research in Victorian art, architecture and literature, including a taught MA under the Department of English. It is also used to teach students from departments including history, geography, drama and media arts.
Between 1993 and 1995, in order to fund the maintenance of Founder's, three of the most valuable paintings were sold for a total of £21m, a Turner fetching £11m on its own. The principal at the time, Dorothy Wedderburn, began the sale process which was completed by her successor,
Norman Gowar. The paintings were a Turner ("Van Tromp going about to please his Masters, Ships at Sea, getting a good wetting" c.1844); a Constable ("A Sketch for View on the Stour, nr Dedham" c.1821/2) and a Gainsborough ("Peasants going to Market: Early Morning" c.1770). The remaining paintings had a current value of £16.6 million in 2014. The Turner is now in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. There are no figures available for the Herringham collection.
== Student life ==
=== Students' union ===
The Royal Holloway Students' Union (RHSU) actively represents and provides a service for the needs and interests of all students studying at Royal Holloway. It is claimed to have "a reputation as one of the best unions in the London area", in the words of The Independent. The students' union provides much of the on-campus entertainment, organising and sponsoring the sport clubs and special-interest societies, on top of providing welfare advice to students through the Student Advice Centre.
The students' union runs general meetings, which provide an opportunity to discuss issues, make student announcements and engage in lively debate. Whilst representatives are elected to sit on and run a General Meeting, any student is eligible to attend, vote and have their say. The direction and development of the students' union is the responsibility of the trustee board, which is made up of two student trustees, one college trustee, three external trustees and four student sabbatical officers, consisting of the president, and vice …
