Available onlineThe Open University
(page 3 of 4)| Video: | Charter Ceremony |
|---|---|
| Duration: | 00:01:22 |
| Date: | 1979 |
| Image : | Open University Charter Ceremony |
| Date: | 1969 |
In July 1969 the Open University was awarded its Royal Charter by the Privy Council.
The video clip on this page is from the charter ceremony and shows Jennie as part of the procession entering the room. It also includes an extract of the speech given by the first Chancellor, Geoffrey Crowther.
The photograph of the ceremony shows the Prime Minister Harold Wilson speaking and Jennie seated in the foreground.
An article from the ‘Express and Star’ titled "The day Jennie’s dream comes true" summed up the process of the creation of the University and Jennie’s efforts to see it to fruition: “It’s been a long road and a rocky one, and the setbacks, at times, have come near to heart-breaking. But she’s made it in the end.” The article concluded with “There couldn’t possibly be a more magnificent exit for a Minister of the Arts to make from the Westminster stage.”.
Once the Planning Committee had been established, there was a move to “de-politicise” the new University – and so Jennie took a back seat. But during the early years there were key events in which Jennie’s contribution was remembered.
