accepted so quickly by the farming community. Rather than entrust the new college's farm to Hall's team the governors chose to run it themselves with the help of a bailiff. It was not until Frank Baybrook Smith briefly joined the college to teach agriculture that the governors felt sufficiently confident in the academic team to relinquish direct control of the college farm. Between 1892 and 1894, the existing buildings were extensively refurbished at a cost of £18,000; a lecture theatre (Old Lecture Theatre) was abutted to the Parlour repurposed as a library, and biological laboratory (Lecture Room A) constructed north west of the cloister range. Original accomodation to the south of the cloister housed the principal. A chemistry laboratory was arranged in the Wheelroom, and housekeeping wing formed between it and the cloister range to service a refectory in the Old Hall. First floor space north of the cloister, and above the new biological laboratory and housekeeping wing, provided 20 student rooms. Others were to be accommodated in village houses. Entomologist of independent means, Frederick Theobald joined the opening college as lecturer in agricultural zoology, and later became vice-principal. He remained at Wye throughout his career. Theobald's work transitioned a discipline that had been a matter of simply collecting insects to the study of damage they did to crops and how to mitigate it. He spent much of his time curating economic zoology and mosquito collections at the British Museum, and ceased lecturing at Wye from 1920 in favour of agricultural extension. Theobald's research on mosquitos and tropical sanitation earned him international recognition including the Order of Osmanieh and Mary Kingsley Medal. He lived at Wye Court until death in 1930, his coffin carried from there by former colleagues and students to Wye Church for burial. In its early years only about a fifth of the South Eastern Agricultural College student intake was for three year qualifications. Others undertook short, more applied instruction for two year diplomas, or leading to a single year certificate. Short courses were provided, for instance to local school teachers tasked with instructing their pupils in nature topics. As well as teaching and research, academics and other staff at the South Eastern Agricultural College, throughout its existence, provided agricultural extension services to farmers and growers in the south-east of England. Hall gave book-keeping and other advice to the Guinness hop farms; Ernest Stanley Salmon helped hop