Forging the Future with the White Heat of the Past? Legacies of ‘the Tech’, and the Making of the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, 1966–74

The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) was created for the advancement of technical education in post-war Britain. Born of an existing technical college, fondly known as ‘the Tech’, UMIST represented optimism and Manchester’s prominent position in the ‘white heat’ epoch. Historians have recognised the political and personal role of the first principal, Vivian Bowden, in the expansion of UMIST in Manchester’s metropolitan and intellectual landscapes. Alongside colleagues and councillors, Bowden selectively harnessed Manchester’s scientific reputation and industrial heritage to forge the future. The purpose of this article is to contextualise this and understand how historical narratives and acts of commemoration aided the rapid expansion of UMIST in Manchester’s educational and civic realms. Considering the relationship of key actors with concepts of the past, present and future of technology underlines the significance of attitudes towards ‘the Tech’ in this process.