Camberwell School of Art
Foundation date: 10 January 1898
Function: Art school
Policy: The first school prospectus from 1898 describes the 'special object' of the school as being 'to encourage the industrial application of decorative design'. It continues to discuss how the school 'should not supplant apprenticeship - it is rather intended that it should supplement it by enabling its students to learn design and those branches of their craft which, owing to the sub-division of processes of production, they are unable to learn in the workshop'. Note that identical wording is used to describe the Central School of Arts and Crafts and it's first prospectus from 1896-1897.
The school offered day and evening classes from its foundation. In 1898 evening classes were offered in drawing and design, life class, black and white costume class, modelling and casting, architectural design, cabinet design, embroidery, wood carving, masonry and stone carving, plasterers' work, and house painting and decorating. Day classes were offered in life drawing, modelling, wood carving, and embroidery.
A number of classes were added in September 1904; these included day classes in jewellery and silversmiths' work, and evening classes in stained glass and decorative iron work. Evening classes in jewellery and silversmithing were added in Septmeber 1905. Evening pottery classes were offered from September 1907 onwards, and modelling classes were also listed under the department of Architecture, Building and Decoration of Buildings from this date.
Modelling classes and related subjects:
Students could take modelling classes from the school's foundation in 1898. Students studying architecture, decorating, cabinet-making and carving were advised to take modelling classes. Separate classes in wood carving, cabinet making, and masonry and stone carving were also offered to students.
Students could attend day and evening modelling classes.
From 1902-1903 a more detailed description of the evening modelling classes is given in the prospectuses. Instruction was given in life modelling, modelling from the cast, modelling the figure, ornament, foliage and drapery,and modelling and design in relation to stone carving, wood carving and plaster work.
In the 1903-1904 prospectus three different types of modelling class are listed. The 'Modelling Class' (day and evening class - this later became the 'Modelling Design' class), 'Modelling Life Class' (evening class), and 'Modelling Class for Carvers and Plasterers' (evening class). The modelling class is described as being for 'the advancement of students engaged daily in various occupations, such as carvers, modellers for pottery, silver, iron, terra cotta, etc.' The course gave instruction in modelling of floral forms, modelling plants from nature, and 'copying good historical examples and adapting designs from the same'. The modelling class for carvers and plasterers gave instruction in 'modelling simple ornament forms and patterns in clay or wax, and in copying from the cast leaves and plant forms in both high and low relief'. Students also produced their own designs from flowers and foliage.
Metal work classes were taught from 1922-23. It is noted in a Joint Advisory Sub-Committee Report of the 29 June, 1923, that the school were considering the re-organisation of the modelling class. The report states that 'since the life modelling class has been withdrawn from the school curriculum, it has been found that to continue the modelling class for sculpture purposes is of little use, as there is such a limited demand for this branch of work. The pressing need of the school is for modelling linked up with pottery. There is a very strong pottery class and the students must have a knowledge of modelling for their work'. The committee recommended that the modelling class was re-organised to include pottery modelling in addition to ordinary modelling, and that that a new teaching post would be advertised to accommodate this. In 1946-7, the number of staff teaching sculpture was increased.
History or description: The school was set up by the Technical Education Board of the London County Council.
The 'Report of the Advisory Committee', 19 June, 1946, records the student numbers for the school. The enrolement figures for 1938-1939 were 75 juniors, 34 seniors nad 1041 part-time day and evening students, with a total of 1150 students. This rose in 1945-1946 to 125 juniors, 161 senoirs, and 1105 part-time day and evening students, with a total of 1389 students.
Employees, Students & Members
Numbers: 1150
Period Start: 1938
Period End: 1939
Numbers: 328
Period Start: 1941
Period End: 1942
Numbers: 443
Period Start: 1942
Period End: 1943
Numbers: 569
Period Start: 1943
Period End: 1944
Numbers: 505
Period Start: 1944
Period End: 1945
Numbers: 1389
Period Start: 1945
Period End: 1946
Associated People
Principals included Cecil Laurence Burns
September 1898 - July 1899
Principals included William Bower Dalton
September 1899 - 1919
Principals included Stanley Thorogood
September 1920 - June 1938
In 1928-1929 and 1929-1930, Thorogood also taught day classes in modelling from life and ornament.
Principals included William Johnstone
September 1938 - June 1947
Principals included L.J. Daniels
September 1948
Daniels is still listed as Principal in the 1951-1952 prospectus, the final year sampled for this project.
