Lambeth School of Art

Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by Reverend William Gregory. In 1879 it became the South London Technical School of Art. In 1937 it changed its name to the City and Guilds of London Art School.

Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by the Reverend Robert Gregory as a night school in rooms occupied during the day by a National School in his parish of St Mary the Less. With the support of Henry Cole who supplied Gregory with teachers, the school flourished and became a leader in the provision of instruction in applied art and design to working artisans, many of whom were employed by local manufacturing firms. The rapid expansion of the school led to the need for new premises, and in 1860 Albert, Prince of Wales (Edward VII) laid the foundation stone for new premises in Millers Lane, built on the site of the Vauxhall Gardens as part of a redevelopment that included St Peter's church. The buildings are still standing, although the road is now called St Oswald’s Place.

Soon after John Charles Lewis Sparkes started teaching at Lambeth in 1857, he began to cultivate a connection between the school and Henry Doulton's neighbouring pottery works. In 1863 Henry Doulton joined the school's board of management and in 1864 he gave the school its first commission, for a terracotta frieze for the pottery's new extension. Doulton forged a strong relationship with the school, exhibiting experimental works by students at the 1867 Paris Exhibition and the 1871 London Exhibition. From about 1869, Sparkes and his staff developed a curriculum that trained students for the pottery trade, and to carry out design work for Doulton. The continuing collaboration provided Royal Doulton with a supply of higher-quality artwork for its trade, and gave students at Lambeth School of Art employment opportunities. Many noted English modelers and sculptors owe their careers to this partnership.

In 1879 John Sparkes secured the involvement of the newly founded City and Guilds of London Institute, which received financial backing from 16 Livery Companies, in the Lambeth School of Art. The new backing secured the financial future of the school. Under the new arrangement, the life, design and modelling classes, together with staff Mark Rogers and William Silver Frith, and students moved to a new building in nearby Kennington Park Road, becoming known as the South London Technical School of Art. The school continued the close association with Doulton. In 1937 it changed its name to the City and Guilds of London Art School.

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