An archival photograph of alumna, Winifred Seville, has been uncovered in Royal Holloway’s Archives and Special Collections.

The photograph was discovered within an album of photographs of the Royal Holloway College Drama Association (CHARD) during a research appointment.

Archives and Special Collections Curator, Anne-Marie Purcell, said of the discovery "I found a couple of volumes on a shelf which I was not expecting to contain photographs, so I was shocked to find early 20th Century images of student groups who attended CHARD society meetings. A researcher noticed that one of the photographs was labelled, and included the name ‘Seville’, who was in the 1st year entertainments group in 1906-1907."

The photograph gives a face to the many diaries written by Seville whilst she was studying Mathematics at Royal Holloway between 1906 and 1909. The diaries are a unique insight into student life in the early years of the university, showing the differences and similarities between the student experience then and now.

This discovery means that Winifred will be identifiable in other archival photographs, and research further into her student experience at Royal Holloway. Two of Winifred Seville’s diaries are currently on display in the College Collections Uncovered exhibition in the Davison Building.

To find out more about the archives and special collections, please click here.

To find out more about College Collections Uncovered, please click here.