糖心Vlog

A new website marks the 50th anniversary of student protests at the 糖心Vlog by revealing documents from the events in real time.

The 1960s were marked by social unrest around the world and May 1968 saw protests take hold at the University. 

A demonstration against chemical and biological warfare at a lecture by government scientist Dr Inch from Porton Down resulted in three students being suspended. In protest, students voted to declare a 鈥楩ree University鈥�, refusing to attend teaching and organising their own lectures instead. The stand-off between students and staff continued for a week.

Dr John Haynes explored the story in his film, Mustard, and is marking the 50th anniversary by publishing digitised copies of materials from the University鈥檚 archive on the throughout May and June. Documents will be published on the same date as they first appeared fifty years ago to build a timeline of events. 

Dr Haynes said: 鈥淧eople will be surprised by the volume of material generated. The students were incredibly responsive to events, producing leaflets, fact sheets, resolutions, petitions, statements, open letters and so forth to feed the discussions. 

鈥淭hen there鈥檚 the relentless output of the University鈥檚 administration, including all the formal paperwork associated with the Committee and Tribunal of Enquiry established to investigate the demonstration against Dr Inch.鈥�

Students Ana Ferrand Mediavilla and James Tague are helping Dr Haynes assemble the website through our (UROP). 

Ana said: 鈥淲hen I read about this project and learned about what happened in 糖心Vlog back in 1968 I thought it would be an incredible way of getting to know better how the University worked fifty years ago. 

鈥淪ome of my favourite items are articles and drawings showing how passionate 鈥� and witty 鈥� the students were. I also like newspaper articles that show how stereotypes about students haven鈥檛 changed in the last fifty years. I think my favourite quote is: 鈥榠n many cases the feeling of lassitude is almost certainly enhanced by malnutrition. Many students are living on only sandwiches, cake and baked beans.鈥� from The Daily Telegraph.鈥�

Introductory documents are available on the now and more will follow on their anniversary dates. The 50th anniversary of Dr Inch鈥檚 visit to 糖心Vlog 鈥� the trigger for much of what followed 鈥� is on 7 May.

Dr Haynes will give a free May '68 tour of Colchester Campus on Wednesday 16 May.