Crafts Centre of Great Britain

Last updated
Crafts Centre of Great Britain
Formation1948;77 years ago (1948)
Defunct1972
TypeCraft organisation
PurposeThe preservation, promotion and improvement of fine craftsmanship in Great Britain [1]
Headquarters Berkeley Square, London (1950-1967)
Earlham Street, London (1967-1972)
Region served
United Kingdom
Leader John Farleigh, CBE

The Crafts Centre of Great Britain was established in 1948 with the purpose of "the preservation, promotion and improvement of fine craftsmanship in Great Britain." [2] It created direct links between individual producers and industry, [3] and encouraged young people to take up crafts through education and instruction. [4] Prominent members included Bernard Leach, Lilian Dring and Tibor Reich.

Contents

History

In 1946 five societies – the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, the Red Rose Guild of Craftsmen, the Senefelder Club, the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and the Society of Wood Engravers – met at the Central School of Arts and Crafts to discuss forming a Craft Centre of Great Britain. [5] The initial plan was to open an exhibition space at 98 Portland Place, [6] but after "struggling for three years on private funds" a government grant made it possible to open a space at 16 Hay Hill, Berkeley Square in 1950. [7] The centre was opened by the Queen on 16 August 1950, where she was presented with a silver spoon for her granddaughter, designed and made by Francis Cooper. [8] The centre was opened to the public on 27 April 1950. [9]

Funding and finances

A significant benefit for craftspeople who were members of the Crafts Centre of Great Britain was that they were exempted from purchase tax, which in 1948 was 66.66%. [10] [11]

In History of the Crafts Council (1994), Tanya Harrod observed that "the Crafts Centre had a chequered career, attributed in part to an 'unwieldly quarrelsome council representing five interest groups'." [12] The Craft Centre’s finances were always precarious. It was initially funded by a three-year government grant, to cover rent [13] and the hosting of exhibitions around the country. [14] [15] In 1953 the Craft Centre became a trading body as well as a showroom. [16] In 1962 the government removed the Craft Centre’s annual £5,000 grant. [17] In 1966 the Craft Centre received a £5,000 grant from the Board of Trade. [18] [19]

Venues

In 1950 an exhibition space was opened at Hay Hill, including an exhibition living room featuring a rotation of members' designs, together with a space for individual crafts. The centre also offered education and instruction. [20] [21] In 1967, the exhibition space moved to 43 Earlham Street, London. [22] In 1970 Viscount Weymouth, heir to the Marquess of Bath, converted a "pin-table saloon" at Longleat House, Wiltshire, into a shop for the Craft Centre of Great Britain. Longleat Gallery was designed by Alan Irvine and was the Craft Centre's only permanent location outside London. Its posters were designed by Derek Birdsall. [23] In the 1970s the Craft Centre also supported an arts fair held at Farnley Hall, West Yorkshire. [24] [25]

Key people

Crafts

The crafts supported by the Craft Centre included: bookbinding, calligraphy, domestic glass, embroidery, furniture, gold, jewellery, lace, lithography, pottery, silver, sun glass, textiles (printed and woven), typography and wood engraving. [29] The Craft Centre "insisted on original design". It didn't include steel engraving, saddlery or gun making, which instead formed part of the Rural Industries Bureau. [30]

Exhibitions

The Craft Centre ran a continuous exhibition that shifted focus between different crafts throughout the year. A selection of exhibitions included:

