Webinar on "The History of Bradlaugh Hall Lahore" by Mr. Andrew Whitehead

The faculty of 4th Year Urban Design Studio organized a Webinar on "The History of Bradlaugh Hall Lahore" by Mr. Andrew Whitehead. Mr. Whitehead is Historian, Lecturer, and Freelance Journalist who worked with BBC World Service News for 35 years as a presenter, editor and correspondent. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham; teaches American undergraduates in London for Global Education Oregon, and is a visiting Professor at the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai South India.
Brief Summary of the Talk:
In the lecture, he talked about the revolutionary movements associated with the Bradlaugh Hall and why the Hall was named after Charles Bradlaugh. Bradlaugh was seen as a 'Friend of India' for his secular ideologies as he supported the idea of India being independent of the British Raj and was very vocal about the wrongdoings of the British in the Indian subcontinent. Mr. Whitehead showed the original bust made of bronze stolen from the grave of Charles Bradlaugh which is now in his possession as he bought it from an auction. The lecture also highlighted the Communist movements in India and how Bradlaugh Hall was a meeting place for all the free and secular thinkers. In conclusion, Mr. Whitehead talked about Bradlaugh being a controversial figure in Britain and how his life was portrayed in the West which was not always true. Finally, it came as a surprise to him that this building in Lahore is still called Bradlaugh Hall even after all the Nationalist narratives prevailing in Pakistan.
The lecture was followed by 15 min. Q&A session ended with a Thank You note from COMSATS Lahore Department of Architecture Faculty and Students.