Students and ex-students of the College have formed a substantial proportion of the population of New Cross.

The Goldsmiths Company Technical and Recreative Institute was founded by the Company in 1891 to provide technical and liberal education in south east London.

It became Goldsmiths College in 1905, with teacher training added to its functions, and became a full College of the University of London in 1987. Its School of Art had a high reputation.