Why are there a pair of slippers in the OU Archive?

[[[image-0 medium right]]]This week is “Explore Your Archive” week and today we are highlighting one (or a pair!) of the more unusual items in the OU Archive. So, why are there a pair of slippers in the OU Archive?

The first staff arrived at the site that had been chosen as the new headquarters of The Open University, Walton Hall in Milton Keynes, in October 1969. Work was underway to complete the initial university buildings. The large building project combined with the Autumn weather meant that much of the site was a “sea of mud”. The first Vice Chancellor, Walter Perry, wanted to protect the carpets in the new buildings from being permanently damaged by the mud, and so instructed the Purchasing Officer to go to Northampton and buy 100 pairs of carpet slippers for staff to use indoors.

The OU slippers have become a popular part of the story of the early years of the OU.

As OU students you have access to some fascinating memorabilia and footage from the OU Digital Archive, such as TV and radio programmes, video, audio and photos of your OU history, and much more.