An insight into the lives, experiences, interests, and opinions of the student body.
An overview
The Students' Union Archive contains Newspapers and newssheets produced by the Students' Union of the University of Salford. This includes its precursor institutions from 1947 to the 1970s.
The collection contains negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures that aren't consistent with today’s values. This content was wrong then as it is now.
The University of Salford Library provides access to this content to educate and generate conversations about creating a fairer and more inclusive future.
To learn more about the University's and the Students’ Union’s inclusivity work, please see our most recent Equality, Diversity and Inclusion report.
If you have a concern about this content, please contact library-archives@salford.ac.uk.
See the below to learn more about some of the newspapers and newssheets in the archive.
Newspapers and newssheets
Colunion
The earliest in the collection are issues of Colunion. This was the magazine of the College Union of the Royal Technical College.
The first edition was in 1947 around the time the Union first formed. According to the first editorial, the purpose of the magazine was to ‘help unite [students] and give expression to their views’. Articles covered:
- the Music Society (established 1943)
- sport (football and boxing)
- an article ‘In violent opposition to the proposal that “Modern Art is Decadent”'.
We hold four issues of the magazine, dated 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950, and all have been digitised.
It's unclear when Colunion ceased publication. It appears that by the end of the 1950s, it had been replaced by The Lion (Students' Union Handbook, 1959-1960). The University Archive doesn't currently hold copies of this publication.
Amus News
Amus News was a fortnightly newssheet of the Union, first published in October 1961 and running until 1971.
It was ‘open to contributions which may express any opinion a student wishes to put forward…an excellent medium of airing one’s criticisms of Council, one’s grievances of the individual courses, as well as informing one’s fellow students on any matters which may amuse, annoy or fill the writer's heart with pride’.
Typical articles feature:
- student social and sport societies, such as the Football, Motor and Badminton Clubs
- the Photograph Society
- the Pakistan Students' Association.
There's also coverage of student elections and Rag activities (student-led charity fundraising). Numerous opinion pieces on topical issues and current affairs are also covered.
The Salford Gazette
In 1972, Amus News was replaced by The Salford Gazette. The first issue appeared in February as a 12-page typescript newssheet.
Salford Gazette continued to provide coverage about:
- the activities of student social and sports societies
- elections
- Rag and commentary on developments around the University campus.
Articles and opinion pieces are of a political nature covering:
- student protests
- grants
- government funding
- gay rights
- women’s rights
- anti-apartheid.
There are also numerous film and gig reviews.
How can it be used?
This collection of student journalism can be used to find information about the history of the University. The lives and experiences of students, their politics, and reactions to social issues are detailed.
Who might be interested?
- Current students and alumni
- researchers and students of journalism
- social and political and cultural history
- researchers and students of politics and sociology.
Type of material
Newspapers and newssheets.
Related material
University of Salford Photographic Archive