City of London College (1861-1970)

 The City of London College was the name given, in 1861, to the reconstituted classes of the Metropolitan Evening Classes for Young Men (founded in 1848) and it became one of the pioneers in the introduction of commercial and technical subjects.

Initially, the College was based in Sussex Hall, on Leadenhall Street. However, in June 1882, the College opened new premises on White Street (in the Moorgate area of London), at a cost of £16,000; contributions were received from Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. In 1891 the College joined the Birkbeck Institute and the Northampton Institute to form the notional City Polytechnic by a Charity Commissioners' scheme to facilitate funding for these institutions by the City Parochial Foundation, and to enable the three institutions to work cooperatively. However this attempted federation did not function in practice, as each institution continued to operate more or less independently.

The City Polytechnic concept was dissolved in 1906, and the City of London of College came under the supervision of London County Council. In December 1940 the College's building was destroyed by a German air raid. The College subsequently moved into premises at 84 Moorgate in January 1944. (During the intervening years, the College students had been accommodated by the City Literary Institute and the Sir John Cass Technical Institute; the latter being another of London Metropolitan University's earliest precursor institutions).

The College celebrated its centenary in 1948 with a service of thanksgiving addressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul's Cathedral. In 1970, the College merged with Sir John Cass College to form the City of London Polytechnic.