1920s

In 1925 Mr J. H. Wakefield (Town Clerk, Borough Treasurer and Education Officer) with responsibility for Education in Bury St Edmunds contacted Norman Frederick Watterson as he wanted to “get some evening classes going here ”. Watterson had recently come from the Industrial Midlands to be appointed Senior Science and Games Master at the West Suffolk County School (on Northgate Street) and supported the authority in setting this up as their technical adviser.

Watterson describing the meeting with Mr Wakefield, saying that “… [Wakefield] was anxious to learn of my previous experience, particularly my knowledge of “Evening classes”. Fortunately I had the experience and was able to suggest how a start could be made. I named a few obvious subjects such as English, Shorthand, Book-keeping, Arithmetic, etc., and it was not long before a start was made by the Authority with myself as technical adviser on its behalf.”

On the 26th September 1925, an advert was placed in the Bury Free Press offering evening classes. There was no Principal and no permanent location. Although, they did not know it, this would be the start of the West Suffolk College.

1930s

The shadow of war is visible in the 1939-40 Evening Institute Prospectus “Everyone will be pleased to know that we are keeping close contact with the O. C. (Officer Commanding) the Depot (the Gibraltar Barracks – now the college’s current location) regarding the Milita and their requirements. We are already assured we can be of some definite help to our new friends in the Borough”. However, morale was kept put with the addition of courses on Folk Dancing and Orchestral Music.

1940s

At the end of the war, there was a national shortage of skilled craftsmen and technicians and the demand for Day Release classes (apprenticeships) arose, these classes started in the building industry started under Harvey Frost and Watterson was his technical adviser.

By 1948, the West Suffolk Education Authority asked Watterson to give up working for the County School and become Principal of the newly named Technical Institute – Watterson “I realised there were many difficulties ahead, but there seemed great possibilities here and I accepted the challenge”. This marked the bringing together of the evening and day classes in the same institution. However, lack of rooms or a permanent location hampered their activities as the 1949-50 Prospectus states “Until the new Technical Institute is ready, these [day classes] are run on a modest scale, and in scattered buildings.”

1950s

As the Technical Institute continued to grow in students and courses, the need for accommodation become critical. In 1951, the “Tech” opened a new home in the grounds of the then Silver Jubilee School (now called King Edward VI) and was officially opened by Sir George Gater. The new location did still have its challenges.
Watterson “Unfortunately the premises were designed almost solely to meet the needs of the Building Industry, and the difficulty of trying to adapt them to Engineering and to wider needs can be imagined. The small staff struggled gamely with me and I am grateful to them for the many hours of voluntary overtime which they devoted to “The Tech.” No-one could have been more loyally supported than I was during those years.” In 1951, the Institute appoints its first ever fill time member of staff Mr J. E. Norris .

In March 1955 a full inspection of our work was carried out by the Ministry of Education, which was a positive report, with the feedback that it recommended expansion as soon as possible. With further education becoming a national priority, new plans emerged and building on the present site commenced in 1959.

Watterson the founder and key figure of the organisation retired in 1958 and was succeed by Principal Mr F. J. Phillips, M.A. (Cantab), B.Sc.,(London).

1960s

1960 marked a new era – with the renaming of the institute, the West Suffolk College and its new purpose-built location. By the Autumn of 1960 the building on the present site was ready for occupation and was officially opened on 29 May 1961, by the Earl of Stradbroke, her Majesty’s Lieutenant of the County of Suffolk.

However, by 1961 it was becoming apparent that further extensions would be required to cope with rising student numbers. Last year “…saw an unprecedented increase in student numbers and this trend is expected to continue. For this reason, discussions are now taking place concerning considerable extensions to the College.” Indeed, between 1961 and 1965 student numbers doubled to just under 3,000 students Internally, there was a reorganisation of the College, with the addition of a third vocation department, Department of General Studies and new courses such a Business studies and Hairdressing.

These necessary extensions were expected to double the amount of accommodation available , were delayed for several years, “Many difficulties have contrived to hold up the commencement of the building of the second phase of the College but these have been finally overcome.” And everyone was encouraged to wait it out – “These will be difficulties, no doubt, for Staff and Students alike, but we are sure these will be overcome by patience, goodwill and co-operation.” Eventually completed in 1969. For the duration of this time and after extensive use was made of the Northgate Annex (the former site of the County School since 1964) and it underwent “…extensive maintenance and repair work” to make this suitable.

