at Phillips & Drew, then a bond salesman at W Greenwell & Co. Jack Wigglesworth joined a working party with six others from different City disciplines and created the LIFFE futures exchange. He was also Director of Business Development for J P Morgan Futures Inc, Sales Director at Citifutures, and Chairman of ABN Amro Futures. Since then he has been Deputy Chairman of Durlacher Corporation Plc (now Panmure Gordon), Chairman of London Asia Capital Plc, companies in 3g applications, health insurance litigation services, online supply chain management and electronic systems linking end users and multiple financial services providers. Jack Wigglesworth served on the (then) financial services regulatory body, the SFA, was Chairman of Hackney Education Action Zone, founder director of the Securities and Investments Institute (now Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment), director of the Futures and Options Association, member of the London Guildhall University Business School Council and of the Development Board of City University, as well as a director of the Financial Services National Training Organisation, Senior Consultant at IFSL (formerly British Invisibles). He has an Hon DSc from City University.

Source URL: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/about-us/council-members/council-members

Links:
[1] http://www.gresham.ac.uk/professors-and-speakers/professor-sir-roderick-floud-fba
[2] http://www.gresham.ac.uk/professors-and-speakers/daniel-hodson
[3] http://www.gresham.ac.uk/professors-and-speakers/professor-michael-mainelli

Gresham Professors

Gresham Professor of Astronomy
Professor Carolin Crawford

Gresham Professor of Commerce
Professor Kenneth Costa

Gresham Professor of Divinity
The Rt Revd Lord Harries

Gresham Professor of Geometry
Professor John D Barrow FRS

Gresham Professor of Law
Baroness Deech of Cumnor DBE

Gresham Professor of Music
Professor Christopher Hogwood CBE

Gresham Professor of Physic
Professor William Ayliffe FRCS PhD

Gresham Professor of Rhetoric
Professor Richard J Evans FBA

Gresham College was founded in 1597 and since then it has delivered free public lectures within the City of London for over 400 years.
The College is named after Sir Thomas Gresham, famous London merchant, entrepreneur and friend of successive Royalty. Sir Thomas left funds for the founding of a College in his name, which was to be London’s first higher education institution, established in order to provide free education for all.
So it was that in Sir Thomas’ former mansion in Bishopsgate, London, the Gresham Professors gave their lectures up until 1768. This period saw the formation and early development at Gresham College of The Royal Society and also the tenure of Gresham chairs by people such as Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke. The current home of Gresham College is now in Barnard’s Inn Hall, an old Inn of Chancery described by Dickens in Great Expectations.
Since 2000 the lectures have been recorded and today there is an ever-growing online archive of over 1000 lectures free to be watched or downloaded from the website. In this way, the College continues its Elizabethen principle of free education for all, in ways unimaginable at our founding in 1597.