What's in a name? From the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge to the University of Lancashire

As UCLan becomes the University of Lancashire, it will be the seventh name the institution has had since its origins almost 200 years ago, each change marking a new phase in its history, writes Keith Vernon.

- Keith Vernon.

When founded in 1828, the original name chosen was the the highly distinctive Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge (IDK).

It was novel in that, through the 1820S, a swathe of similar institutions was being established across the country, usually called mechanics institutes and named after their home town.

Although also aimed primarily at skilled workers, to offer lectures, classes and access to a library, the founders of the IDK hoped that a broader title would appeal beyond a specific social and occupational group.

This, more inclusive, approach helped the IDK to become an established feature of Preston's educational, social and cultural world. The first change came in 1882, when the IDK became the Harris Institute, after the wealthy Preston solicitor Edmund Robert Harris.

Dying without issue, Harris bequeathed an enormous sum to the care of his trustees to support a range of worthy causes. One of these was to provide a free public library.