The left-hand portrait dates from when Frank was a pupil at Charterhouse aged about 15. The right-hand photograph was taken at Oxford University while he was an undergraduate at Magdalen College from 1891. He graduated during the summer of 1894 in Natural Science, specialising in Chemistry.
This enormous canvas (top) by Percy Gleaves (1882-1944) hangs on the landing of Singleton Abbey, having recently been restored.
Before laying the foundation stone (bottom left), King George V presents the Royal Charter to Frank Gilbertson, first President of the University College of Swansea. The foundation stone was subsequently “lost” in the Swansea Corporation yard for 17 years [15, p. 89] until it was re-laid in the wall of the 1937 Library (bottom right), the first purpose-built permanent building to be constructed on the campus.
The hefty chains holding the stone suggest industrial heavy engineering – not inappropriate to the founders of the institution. The sunny parkland setting and rather naive style of the painting add to the air of symbolism.
