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The first recorded account of a meeting of old members of the Polytechnic was published in January 1885. As is the case today 'Old members' were those who had been associated with the Polytechnic Institute for at least five years, so that the OMA is far from being an Association consisting exclusively of senior citizens. The establishment of a formal Association dates from 1899, the aim of the Association being then defined as follows: 'To bring together and keep together the members of the late Hanover Street and Long Acre Institutes, the pioneers of the Polytechnic Institute.' Quintin Hogg, the founder of the Polytechnic, succeeded in creating a unique spirit of cameraderie known colloquially down the years as the Poly spirit, and it can be said that the OMA's endeavour today is to keep that spirit alive through an Association open equally to Poly staff, students and Institute members with the necessary five years membership in one capacity or another. The OMA welcomes young and old, and most of its functions are arranged to enable members to bring their wives, children and/or friends if they wish. The annual subscription is a nominal 25p, payable 1st August.

In the eighty-five years since its foundation the Men's OMA has done many things, a regular yearly event being an annual supper and entertainment, giving an opportunity for old friends to meet one another and perhaps talk over old times. Another regular feature has been visits to places of historic interest, in earlier times arranged through coach outings but now organised for those with cars. Conducted walks around the City of London and other interesting places in the metropolis also feature from time to time in our programme.

The Men's OMA has been for many years responsible for the organisation of the Poly's Annual Children's Party and some members of the OMA's Concert Party active in earlier years still contribute to the entertainment of the children on this occasion. For many years in the post-War period, the OMA, in conjunction with its sister organisation, ran an Old Time Sequence Dance Club in the Poly, and although the original Club no longer exists, Old Time Sequence Dances feature regularly in the OMA programme, with the alternative attraction of Square Dances.

A very popular event is the OMA's Christmas Party, conducted in the old time style, with games, competitions, dancing and entertainment for all the family. Theatre outings to the London Palladium at Christmastime have also been arranged. Indoor functions are held on Saturdays monthly at 309 Regent Street, and outdoor fixtures are normally on Saturdays also.

Source: Exhibition of Clubs and Societies, Regent Street, October 1984.

Club tradition held that the Polytechnic Fencing Society was originally founded in 1883, and there are records of fencing displays taking place at the Polytechnic as early as 1881. However, the Polytechnic Magazine records the first formal meeting of the Fencing Society as having taken place on November 25th 1898, with officers elected including Douglas Hogg as president. As well as holding the presidency Hogg is recorded as having been an active fencer who won the Club Championship in 1899. In 1902 the club was one of the founding constituents of the Amateur Fencing Association.

Membership appears to have fluctuated in the years before the First World War, but in 1918 the club was reconstituted by Captain W. C. James with Major W. B. Marchant as president. By the late 1920s fencing was taking place throughout the year and the club was active in competition. A new constitution was enacted in October 1927 and Sir Kynaston Studd elected President. Notable club members from this time include British champion and Olympian A. E Pelling who was awarded the Studd Trophy in 1934. By 1937 the club had 104 members and was beginning to suffer from overcrowding.

The Second World War disrupted the club's activities, but fencing was quickly resumed at the end of hostilities. In the post-war period the club thrived, particularly with the appointment of the instructor Bela Imregi in the late 1950s. During the 1960s and 1970s the club achieved major competition victories and club members included the Olympians Martin Beevers, John Deanfield, and Stephen Netburn, and Commonwealth champions Richard Cohen, David Eden and Jim Philbin. The club merged with the Polytechnic Ladies Fencing club in 1972.

PSI was formed in 1978 through the merger of Political and Economic Planning (PEP, established in 1931) and the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (CSSP, established in 1972). In January 1998, PSI became a wholly-owned subsidiary company of the University of Westminster, fully merging with the University in April 2009. The Institute retains its name, and continues to undertake the policy-relevant, high quality research for which it has always been noted.

A history of the PSI was produced on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in 2006: http://www.psi.org.uk/pdf/PSIbrochure.pdf

The earliest mention of "Mr. Scott Durant's Reading Circle" is in the 27 September 1893 issue of the Polytechnic Magazine, when it mentions that they will be using the Cavendish Hall on Wednesday.

The Reading Circle covered authors such as Shakespeare and Thomas Carlyle, and its members presented papers on the themes and historical background of the works they were reading. There were also regular social activities and trips, including those organised by the Polytechnic Touring Association.

The last mention of the Reading Circle in the Polytechnic Magazine is in 1909. The 1932 obituary of Mr W Scott-Durrant in the Magazine states that "Few but the oldest of our members will remember Mr. Scott-Durrant, who organised and, with marked ability, presided over the 'Literary Society'. It was he who continued the course of Sunday afternoon lectures on 'Egypt' which were being given by our Founder, Mr. Ouintin Hogg, and which were left unfinished at his death."