Students included Peter Stoodley
1947 - 1948
Geoff Hassell notes that Stoodley was taught by Jacob Drew, and studied pottery and bookbinding from 1947-1948: see Geoff Hassell, 'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts', (1995), p. 164.
Students included Rosemary Young
1947 - 1948
Geoff Hassell notes that Young studied under W. M. Coldstream from 1947 to 1948: see 'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts', (1995), p. 182.
Students included Sally Arnup
1948 - 1951
Sculpture student under Karrel Vogel. See G. Hassell, 'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts', (1995), p. 30.
Students included Alan Thornhill
1949 - 1951
Geoff Hassell notes that Thornhill studied pottery under R. H. Kendall for two years: see G. Hassell, 'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts', (1995), p. 168.
Teachers included Mary G. Houston
Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, Headmaster's Annual Report, p. 6.
'The Headmaster has pleasure in recording the gift to the school of a copy of a book on Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine costume', by Mary G. Houston, presented by the author for the school library. Miss Houston was a student of the School and is now on staff of Camberwell School of Art'. Dec. 1932.
Teachers included A. Young
September 1898
Listed as a teacher of casting.
Teachers included George Collins
September 1898 - July 1913
Listed as a teacher of plasterers' work. From 1900 onwards Collins is listed as teacher of plasterers' work and ornamental plastering. Last listed as a teacher in the 1912-1913 prospectus.
Teachers included F.E. Walker
September 1898 - January
Listed as a teacher of cabinet making.
Teachers included Charles James Pibworth
September 1903 - June 1917
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling design.
From 1913 onwards Pibworth is listed as a teacher of day classes in modelling and evening classes in modelling from life. He is last listed in the 1916-1917 prospectus.
Teachers included W. Hames
1903 - July 1905
Listed as a teacher of elementry evening classes in masonry. Last listed in the 1904-1905 prospectus.
Teachers included G.H. Cowell
September 1904 - July 1907
Listed as a teacher of day classes in jewellery and silversmiths' work. In 1906-1907 Cowell is also listed as a teacher evening classes in ornamental iron work. He is last listed in the 1906-1907 prospectus.
Teachers included W. Aikman
September 1904
Listed as a teacher of stained glass work.
Teachers included William Thomas Pollinger
September 1905
Listed as a teacher of practical masonry.
Teachers included W.H. Meggs
September 1906 - July 1907
Listed in the 1906-1907 prospectus as a teacher of day classes in jewellery and silversmiths' work, and of evening classes in metal work design.
Teachers included Frederick James Partridge
September 1907 - July 1909
Listed as a teacher of day classes in jewellery design and making, and of evening classes in jewellery making. Last listed in the 1908-1909 prospectus.
Teachers included Albert J. Wilkins
September 1907 - June 1940
Listed as a teacher of day classes in silversmithing, and of evening classes in large silversmiths' work and small iron work. From 1922 onwards Wilkins also taught day and evening classes in metal work.
From 1927-1928 Wilkins is listed as teacher of day and evening classes in metal work, jewellery and enamelling.
Teachers included Richard Lunn
September 1908 - June 1915
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery.
Teachers included J.H.M. Bonnor
September 1910 - June 1915
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in jewellery work.
Teachers included Newbury Abbot Trent
September 1912
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling design.
Teachers included A. G. Stay
September 1914 - June 1917
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in plasterers' work in the School of Architecture, Building Construction and Decoration of Buildings.
Teachers included Alfred George Hopkins
September 1915 - June 1939
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery.
Teachers included Walter Stoye
September 1916 - June 1917
Listed as 'W. Stove' (sic) teacher of evening classes in jewellery. It is presumed this is a reference to Walter Stoye.
Teachers included J. Miller
September 1920 - June 1935
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in plaster work.
Teachers included Henry Loveday Hopkins
September 1920 - June 1950
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery with his brother, Alfred George Hopkins. From 1939-1940 onwards Henry taught day and evening classes in pottery.
Note that Hopkins is not listed between 1940-1941 and 1945-1946. He is listed again as teacher of Saturday day classes in pottery and modelling in 1946-1947, and of day classes during the week from 1947-1948 onwards.
Teachers included Jessamine Stella Bray
August 1925 - June 1938
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in pottery. Bray taught the evening class only from 1934-1935 onwards.
