THE great and the good of Ruskin College gathered outside their new building in Headington to lay its foundation stone.

In a ceremony attended by students and academics, the stone was laid by Joe Callaghan, a student at the Oxford college and grandson of the man who gave his name to the library the building will contain – former Prime Minister James Callaghan, who led the country from 1975 until 1979.

Joe Callaghan said: “It was a really great day and it was really humbling. My grandfather would have been proud.”

His father Mike Callaghan added: “It is hard to think of anything which would have given my father more pleasure than to know that a library at Ruskin College is being established in his name.”

The £17m project to develop the Dunstan Road campus also includes the refurbishment of a Grade II listed building and restoration of a walled garden.

College principal Prof Audrey Mullender said: “At a time when further and higher education feature heavily in the media, but for largely negative reasons connected with public funding cuts, it is good to have such a happy event to celebrate.

“It’s very exciting time for Ruskin College and we look forward to going from strength to strength.”