YearCraft / ExhibitionArtists
March 1950 [31] Opening exhibition
January 1951PotteryBernard Leach, [32] Margaret Leach [33]
September 1951GoldJoe Woodward [34]
November 1951 [35] Calligraphy
January 1952 [36] Harpsichords, spinets and clavichords
March 1952 [37] PrintingMural showing 6,000 year history of the art of printing
April 1954 [38] Furniture and potteryPaul Barron (potter), Hugh Birkett (furniture) [39]
October 1954 [40] Weaving Gerd Hay-Edie, Monica Blyth
January 1955 [41] Glass engraving David Peace, Anthony Pope, Ernest Dinkel
May 1955 [42] Jewellery
October 1955 [43] The first touring exhibition to ScotlandCarl Dolmetsch, Leslie Ward, Leslie Durbin, Krystyna Henneberg, Kathleen Heron, Bernard Leach, Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, Robert Stone
February 1956 [44] An exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
May 1956 [45] Embroidery at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
August 1956 [46] Lithographs Robert Tavener, Charles Keeping [47]
October 1956 [48] IllustrationsH M Adams, Edith Goodwin, Dorothy Hutton
December 1956 [49] Christmas exhibitionEric Clements, Anthony Hawkesley, Alan Knight, Hugh Birkett, Edward Gardiner, Raymond Finch
April 1957 [50] Today’s PatronEric Clements, David Peace
October 1958 [51] British Fine Crafts, Belfast Art College AssociationBernard Leach, Sydney Cockerell, Leslie Runkin, Irene Wellington, John Farleigh, Roger Powell, Barbara Hutton, Gerd Hay-Edie
February 1960 [52] Opened by Duke of Edinburgh, at RIBA headquarters Gerald Benney, Francis Cooper, Robert Stone
June 1960 [53] Under ThirtiesG D Robinson
September 1962 [54] Exhibition of Weaving Mary Farmer, Maud Jones, Barbara Mullins, Robin Welch
December 1965 [55] Christmas exhibitionOpened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Derek Emms, [56] Mary Farmer
December 1966 [57] Christmas exhibitionDerek Emms, Bernard Leach
January 1968 [58] Exports: Detroit USA
February 1968 [59] Skill at Goldsmith's HallIn collaboration with the Institute of Directors
February 1969 [60] Scottish design and craftVisited by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
February 1970 [61] Jewellery and silverFiona Fraser
June 1970 [62] Furniture Exhibition 1970Chester Jones
December 1971 [63] Joint Christmas crafts shop at the Design Council

Members

Craft Centre of Great Britain members included:

CraftMember
Calligraphy and illuminationR J Croft, [64] Claire Evans, [65] Mervyn C Oliver [66]
EmbroideryHebe Cox, [67] Barbara Dawson, [68] Joy Dobbs (Clucas), [69] Lilian Dring, [70] Margaret T Holden-Jones [71]
Furniture makingWilliam Joyce [72]
Glass engravingHarold Gordon, [73] Helen Monro Turner
GlassDillon Clarke, [74] Stephen Rickard [75]
JewelleryRichard Brown, [76] William Henry Brown, [77] Owen Faulkner, [78] Wendy Watkins, [79] Guy Watson [80]
PotteryGraham Burr, [81] Honorine Catto, [82] [83] Brian Dewbury, [84] David Eeles, [85] Robert Charles Privett Fournier, [86] William Fishley Holland, [87] Janet Hamer, [88] Henry Hammond, [89] James Hart, [90] Joyce Haynes, [91] Samuel J Herman, [92] Janet Leach, [93] William Marshall, [94] Basil Matthews, [95] William Newland, [96] Colin Pearson, [97] Helen Edith Pincombe, [98] Lucie Rie, [99] James Walford, [100] Mary White [101]
SculptorDavid Dewey [102]
Silversmithing Lois Betteridge, [103] John Grenville, [104] Paul Harrison [105]
Weaving and textilesEileen Bradford, [106] Mrs W Harcourt Brigden, [107] Helen Brooks, [108] Mrs Eugene Carter, [109] Elsie G Davenport, [110] Mary Farmer, [111] Ronald Grierson, [112] Gerd Hay-Edie, [113] Annie Maile, [114] Mair Morris, [115] Tibor Reich, [116] Robert Stewart [117]

Merge with the Crafts Council of Great Britain

In 1970, the Crafts Centre was struggling financially, its government funding having been removed. [118] In 1972 the Crafts Centre merged with the Crafts Council of Great Britain to become the British Crafts Centre . Supported by a grant of £40,000 from the government's Crafts Advisory Committee (CAC), which had been established the previous year, the new organisation's offices were at Waterloo Place, London. [119] The Crafts Centre's Earlham Street gallery location was retained for “one-man shows and other special displays”. [120] In 1986 the organisation's name was changed to Contemporary Applied Arts , which remains active today. [121]

See also

Backemeyer, Sylvia Making their Mark: Art, Craft and Design at the Central School, 1896-1966 (2000) Pub. Herbert Press ISBN   978-0713652611

