We all love looking at old photos of campus, reminiscing about buildings long gone and marvelling at how much the built environment has changed. But some of the images of university buildings in our photograph collections are … well … a bit boring! Leaving you wondering 'why?' Here is Special Collections Manager, Katharine's (totally subjective and very tongue in cheek) list of the top 10 most boring photos of DMU campus:
Number 10
We start with this 1938 photograph of the canteen in the Hawthorn Building. It’s placing low on the list as there are some interesting details – like the ashtrays on the tables – but overall it’s basically an image of rows of empty tables. (Reference DM/F)
Number 9
Next we have another blank and empty interior. I find myself wondering what the photograph was supposed to be of – is this a new staircase? Have the lights just been installed? What was the point of taking this image? (Fletcher Building c.1970, reference DM/F)
Number 8
This 1990s photograph of a corridor in the Hawthorn Building feels very out of proportion. I’d love to have had some people in the image to ground it and give a sense of scale. Compare and contrast to this 1924 photograph of the same staircase. (References DM/F/K/04/A/029 and DM/F/C/1)
Number 7
A lot of these boring images lack an obvious purpose or focal point. This 1950s view looking down Asylum Street towards Trinity House, with Hawthorn on the right and the Portland Building on the left, doesn’t show any building clearly and instead gives us a lot of pavement and road. (Reference L/032/007)
Number 6
A 35mm slide of the Eric Wood building in 1984. At least it was a nice sunny day. (Reference DM/F/K/04/A/010)
Number 5
We slide into the top 5 with this image of the Queens Building in 1993, proof that one of the most exciting and visually stimulating buildings on campus can become boring if the photo shows mainly tarmac. (Reference DEB/02/07/006)
Number 4
Next I’ve chosen this image of the back of the Clephan Building, with a corner of the James Went building on the left (now the Hugh Aston Building). The photograph is labelled ‘James Went’ but as it only shows a small portion of that building in favour of Clephan’s unattractive rear complete with bins and fire escape, I’m not really sure what they were going for. (Date c.1972, Reference DM/F/K/04/A/002)
Number 3
Sometimes I can’t tell if the photograph is boring or if the building is boring, but on many occasions its simply both. Another image that focuses on the bins. (Leicester Polytechnic Student Union building, c.1976, reference DM/F/K/04/A/011)
Number 2
Do I find this photograph boring or just plain depressing? It shows the Fletcher Building low-rise in the early 1960s, before the central tower was constructed (which is now the tower of the Vijay Patel Building). It’s empty, grey and miserable. (Reference DM/F/K/04/A/004)
Number 1
In at number 1 is this photo used on the 1985-86 Leicester Polytechnic prospectus. The image shows the Fletcher Building (now Vijay Patel) taken from the site of the Queens Building, which had not yet been constructed. I can’t understand how such a photo was considered suitable for the front cover of a prospectus, which is supposed to be an exciting enticement to attract new students! (Ref DM/A/120)
Don't miss our next top 10 coming soon! Any requests? Then do drop in the comments below...
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