Paton Congregational College, Nottingham
The Nottingham Congregational Institute, a theological training college for Congregational Ministers, was established in Nottingham in 1866 by the Rev. J.B. Paton. From 1868 it had premises on Forest Road. Its name was changed to Paton Congregational College in around 1921. In 1930 the college moved from Forest Road to a campus location at Tollerton Hall; however, the Hall was sold in 1946. After two years of using temporary premises, in 1948 the college bought 'The Cedars' in Lenton, next to the University of Nottingham campus. The name of the building was changed to Paton House. In 1968 Paton Congregational College was amalgamated into the Northern Congregational College, and moved to Manchester. Paton House was sold to The University of Nottingham, and in 2010 was being used by the School of the Built Environment.
Records
Most of the records of Paton College, dating from 1899 to 1968, are held in the Special Collections at the John Rylands University Library, Manchester.
A few additional records are present within the Castle Gate Congregational Church collection (CU) and the Friary Congregational Church collection (Fy) held at The University of Nottingham, as follows:
- Minute Book, 1937-1961 (Fy X 2/1)
- Reports of Paton College, 1911-1959 (CU/V/4/1-2)
- Bundle of miscellaneous papers relating to Paton College, 1940-1961, including estimates for work, menus, correspondence, statements of account and annual reports (Fy X 2/2/1-42)
- Page 2 of typed recommendations of the Paton College Committee to remain in Nottingham and dispose of the Tollerton property, n.d. [c.1945] (CU/X 12/9)
- Photograph of Paton College students, 1949 (CU/P 3/35)
- Correspondence between Rev. R.R. Turner of Paton Congregational College, Rev. John White of the East Midland Province of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, and Mr [Eric B. Armitage], 11 Aug-1 Sep. 1964, concerning the financial position of Paton College (CU/X 12/18)
Further reading
- Turner, R.R., and Wallace, Ian H. Serve through love = Per caritatem servite : a history of Paton Congregational College, Nottingham ([S.l. : s.n., 1984]) [King’s Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Not 3.M82 PAT]
- Turner, R.R. and Wallace, Ian H. Materials for the history of Paton College, Nottingham [1969?] [King’s Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Not 3.M82 PAT]
- Paton, John Lewis. John Brown Paton : a biography (London ; New York ; Toronto : Hodder and Stoughton, 1914) [King’s Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Not 3.V38 PAT]
- Marchant, James. J.B. Paton, M.A., D.D. : educational and social pioneer (London : James Clarke, 1909) [King’s Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Not 3.V38 PAT]
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