References

  1. ↑ "Crafts centre". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1950-03-23. p. 6.
  2. ↑ "Crafts centre". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1950-03-23. p. 6.
  3. ↑ "We need this art". Bayswater Chronicle. London, UK. 1948-04-30. p. 4.
  4. ↑ ""The end" for craftsmen?". Portsmouth Evening News. Portsmouth, UK. 1949-04-29. p. 5.
  5. ↑ Backemeyer, Sylvia (2000). Making their mark: art, craft and design at the Central School 1896-1966. London: Herbert Press. p. 114. ISBN   0713652616.
  6. ↑ "We need this art". Bayswater Chronicle. London, UK. 1948-04-30. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "Moving the centre". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, UK. 1949-12-13. p. 4.
  8. ↑ "Accepted by the Queen". Illustrated London News. London, UK. 1950-09-02. p. 34.
  9. ↑ "Crafts centre". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1950-03-23. p. 6.
  10. ↑ "Handloom weavers and purchase tax". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1948-12-10. p. 3.
  11. ↑ "Stratford Fashion Parade". Stratford Upon Avon Herald. Stratford Upon Avon, UK. 1948-10-29. p. 3.
  12. ↑ Backemeyer, Sylvia (2000). Making their mark: art, craft and design at the Central School 1896-1966. London: Herbert Press. p. 114. ISBN   0713652616.
  13. ↑ "Crafts in Mayfair". Daily News (London). London, UK. 1949-11-16. p. 2.
  14. ↑ "Christmas fair". Bury Free Press. Bury, UK. 1948-11-26. p. 13.
  15. ↑ "High standard was a surprise". Suffolk and Essex Free Press. Suffolk, UK. 1948-12-09. p. 8.
  16. ↑ "Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA)". contemporaryartsociety.org. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  17. ↑ "Craft centre to lose grant". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1962-04-18. p. 12.
  18. ↑ "Craft grants". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1966-04-20. p. 30.
  19. ↑ "Christmas Fair and Fine Arts Exhibition at Clare". Haverhill Echo. Haverhill, UK. 1948-12-11. p. 1.
  20. ↑ Charles Graves (1948-08-07). "The call to the craftsmen". The Sphere. London, UK. p. 28.
  21. ↑ "Golden Dollars". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, UK. 1951-09-15. p. 4.
  22. ↑ "John Gander's art". Kensington Post. London, UK. 1967-10-06. p. 20.
  23. ↑ Onlooker (1970-03-26). "Making way for arts and crafts". Somerset Standard. Somerset, UK. p. 4.
  24. ↑ Hughes, Graham (1972). The Art of Jewellery. New York, USA: Viking Press. p. 168. ISBN   9780670134809.
  25. ↑ Brian Beaumont-Nesbitt (January 1971). "Farnley Arts Fair". The Connoisseur (Vol. 176 No. 707 ed.). London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co. p. 147.
  26. ↑ "A craftsman". Derby Daily Telegraph. Derby, UK. 1950-10-31. p. 3.
  27. ↑ "Newry lady as British crafts organiser". Frontier Sentinel. Newry, UK. 1950-05-20. p. 3.
  28. ↑ "World treasurer". Grimsby Daily Telegraph. Grimsby, UK. 1964-06-16. p. 6.
  29. ↑ Charles Graves (1948-08-07). "The call to the craftsmen". The Sphere. London, UK. p. 28.
  30. ↑ Charles Graves (1948-08-07). "The call to the craftsmen". The Sphere. London, UK. p. 28.
  31. ↑ "Moving the centre". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, UK. 1949-12-13. p. 4.
  32. ↑ "Britain's potters". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, UK. 1951-01-09. p. 4.
  33. ↑ "'Giants of Old'". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 1951-01-13. p. 5.
  34. ↑ "They beat gold bars to strips". Torbay Express and South Devon Echo. Torbay, UK. 1951-09-24. p. 4.
  35. ↑ "The Society of Scribes". The Sphere. London, UK. 1951-10-27. p. 31.
  36. ↑ "Spinet and Clavichord: Craftmen's Exhibitions". West Sussex Gazette. Haslemere, UK. 1952-01-17. p. 4.
  37. ↑ "They worked for it". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, UK. 1952-03-18. p. 4.
  38. ↑ "A master potter". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 1954-04-05. p. 15.
  39. ↑ "Furniture maker who follows the "Cotswolds Tradition"". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 1954-04-30. p. 8.