Teachers included G.F. Ford
September 1927 - June 1929
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in plaster work.
Teachers included F. Richards
September 1930 - June 1934
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery.
Teachers included J.R. Cole
September 1933 - June 1937
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery.
Teachers included E. Cornell
September 1935 - June 1940
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling and plastering.
Teachers included W. Norton
September 1937 - June 1946
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery.
Teachers included R. Ginn
September 1938 - June 1939
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in plastering.
Teachers included P.J. Holdsworth
September 1947
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery. In 1949-1950 Holdsworth is listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in pottery. He is still listed in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year that was sampled for this database.
Teachers included H.M. French
September 1947
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery. French is still listed as a teacher in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers included L.A. Galvin
September 1947
Listed as teacher of evening classes in silversmithing. Galvin is still listed as a teacher in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers included H.A. Jordan
September 1947 - June 1951
Listed as teacher of evening classes in jewellery making. Jordan is still listed as a teacher in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers included D. Wilmott
September 1947 - September
Listed as a teacher of pottery. Wilmott is still listed in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this project.
Teachers included J.O. Hall
September 1949 - June 1950
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in pottery.
Teachers included R.H. Kendall
September 1949
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in pottery. In 1950-1951 onwards Kendal is also listed as a senior assistant in the Department of Design and Crafts. He is still listed as a 'lecturer' in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year to be sampled for this database.
Teachers included D. Leach
September 1949 - June 1950
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery.
Teachers included G.N. Monk
September 1949
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery design. From 1950 onwards, Monk is listed as a head of the Department of Design and Crafts. He is still listed in this position in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year to be sampled for this database.
Teachers included C. Clark
September 1949
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery.
Teachers included H. Purdie
September 1951
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in pottery in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers included Valerie Prescott
September 1951 (Presumed) - June 1952 (Presumed)
Geoff Hassell notes that Prescott taught pottery at the school for one year: see G. Hassell, \'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts\', (1995), p. 140.
Teachers included N. Braden
September 1951
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers of architecture included F. Clayton
September 1929 - June 1930
Listed as a teacher of day classes in pottery.
Teachers of modeling included Albert Arthur Toft
1898 - July 1908
Listed as a teacher of modelling. From 1903 onwards Toft is listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling design, modelling and modelling from life. Toft is last listed in the 1907-1908 prospectus.
Teachers of modeling included Gilbert William Bayes
September 1906 - July 1912
Listed as a teacher of day classes in 'Modelling - Life and Design'. From 1908 onwards Bayes is also listed as teacher of evening classes in life modelling. Bayes is last listed as a teacher in the 1911-1912 prospectus.
Teachers of modeling included W. Norton
September 1917 - June 1946
Listed as a teacher of day classes in modelling life and ornament from September 1917 to June 1919. Norton is listed again from Summer 1940 onwards as a teacher of morning and evening classes in modelling.
Teachers of modeling included Allan Gairdner Wyon
September 1918 - June 1923
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling from life and ornament.
Teachers of modeling included Charles Vyse
September 1925 - June 1930
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling and pottery modelling.
Teachers of modeling included Harry Parr
September 1930 - June 1940
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in modelling for potters and sculptors.
Teachers of modeling included Thomas Bayley
September 1930 - June 1940
Listed as a teacher of day classes in modelling from life and modelling, carving and letter cutting. Bayley also taught evening classes in 'modelling for carvers'. From 1931-1932 onwards Bayley also taught evening classes in 'carving' (presumably wood or stone carving).
Teachers of modeling included Jacob Drew
September 1946 - June 1949
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in pottery and modelling. From 1947-1948 onwards, Drew also taught the day classes in pottery. In 1948-1949 Drew is also listed as 'senior assistant' to the Principal.
Teachers of modeling included Ralph Nuttall-Smith
September 1947 - May 1948
Listed as a teacher of Saturday day and evening classes, and week day evening classes in modelling and sculpture.
Note that Geoff Hassell adds that Nuttall-Smith joined the Camberwell staff in 1949 to teach painting and drawing and held this position until the 1960s: see G. Hassell, \'Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts\', (1995), p. 133.
