| Description | Incomplete sequence of bound and unbound copies of student newspaper that replaced Guild News. Essentially Guild News was simply renamed Redbrick, and there is little difference in content or tone between the last issues of Guild News and early issues of Redbrick. Regular features include reports about Guild Council business and Guild committee activities; Carnival news; Guild social events; fixtures and results for student sports teams; and student society news; letters to the editor, entitled 'Redbrick Comment', later 'Opinion'; reviews of film, television, books, theatre, and jazz; articles about other countries focusing on travel and politics; NUS business; and Debating Society reports.
1960s issues of Redbrick also contain reports on open lectures and new degree courses; levels of student participation in the organisation of university departments; student grants and finance; and a series on different careers. Several articles report on building developments on the Edgbaston campus during the early 1960s, mentioning the new sports centre, biology block, Haworth block, and commerce and social sciences buildings. Coverage of the shortage of student accommodation and arguments for new halls of residence is common during the early 1960s, and there are articles about the opening of halls of residence on the Vale site, and student complaints about hall fees and hall administration, which continue to the late 1960s. There is increased attention to social issues, with comment articles about a wide range of subjects including birth control, crime, mental illness, and the experiences of married students. Coverage of social deprivation in Birmingham includes an investigation into community work in Sparkbrook and the Sparkbrook Association 29 November 1962, the civic improvement scheme in Birmingham including the building of the Bullring shopping centre and the Rotunda, the provision of leisure facilities in Birmingham city centre and in the suburbs, social problems in Balsall Heath relating to poor housing conditions 29 January 1964 and 27 September 1969, and tensions in Smethwick around the time of the 1964 election at which Peter Griffiths ran a campaign based around racial discrimination. Student protests against visits by Oswald Mosley and other members of his Union Movement, against statements made by Enoch Powell about immigration in 1968, and against government policy in Rhodesia and the university's involvement in the establishment of a medical faculty there are also reported. In addition, there are articles about student unrest throughout 1968, the publication of The Student Role by the Guild, and events leading up to the occupation of the Great Hall at the end of that year. Academic reform and student representation on University committees and in the administration of halls of residence is a common theme during the late 1960s, as is the grant system and higher education funding. There is a report on Birmingham's first appearance on University Challenge on 10 October 1962, and on Malcolm X's visit to Birmingham on 17 February 1965. A 'cover girl' is included as a feature in most issues from 1963. Most music coverage is directed towards jazz and folk music during the early 1960s but there is more emphasis on pop music from the end of 1964 onwards.
The format changed in October 1970 to incorporate a full front page illustration or photograph with cinema and events listings on the back page. A more conventional front page layout returned in autumn 1971 but listings were still given on the back page. Dominant concerns for the editorial board during the early 1970s include ongoing negotiations about student representation on University committees, the rejection of Dick Atkinson by the University Academic Appointments Board in June 1970 as a result of the part he played in the 1968 occupation and his alleged militant left wing views, student admission to University Council in October 1970, the work of the Grimond Review Body from 1971 and the publication of the Review Body report at the end of September 1972. Concerns about the cost of education become more dominant, with coverage of NUS student protests against Margaret Thatcher's proposals for financing of student unions, campaigns for higher grants and rent strikes against rising hall fees in 1973 and 1974 which led to the occupation of the Great Hall in March 1974. in addition, there is coverage of protests against government higher education cuts leading Redbrick to become a fortnightly publication and to cuts in library services and which culminated in the occupation of the finance office in March 1975 to show student disagreement with the grants system. Student support for staff on campus is reflected in coverage of the 1972 technicians strike, and there were also demands for better provision on campus for students with disabilities in October 1973. Student demonstrations about national and international issues is also evident, with coverage of demonstrations against the policy of apartheid in South Africa and the occupation of the Finance block in protest at University policy on South Africa in March 1970, reports on the civil unrest in Northern Ireland in November 1971 and on Portuguese colonialism in Africa, the crisis in Bangladesh November 1971, and the resettlement of Asian refugees from Uganda in October 1972. There are also reports about the IRA bombs in Birmingham pubs in November 1974. Guild involvement in demonstrations against the National Front in 1973 and student protests against the visit of Enoch Powell to the Guild in February 1974 is also reported. The growing influence of the women's liberation movement is shown by the beginning of coverage of the newly formed women's liberation group events in March 1970, with the start of a 'Redbreast' feature from October 1971 discussing feminist issues. There is an article on the Gay Liberation Front on 11 October 1972, and coverage of the Redbrick Forum on the Gay Liberation Front on 17 October 1973. Women's groups and gay and lesbian groups organised a picket against the drag queen ball held as part of Carnival in February 1974. An article from the London School of Economics student newspaper was reprinted in Redbrick on 15 March 1972 containing explicit details about homosexual practice which led to complaints. Student awareness of social issues in Birmingham is evident from reports about Community Action work in Balsall Heath in October 1970 and with homeless people in October 1971. There is a feature on Community Action activities around Birmingham on 9 February 1972. Other cultural changes during the early 1970s are reflected in a feature on macrobiotic diets in February 1972 and the Birmingham Peace Centre in October 1971. There is an interview with John Peel in February 1971 and coverage of Paul McCartney and Wings' visit to the Guild to play an impromptu concert on 23 February 1972.
