Sir James Craig meets with representatives of the Assembly’s College at his house at Cabin Hill to discuss the Parliament’s rental of the Assembly’s College in depth.
In ArchiveLetter
The Chair of the Assembly’s College Trustees wrote to Professor Paul, one of the Magee Faculty, the other Presbyterian training College at the time, to explain developments in ongoing discussions with Parliamentary representatives.
“Garthowen,
Sans Souci Park
Park, Belfast 16th June 1921.
Dear Professor Paul
Since the Assembly there have been some fresh developments in regard to the Assembly’s College Buildings. We have reason to believe that the Government would rather have our Building for the meetings of the Ulster Parliament for about three years until a permanent building is erected, than any others in Belfast. They would be prepared to pay a generous rent though of course we have not so far as to have any sum named: but at any rate enough to enable us to take good premises for Class Rooms adjacent to the University and perhaps also for boarding our Students, they would undertake also to put the premises into first rate order.
Before we take any step or come to any decision in the matter the Trustees thought it well that I should write to you not in an official way to ask whether you and the friends who are working with you in this matter would think that such an arrangement as is sketched above would be a serious hindrance to the carrying out of the amalgamation we are all so anxious for.
The chief reason with us for hesitating about entering into negotiations is lest it should prejudice our negotiations for union.
We see, as we are sure you will also see, that there would be certain advantages to the proposed united College in accepting such offer as we believe may be made to us, but we are anxious to put the matter before you at the earliest possible moment so as to know your mind before proceeding further.”
Owned by Union Theological College. Image used with permission from Union Theological College