Teachers of modeling included S. Sheppard
September 1947
Listed as a teacher of Saturday day and evening classes, and week day evening classes in modelling and sculpture. In 1949-1950 Sheppard taught day classes and is the only listed tutor of evening modelling and sculpture classes. Sheppard is still listed as a teacher in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Teachers of modeling included D.M. Burn
September 1947
Listed as a teacher of Saturday day and evening classes, and week day evening classes in modelling and sculpture. From 1949-1950 Burn taught day classes only. He is still listed in the 1951-1952 proscpectus, which is the final year sampled for this project.
Teachers of modeling included Aileen Muriel Hoey
September 1948 - June 1949
Listed as a teacher of day and evening classes in modelling and sculpture.
Teachers of modeling included Karel Vogel
September 1948
Listed as a teacher of week day classes in sculpture and modelling. From 1949-1950 onwards, Vogel is listed as a teacher of day classes in sculputure and modelling, and as 'senior assistant in charge' of the modelling and sculpture department.
Teachers of modeling included Lesley Cubit Bevis
September 1948
Listed as a teacher of week day classes in sculpture and modelling. Bevis is still listed as a teacher in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the last year sampled for this project.
Teachers of modeling included J. Martin
September 1950 - June 1951
Listed as a teacher of modelling and sculpture.
Teachers of modeling included M. Hilton
September 1951
Listed as a teacher of modelling and sculpture in the 1951-1952 prospectus - the final year to be sampled for this project.
Teachers of sculpture included C. Wight
September 1946 - June 1948
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in sculpture in 1946-1947, and of additional day classes in sculpture and modelling in 1947-1948.
Teachers of stone carving included W.H. Johnson
1898 - July 1905
Listed as teacher of evening classes in masonry and stone carving. In the 1898 prospectus Johnson is described as an employee of the Westminster Technical Institute and the first prize winner of the East London Trades Exhibition in 1896. From September 1899 onwards he is listed as teacher of building masonry. Last listed in the 1904-1905 prospectus.
Teachers of stone carving included John 'Jack' Linehan
September 1900 - June 1930
Listed as teacher of modelling and design for carvers and plasterers, day classes in wood carving and stone carving, and evening classes in stone carving.
From 1904 he is listed as a teacher of day classes in wood carving and modelling, and of evening classes in modelling design for carvers and stone carving.
From 1907 as teacher of day classes in wood carving, and of evening classes in stone carving and modelling for plasterers and gilders. From 1915 Linehan is also listed as a teacher of evening classes in wood carving and gilding.
Teachers of woodcarving included Campbell
1898 - July 1900
Listed as teacher of day classes in woodcarving. Last listed in the 1899-1900 prospectus.
Teachers of woodcarving included William Aumonier Junior
1898 - July 1905
Listed as teacher of evening classes in wood carving. From 1903 onwards listed as teacher of evening classes in wood carving and gilding. Last listed in the 1904 to 1905 prospectus.
Teachers of woodcarving included Frederic Stuttig
September 1903 - June 1912
Listed as a teacher of evening classes in wood carving and gilding.
Teachers of woodcarving included L. Walker
September 1914
Listed as a teacher of day classes in 'woodwork for teachers' in 1914-1915, and of cabinet making classes for apprentices in 1915-1916.
Teachers of woodcarving included G. Dixon
September 1951
Listed as a teacher of woodwork classes in cabinet making and model making in the 1951-1952 prospectus, which is the final year sampled for this database.
Sources
A Century of Art Education in the Potteries. With notes on the Artists, 1953 Local Studies
1953 (Circa)
p. 32.
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Its Students and Teachers 1943-1960, 1995 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Prospectuses
1995
pp. 1-239.
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Timetable, 1948-1949 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Prospectuses
1948
pp. 1-24.
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Timetable, 1949-1950 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Prospectuses
1949
pp. 1-18.
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus, 1950-1951 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Prospectuses
1950
pp. 1-12.
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus, 1951-1952 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Prospectuses
1951
pp. 1-22.
Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin. Headmaster's Report for the Session 1931-1932 Headmaster's Annual Reports
p. 6. 'The Headmaster has pleasure in recording the gift to the school of a copy of a book on Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine costume, by Mary G. Houston, presented by the author for the school library. Miss Houston was a student of the School and is now on staff of Camberwell School of Art'.
Report of the Joint Advisory Sub-Committee of the London County Council Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, 29 June 1923 Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts Reports
29 June 1923
pp. 1-2.
Citing this record
'Camberwell School of Art', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib4_1222268788, accessed 27 Sep 2023]