There was a brief period from September 1975 to January 1978 when Redbrick experimented with a magazine format, but retained news reports, letters, sports and arts coverage, as well as NUS news and Carnival reports. There is relatively little information about student societies during this period. News stories covered during the late 1970s reflect the same concerns as earlier in the decade, with reports about a rent strike and student accommodation shortages in 1976 and a further occupation of the finance office as part of a dispute between the technicians union ASTMS and the University in February 1977. The accommodation shortage had become acute by September 1979 but was apparently resolved in January 1980 when the University announced in January 1980 that all first years would be guaranteed a place in university accommodation. Increased awareness of racism and sexism in society is evident from coverage of attempts by the women's liberation group to disrupt the Carnival Queen event in 1976 and continued protests against the Medical Society 'dragperson' ball the same year. There are also articles reporting complaints about racist and sexist attitudes in Carnival magazine in 1979. Gay Week of Action becomes a regular annual event form 1976, and there are articles about student activism in the Anti-Apartheid movement and in Friends of the Earth. Demonstrations against cuts to NUS grants in 1978 and against increased fees for overseas students in December 1979 at which a black student was arrested are covered. In addition, there is a report about student concerns about plans by the National Front to hold a rally in Digbeth in February 1978. There are a number of articles about the accidental smallpox outbreak at the University Medical School in the summer of 1978 and the publication of the Shooter Committee report on this incident in January 1979.
Redbrick during the 1980s contains a large number of articles about cuts imposed on higher education by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, and student protests against government higher education policy, including a library work in, in November 1981, protests against plans to abolish student grants in November 1984 and a march against the introduction of student loans in February 1987, protests against cuts to university departments and courses, including the axing of the Minerals Engineering degree in 1983 and continued cuts in 1986 and 1987. Student opposition to the Education Reform Bill is a major theme in 1988, and there is coverage of the proposed poll tax from December 1987. There is also widespread concern about high unemployment rates and cuts to the NHS during the early 1980s. It is clear by this date that the Guild now took an official stance against racism and sexism, and there are a number of articles relating to Guild support for the Anti-Apartheid Movement. There is increased coverage of international politics, and a strong focus on nuclear disarmament and the influence of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on campus during the early 1980s. Redbrick includes articles in support of the 1984-1985 Miners strike, and gives information about AIDS in January 1987. There appear to be growing concerns about student safety both on campus and at halls of residence sites during the mid 1980s following attacks on female students. There is also coverage of complaints by local residents in Selly Oak about the behaviour of students living in private rented accommodation in the area, culminating in the formation of a residents group in May 1987. Redbrick changed from newspaper to magazine format again in September 1988, allowing for much greater content. In addition to news articles, sports coverage, and regular features including letters, editorial comment, cartoons and features, there was a substantial arts section containing reviews of books, records and live concert. This slant towards features and arts was intentional. There are a number of interviews with politicians, largely from the Labour Party, a number of features on national newspapers with a bias at times verging on obsession with reporting of news stories by tabloid newspapers, and features on Spitting Image and Viz in December 1988. There are a number of general social comment articles including features on prostitution in Balsall Heath in February 1991 and the sex industry in Selly Oak in December 1992, and a regular feature on prisoners of conscience. International political developments including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 1991 Gulf War are discussed, including the publication of an analysis of students feelings about the war on 31 January 1991. There are also articles about the 1988 and 1992 American presidential elections, continuing civil unrest in Northern Ireland, and the AIDS epidemic. Opposition to government policy, particularly to Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, and the Criminal Justice Bill in 1994, is stated. There is evidence of a growing interest in ecology, and dominant concerns about students immediate environment include significant coverage of attacks on students both on campus and in the area around the university and relations between students and the local community in Selly Oak. There is a feature on the new International Convention Centre in May 1991 and a guide to gay nightlife in Birmingham in May 1993. Redbrick returned to a newspaper format in October 1994, though the proportion of news, features, sports