The disruption during the building work at this time was considerable. One aspect of this was the fact they were “…running two establishments and the continuance of building operations at one.” Indeed, for 3 major centres of evenings courses in town – college, northgate annex and the girls country grammar school, plus smaller centres in town and Barrow and Lavenham . The scale of the work was substantial with “Piling operations at the front of the College … new workshops will be built at the rear. This will be followed by extensive alternations within the existing building. It is then expected that …, the extensions will be completed with a new three storey block and hall at the front of the College.” By 1966 5 new workshops were in use and1967 a new classroom block, refectory and kitchen, sutdents’ common room and hall were in progress. The extensions, which gave the College its present shape and frontage, were opened by C.R.English, Esq., Director-General of the City and Guilds of London Institute, on 11 April, 1969.

“The College endeavours to contribute as much as possible to the satisfaction of the needs and desires of the community for further education in all its aspects.”

1970s

1980s

The 1980s, continues the College’s expansion with Australia House being completed in two halves – 1983 Australia House phase 1 for Hairdressing and Beauty training opened and 1988 Australia House phase 2 for catering students was opened . In addition, in 1984 Minden House opened, this was purpose-built accommodation for students with learning difficulties and disabilities built. In 1985, J. M. Shipston becomes Principal replacing D. Storey

1990s

The key events of the early 1990s were the economic recession and changes with the UK’s relationship with the EU and these were reflected in the College’s publications at the time. It also represented a time of continued expansion for the College both in numbers of students, new courses and in building work. By 1994 it had over 1,000 students full time, 3,000 part time and 1,000 adult and continuing education students”. In addition, it developed a HE provision with the West Suffolk College teaching Anglian Polytechnic (later renamed Anglia Ruskin) degree courses on site .

In April 1993, West Suffolk College become an independent corporation (independent of government) and this marked a new era, which the College embraced as a new opportunity, “Since becoming independent, the College has been free to respond directly to the local needs of the 1990s”.

In addition, the site continued to change and be redeveloped. The Flexible Learning Centre – a major addition to library opened September 1991, which included a TV studio and an “IT centre with 20 IMB compatible computers” The new Harvey Frost Centre opened, as well as in 1995 both Australia House and Construction Centre were extended. In 1997 the new Learning Centre and Library complex, Mechatronics centre, students’ common room and drama studio were completed. Finally, in 1999 Phase 1 of the new building programme Gibraltar House – for Humanities, Health and Social Care – was opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester. The College also continued to expand geographically, with the opening of the Sudbury Local Learning Centre in 1998 and the Thetford Local Learning Centre 1999

Student recreation was well catered for with both Steward Hall and the Rendezvous building which included pool tables, games machines, a juke box and coffee bars.

2000s

In 2003, Nick Foster was replaced by the new Principal Ann Williams. Our physical expansion continued with the opening of the new Sunshine Nursery (replacing the previous building) and by 2003 the College now boasted eight Learning Centres with the opening of the Stowmarket Local Learning Centre in 2001.

In May 2006 West Suffolk College achieves the double becomes both an Ofsted graded Outstanding College and also awarded Beacon status in November 2006.

Although West Suffolk College’s Sports Academy was founded in 1999, this is the decade it really picked up steam. The Academy was a collaboration with the St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Bury Town FC. In September 2001 the Girls Football squad launched in collaboration with Ipswich Town Community Trust and in 2002 the Ruby squad was launched in conjunction with Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club . In 2005, the male football team West Suffolk College FC will start to climb the in the leagues and will eventually become Team Bury FC.

2010s

In 2014 Nikos Savvas becomes Principal of the West Suffolk College. This decade also marks the creation of the Eastern College’s Group, later the Eastern Education Group. The West Suffolk College, alongside the Sixth Forms of Suffolk One and Abbeygate. Further geographical expansion occurs with the addition of the new College sites of the STEM Centre (Now UPDC) and the opening of the Milburn Centre (now Built Environment), officially opened in 2012.

2020s