  40. ↑ "Hand weaving". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, UK. 1954-10-08. p. 3.
  41. ↑ "Exhibition of engraved glass in London". The Sphere. London, UK. 1955-01-15. p. 29.
  42. ↑ "Exhibition of modern jewellery". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1955-05-12. p. 27.
  43. ↑ "Work by English craftsmen Acheson House Display". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1955-10-01. p. 10.
  44. ↑ "Craft in the home". Leicester Evening Mail. Leicester, UK. 1956-02-04. p. 2.
  45. ↑ "Courageous Move". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1956-05-07. p. 20.
  46. ↑ "London Show". Eastbourne Gazette. Eastbourne, UK. 1956-08-29. p. 5.
  47. ↑ "Contrasting styles". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1956-09-04. p. 3.
  48. ↑ "London display of handwriting". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1956-10-02. p. 21.
  49. ↑ "Midland Craft work on show in London". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1956-11-10. p. 6.
  50. ↑ "On show in London". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1957-04-22. p. 25.
  51. ↑ "Belfast to see work of British Craftsmen". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, UK. 1958-10-13. p. 5.
  52. ↑ "Craftsmen in the modern world – by Prince Philip". Kensington Post. London, UK. 1960-02-26. p. 6.
  53. ↑ "Art in glass". Rugeley Times. Rugeley, UK. 1960-06-11. p. 6.
  54. ↑ "Exhibition of Weaving | Exhibition". ArtFacts.
  55. ↑ "Duke's visit". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, UK. 1965-12-22. p. 1.
  56. ↑ "Pottery Presents". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 23 December 1965. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  57. ↑ "Pottery Presents". Wolverhampton Express and Star. Wolverhampton, UK. 1966-12-23. p. 8.
  58. ↑ "Theatre to have a better place in Camden Festival". The Stage. London, UK. 1968-01-18. p. 14.
  59. ↑ "Royal lenders". Grimsby Daily Telegraph. Grim, UK. 1968-02-28. p. 12.
  60. ↑ "Visiting Scottish design display". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 1969-01-10. p. 26.
  61. ↑ "At the crafts centre". Nottingham Guardian. Nottingham, UK. 1970-07-04. p. 3.
  62. ↑ "Bits and pieces". Grimsby Daily Telegraph. Grimsby, UK. 1970-06-25. p. 5.
  63. ↑ Terry Grimley (1971-12-27). "Craftsmen make most of grants". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. p. 6.
  64. ↑ "A scribe and illuminator". Belfast News Letter. Belfast, UK. 1963-06-12. p. 4.
  65. ↑ "WVS roll of honour". Crosby Herald. Crosby, UK. 1951-03-03. p. 3.
  66. ↑ Holme, Rathbone; Frost, Kathleen (1954). Modern Lettering and Calligraphy: A Sequel to Lettering of Today. London, UK: Studio Publications. p. 9.
  67. ↑ "High standard was a surprise". Suffolk and Essex Free Press. Suffolk, UK. 1948-12-09. p. 8.
  68. ↑ Barbara, Dawson (1976). Metal Thread Embroidery. London, UK: Batsford. p. 219. ISBN   071343144X.
  69. ↑ "Award for Redhill needlewoman". Surrey Mirror. Surrey, UK. 1961-06-09. p. 9.
  70. ↑ "arts, fashion, crafts". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1967-03-07. p. 10.
  71. ↑ Howard, Constance (1981). Twentieth-century embroidery in Great Britain to 1939. London, UK: Batsford. p. 178. ISBN   0713439424.
  72. ↑ "Skilled craftsman". Kent and Sussex Courier. Kent, UK. 1953-07-17. p. 1.
  73. ↑ "Crafts centre". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1950-04-18. p. 6.
  74. ↑ Grover, Ray (1975). Contemporary Art Glass. New York, USA: Crown Publishers. p. 101. ISBN   0517516284.
  75. ↑ "A presentation goblet". Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. London, UK. 1956-05-30. p. 27.
  76. ↑ "IN and around Gloucester Road". Kensington Post. London, UK. 1971-06-25. p. 21.
  77. ↑ "Glitters". Kensington News and West London Times. London, UK. 1970-12-11. p. 5.
  78. ↑ "A work of art". Harrow Observer. Harrow, UK. 1949-08-11. p. 1.
  79. ↑ "Man and wife show". Reading Standard. Reading, UK. 1963-11-01. p. 8.
  80. ↑ "Made to measure jewellery is his ladder to fame". Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser. