Queen Margaret Union
- Reference:GB 248 GUA BUL 6/30
- Dates of Creation:c1966
- Name of Creator:
- Physical Description:0.51 to be confirmed linear metresdrawings
Administrative / Biographical History
The Queen Margaret Union (QMU) on 22 University Gardens was designed by Walter Underwood & Partners and opened in 1968.
A society for the students of Queen Margaret College was founded in 1890 and had the use of a basement room within the College building of North Park House. It provided various amenities for organised recreation and meetings but soon outgrew its accommodation. In 1908 premises were rented in a flat at 31 Buckingham Terrace, offering a meeting place and a place were light refreshments were served. In 1912 the University purchased a house at 67 Ann Street (later Southpark Avenue) to provide larger accomodations for the Union. Ann Street soon became too cramped and in 1922 the larger house located at 1 University Gardens was purchased with help from the Carnegie Trust for the use of the Women's Union.
In 1930 the Men's Union (Glasgow University Union) was opened at the foot of University Avenue and the women were awarded the men's discarded building, now the John McIntyre Building. In 1932 these refurbished premises were regarded as the "finest women students' club in the Kingdom." A growing number of female students put pressure on the women's union and a third move was made to the current premises on University Gardens in the late 1960s. The University Grants Committee at the request of the University Court, provided funds for the building of the new QMU on a site on University Gardens formerly occupied by the University Observatory, built in 1938-1939 and demolished in 1966, along with 20 Lilybank Gardens.
Sir Charles Wilson, then Principal of the University, opened the building officially on 14 March 1968.
In 1979 the QMU proposed to admit men as full and equal members.