Set XXVI (1927-1930)

Dark brown album with 'B.P.T.C. Set XXVI' embossed on cover containing 105 photographs of Bedford Physical Training College students participating in college life. It is thought that the album was presented to the College by the students of Set XXVI as a record of their time at the College. Many of the images have captions describing scenes, activities and naming individuals.
Scenes from College life include the following: students at the Commercial Road Swimming Baths, engaged in displays of Revived Greek Dance and gymnastics most probably for a Demonstration Day; cricket, hockey, lacrosse, netball, swimming and tennis teams; Set XXVI; 21st birthday picnic; student demonstrating a ball-popping machine; scenes from Holiday Week in August 1930: a stage dressed for the Senior students play Tilly of Bloomsbury Scene I performed on 4 August 1930, and a gymnastics class taken by Herr Knust; the interior of the dining room in 3 Lansdowne Road, and the bedroom of Ursula Gunnery and Olive Neath in 37 Lansdowne Road; views of St. Thomas' Hospital; excursions to Margaret Stansfeld's cottage at Aspley Heath, Bedfordshire; school children in an outdoor Physical Education class; young children in College gardens who were clinic patients.
The photographs also show several (named) members of staff; a R101 airship over Bedford; scenes from a summer Guide Camp (1929), scenes from Bedford School Swimming Pool and a diving demonstration by Aileen Riggin (1906-2002), American swimmer and diver and Olympic medallist accompanied by the British Olympic Swimming Team Coach, Mr W. J. Howcroft (1930); May Day celebrations at Ickwell, Bedfordshire (1930) and a country dancing festival at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire (1930).