Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in Bloomsbury London, a constituent college of the federal University of London. Established in 1823 as the London Mechanics' Institute by its founder, Sir George Birkbeck, its supporters, Jeremy Bentham, J. C. Hobhouse and Henry Brougham, Birkbeck is one of the few universities to specialise in evening higher education in the United Kingdom. Birkbeck's main building is based in the area of Bloomsbury in London Borough of Camden in Central London. In partnership with University of East London, Birkbeck has an additional large campus in Stratford, next to the Theatre Royal. Birkbeck offers over 200 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all lectures are given in the evening. Birkbeck's academic activities are organised into five constituent faculties which are subdivided into nineteen departments. Birkbeck, being part of the University of London, shares the University's academic standards and awards University of London degrees.

In common with the other University of London colleges, Birkbeck has secured its own independent degree awarding powers, which were confirmed by the Privy Council in July 2012. The quality of degrees awarded by Birkbeck was confirmed by the UK Quality Assurance Agency following institutional audits in 2005 and 2010. Birkbeck is a member of academic organisations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the European University Association; the university is a member of the Screen Studies Group, London. Research at Birkbeck in 11 subject areas is rated as ‘internationally excellent’ and ‘world leading’ while over 90 percent of Birkbeck academics are research-active. Birkbeck is ranked within the top 350 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020 and QS World University Rankings 2020. Birkbeck has been shortlisted by the Times Higher Education Awards as University of the Year; the university's Centre for Brain Function and Development was awarded The Queen's Anniversary Prize for its brain research in 2005.

Birkbeck's alumni include four Nobel laureates, numerous political leaders, members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and a British prime minister. In 1823, Sir George Birkbeck, a physician and graduate of the University of Edinburgh and an early pioneer of adult education, founded the "London Mechanics' Institute" at a meeting at the Crown and Anchor Tavern on the Strand. More than two thousand people attended; however the idea was not universally popular and some accused Birkbeck of "scattering the seeds of evil."In 1825, two years the institute moved to the Southampton Buildings on Chancery Lane. In 1830, the first female students were admitted. In 1858, changes to the University of London's structure resulting in an opening up of access to the examinations for its degree; the Institute became the main provider of part-time university education. In 1866, the Institute changed its name to the Birkbeck Scientific Institution. In 1885, Birkbeck moved to the Breams Building, on Fetter Lane, where it would remain for the next sixty-seven years.

In 1904, Birkbeck Students' Union was established In 1907, Birkbeck's name was shortened to "Birkbeck College". In 1913, a review of the University of London recommended that Birkbeck become a constituent college, although the outbreak of the First World War delayed this until 1920; the Royal Charter was granted in 1926. In 1921, the college's first female professor, Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, began teaching botany. Other distinguished faculty in the inter-war years included Nikolaus Pevsner, J. D. Bernal, Cyril Joad. During the Second World War, Birkbeck was the only central University of London college not to relocate out of the capital. In 1941, the library suffered a direct hit during The Blitz but teaching continued. During the war the College organised lunch time extramural lectures for the public given by, among others, Joad and Harold Nicolson. In 1952, the college moved to its present location in Malet Street. In 2002, the university was renamed Birkbeck, University of London, having dropped the word College from its branding, but “Birkbeck College, University of London” remains the institution's formal legal name.

In 2003, following a major redevelopment, its Malet Street building was reopened by the Chancellor of the University of London, The Princess Royal. In 2006, Birkbeck announced that it had been granted £5 million by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to expand its provision into east London, working with the University of East London; the partnership is called Birkbeck Stratford. Birkbeck is one of the largest colleges of the University of London not to award its own degrees. Although it has held its own degree awarding powers since 2012, Birkbeck has chosen to hold these in reserve, preferring to award University of London degrees, it offers many continuing education courses leading to certificates and diplomas, foundation degrees, short courses. In 1876, the London Society for the Extension of University Education was founded, boosting the aims of encouraging working people to undertake higher education. In 1988, the Department of Extra-Mural Studies of the University of London was incorporated into Birkbeck, becoming at first the Centre for Extramural Studies.

