Government School of Practical Art, Wolverhampton

Other names: Wolverhampton School of Practical Art
Foundation date: 1 August 1854
Dissolution date: 1884

Function: Art school

Policy: The school opened on the 1 August 1854. Money was raised through subscriptions for a new building in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton to house the school. In 1860 a resolution was passed in the town council that a rate could be levied under the 'Free Libraries Act' to maintain funding of the school. At a meeting of ratepayers, however, this proposal was rejected and the school continued to be financed by its committee and subscribers. The school provided instruction in drawing and painting and science, however, modelling instruction is not listed. See Jones, 'Historical Sketch', (1897), pp. 147-159.
In a three page document entitled 'Government School of Design' (25 November, 1851) Charles B. Mander (Honorary Secretary) describes the aims of the school. The branches of instruction were to include drawing, modelling (including from the Antique, and from nature), and colouring.
In a single page document recording the 'Inaguration of the Government School of Practical Art for Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire', 18 July, 1854, the school is described as being 'the first erected in England, devoted to the cause of Education in Art and Science.'
The School's 'First Annual Report' lists the professions of students at the school; these included Architects and Surveyors, Moulders and Pattern Makers, etc. The report also lists prizes awarded to students for two dimensional works. Again, there is no indication in this report or in the Second Annual Report that modelling classes were offered to students (see 'Minute Book' (c.1851-1862), p. 85 and p. 93).
The Second Annual Report (July, 1859, in 'Minute Book', 1851) describes the difficulties that the school experienced 'in securing the attendance of the working young men of this town, and it is still a source of regret that they do not avail themselves of the advantages afforded them by this institution to an extent at all proportioned to their numbers.' It continues: 'the efforts of several of the principal manufacturers to induce their apprentices to attend have, in many cases, failed.'

The 1883 'Annual Report of the School of Practical Art' lists 'ladies morning classes', 'afternoon classes for ladies and gentlemen', 'wednesday afternoon classes for pupils attending private schools', and 'evening classes for artisans and others'. Subjects for which students sat local examinations included freehand drawing, model drawing, practical geometry, perspective, solid geometry, machine construction, building construction and advanced examination in still life painting. No classes for modelling are listed in the report.

History or description: The need for a School of Art and Design was first recorded in the school's 'Minute Book' (c.1851-1862) at a general meeting on the 15 December, 1851. The First Annual Report was produced in 1855, and this records the the opening of the school on the 1 August, 1854: see 'Minutes Book' (c.1851-1862), p. 85. This report describes how this was 'the first building erected in this country in connection with the department of art and science, and one of the first efforts to establish a self-supporting school, independent of any pecuniary aid from Government, it was an interesting problem how far it could succeed in its rivalry with those depending mainly for their support upon large annual grants from Government.'
The Eight Annual Report (1862) in 'Minute Book' (c.1851-1862) records the temporary closure of the school and its re-opening under a new committee of management. This was the final report to be produced by the Subscribers to the School. The report attribtes the failure of the School to lack of funding from the Department of Art and Science, South Kensington, London. The report states that 'the ending of the school is due to the parismony which the Department of Science and Art appears invariably to pursue in its treatment of all new schools' and the 'non receipt of aid from government, which was expected'. It also describes how when the school closed at the request of students classes continued with the 'assistance of the master of Dudley school' on a 'limited basis and apart altogether from the former management'. The school was re-opened presumably in the same year (1862) under a new committee of management composed of the Trustees rather than the Subscribers. Jones confirms that 'the work of the school still went on until the new School of Art was built in connection with the Art Gallery in Lichfield Street: see 'Historical Sketch', (1897), p. 159.

Employees, Students & Members

Numbers: 150
Period Start: 1854
Period End: 1855

Numbers: 178
Period Start: 1873
Period End: 1873

Numbers: 283
Period Start: 1882
Period End: 1883

Citing this record

'Government School of Practical Art, Wolverhampton', 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_1242308061, accessed 10 Jun 2023]