and arts coverage remained the same. There is also continued coverage of Carnival and Guild elections. BUGS was integrated with Redbrick from 1995 and included news about student societies and listings for Guild events. It survived as B15 in 2001 and Bugged in 2002, but seems to have ceased to exist later in the 2000s. Redbrick articles during the 1990s focus on the increase in violent crime against students in Selly Oak, growing tensions with local residents as more houses in the area became occupied by students and intervention by the local MP, Lynne Jones, who became involved in a residents group formed as a reaction to late night noise and alcohol related incidents in November 1998. Members of the Guild took part in protests against student hardship and tuition fees in 1996 and 1997, and there were concerns about rising hall fees and substandard student accommodation, with news reports about the pressure to build more private halls of residence in Selly Oak in 1999. The launch of the Advice and Representation Centre at the Guild was reported in September 1996, and the newspaper began to be printed in colour on the front and back pages from this date. The Labour election victory of May 1997 and Tony Blair's visit to the Barber Institute are covered, as is the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. There are reports about the start of work on the new Bullring centre, and the merger of Westhill College and the University in November 1998. Plans for a Selly Oak relief road are discussed in 1995 and again in 1999.
News reports in the 2000s cover the Queen's visit for the centenary of the University in May 2000, concerns about a potential merger between the University of Birmingham and the University of Aston from November 2000 to March 2001, the announcement of the closure of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies in 2002 amid concerns about cuts to higher education funding, and ongoing coverage throughout the decade of opposition to increased tuition fees. There is a special report on the Browne Review which recommended lifting the cap on tuition fees in October 2010. Other dominant themes include the issue of student accommodation, with the announcement of the proposed demolition of the Vale halls of residence in 1999, the conversion of University House into the Business School in 2002, the sale of Manor House in 2007, and the rebuilding of Mason Hall in 2005, all of which resulted in a temporary shortage of accommodation for first year students in October 2006, with some staying in city centre hotels, and more students were drawn towards private halls of residence in Selly Oak, particularly in the context of complaints over the poor standard of accommodation in the remaining Vale halls of residence, which resulted in the closure of the Eden wing of Chamberlain Hall in December 2006. Other news articles continued to report on tensions between students and local residents in Selly Oak, including coverage of threats to the Guild's licence as a result of resident complaints about anti-social behaviour in 2001 and 2003. Violence, including sexual assaults, against students in Selly Oak also continued to be a concern. Student attitudes towards potential and actual industrial action by support staff in 2000 and by academic staff in 2004 and 2006, and cuts to courses in the School of Education and the Selly Oak campus in 2005, the closure of the Sociology department in 2009, and more general threats to courses and departments as a result of cuts to higher education funding in 2011, are also reported. There is coverage of the decision by Hospitality and Accommodation Services catering to withdraw from the Guild in May 2006 and of the referendum on the future of the Guild in January 2008 following legislation in the Charity Bill 2006 which resulted in the Guild becoming a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and the reform of the constitution. The Guild refurbishment of 2009 and the restructure of the University with the introduction of the new College structure in 2008 are discussed, and there are increasing articles about the difficult job situation for graduates from 2009 onwards. National and international news is discussed, including the 2001 election, the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, and student involvement in anti-war demonstrations from 2001 to the start of the Iraq war in 2003, Barack Obama's election victory in November 2008, and protests against Israeli action in Gaza in January 2009. Regular items during the late 2000s and early 2010s include news, features, film television and music reviews, arts and culture items, lifestyle features, and sports coverage.
A comprehensive index for issues of the student newspaper, Redbrick, for the academic year 1962-1963 is available as a pdf document. Click on the link in the document field in the collection description UB/GUILD
Digital copies of issues of Redbrick September 1962 to June 1972 are available as multipage pdf documents online. Click on the link in the url field in the collection description UB/GUILD or on the link in the url field at UB/GUILD/F/5/1, UB/GUILD/F/5/2, or UB/GUILD/F/5/3 |
| Administrative History | Guild News was renamed Redbrick in Autumn 1962. It was published on a weekly basis in the 1960s, but was published fortnightly for a period in 1975, continuing until the 1990s. As of 2011 it is published weekly during term time. It is part funded by the Guild but is editorially independent |