King's College London was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington (then Prime Minister) in 1829 as a university college in the tradition of the Church of England. It now welcomes staff and students of all faiths and beliefs.
King's professors played a major part in nineteenth-century science and in extending higher education to women and working men through evening classes.
The university has grown and developed through mergers with several institutions each with their own distinguished histories. These include:
- United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals
- Chelsea College
- Queen Elizabeth College
- Institute of Psychiatry
Archives
Archives & Special Collections at King’s College London hold a unique, internationally significant and continually expanding range of archival and printed sources.
