Queen Mary University Of London, England, United Kingdom

We are proud to trace the roots of today's Queen Mary University of London back to the great charitable institutions of the city's East End.

The London Hospital Medical College was founded in 1785, part of The London Infirmary that served the poor. The People's Palace, opened in 1887, brought accessible education, culture and recreation to the East End – uncovering so much ability that technical education soon blossomed into academic excellence in science, arts and the humanities. St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College can trace its history back nearly 900 years to 1123, the reign of Henry I.

The East End is renowned for its resilience. Continually reinventing and reshaping itself in response to an ever-changing world, it's a part of London that has been a constant scene of social, political and environmental change. By the 19th century, many workers in the capital called the East End home, and at its heart grew an institution committed to providing them with educational and cultural opportunities.