In 1903, it became the Department of Extra-Mural Studies of the University of London and it was integrated into Birkbeck in 1988 as the School of Continuing Education. In 2009, the Faculty of Lifelong Learning was incorporated into the main College structure. Birkbeck is principally loca

Real Crisps is a crisp brand. The company was founded in 1997, expanded over the following decade to become a business turning over £15 million a year. In 2007, it was purchased by the Northern Ireland based crisp manufacturer Tayto. In 2012, a fire caused the destruction of the 65,000 square feet Real Crisp factory in Crumlin, Caerphilly. There are a range of flavours produced, the company ran a limited edition political themed range prior to the 2010 United Kingdom general election. Real Crisps was founded in 1997, with the intention of manufacturing hand-cooked potato chip for independent retailers and pubs. After a financial investment in 1999, the company changed its name to become Sirhowy Valley Foods, while maintaining Real Crisps as the brand name of the lead product. In August 2005, Real Crisps moved into a new factory in Crumlin, Caerphilly; the new factory, measuring 65,000 square feet, increased the production capacity by 50 percent. This enabled the 90 staff to produce 37,000 cases of crisps per week.

The move was due to demand outstripping the ability to supply at the previous location in Cwmfelinfach. At this point, Real Crisps were the second biggest company behind Kettle Foods in the hand-cooked crisp market within the UK, it had seen turnover increase from £1.3 million in 2001/2 to £5.3 million during 2003/4. The Northern Ireland based crisp manufacturer Tayto purchased Sirhowy Valley Foods in 2007. Contracts had been arranged with British supermarket chains Tescos and Sainsbury's, taking the turnover of the company to £15 million in a year. Following this, Tayto's acquisition of Golden Wonder they became the third biggest crisp manufacturer in the UK; that same year, Real Crisps began to export to France. In September 2012, employee Colin Goulding flicked a lit cigarette inside the Real Crisps factory building in Crumlin; this ignited the 60,000 litres of cooking oil stored in the building. The 20 staff, including both Goulding's parents, inside were evacuated by 60 firefighters who fought the blaze.

The factory was rendered unusable. Staff were offered jobs at Tayto factories in Ireland and England, but few were able to take up those posts and so around 80 jobs were lost as a result of the fire. Goulding was charged arson, pleaded guilty. At Cardiff Crown Court in January 2014, he was sentenced to three months in custody. At sentencing, it was revealed that Goulding had the mental capacity of a 14-year old, the sentencing judge accepted that he had not meant to cause the fire. Regular flavours include Sea Salted, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Strong Cheese & Onion, Roast Ox and Jalapeño Pepper; the packets use a frosted greaseproof material, feature jokes in the design such as the phrase "We don't cut corners. If you find a corner in your packet, let us know." Each flavour has a different character on the bag. In the run up to the 2010 United Kingdom general election, limited edition versions of Sea Salted flavour Real Crisps were released in the colours of the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats.

The idea was that supporters of each party would only buy the relevant coloured bags, giving an impression of the number of voters for each party. However, this caused an outcry from Plaid Cymru supporters. Real Crisps

"Sweeter as the Years Go By" is a Christian hymn written by Lelia N. Morris in 1912, it has been included in 87 hymnals. Its subject-matter is expressed in the refrain: It has been recorded in various gospel, styles. In 1929, it was recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in gospel blues style under the title "Sweeter as the Years Roll By". Sweeter as the Years Go By is a 1990 compilation album of songs recorded by Blind Willie Johnson. 1926 – Homer Rodeheaver, 10" 78rpm single Columbia 1201-D 1927 – William MacEwan, 10" 80rpm single Columbia 4576 and 10" 78rpm single Columbia 2055-D 1929 – Blind Willie Johnson, 10" 78rpm single Columbia 14624-D 1976 – The Chuck Wagon Gang, on the album Looking Away to Heaven 1993 – Dean McNichols, instrumental on the album Studio Organ 1996 – Los Angeles Chapter of the GMWA, on the album Be Encouraged 2005 – Peggy Brown, on the album Good News The following musical items have similar titles to the one, the subject of this article, but are different from it and from each other: 1914 – "Sweeter as the Years Roll By", a hymn by C. Austin Miles with different words and music 1939 – "You Grow Sweeter as the Years Go By", a jazz standard by Johnny Mercer 1998 – "Sweeter as the Years Go By", a song by Jesse Yawn on the album Forevermore 1999 – "Sweeter as the Years Roll By", an accordion tune by James Keane on the album Sweeter as the Years Roll By 2008 – Sweeter as the Years Roll By, a 2008 album by Heaven And