The West Ham Technical Institute was opened in Water Lane, Stratford, in 1900

The foundation stone of the West Ham Municipal Technical Institute - as it was first called -  was laid on 29th October, 1898 by the Mayor of West Ham, Alderman W Crow, J.P., and the opening ceremony performed two years later by John Passmore Edwards. The building is in the Modern Renaissance style and, when built, was considered one of the finest in that style.  Illustrations of it were used in architecture books of the day.

At its foundation, the college provided courses  in Science, Engineering and Art and had  a Women's Department. Day secretarial courses for girls were added in 1906 with a Trade School for girls  in 1912.  A Junior Engineering School for Boys was set up in 1913 and a Junior School of Arts & Crafts  in 1914.  A broad range of evening classes  were also provided.  The College also established its own internal degree courses in science and engineering.

 It became became the West Ham Municipal college in 1921 and latterly, West Ham College of Technology. It then became the West Ham precinct of the North East London Polytechic and then part of the University of East London, when the Polytechic  was granted university status in 1992.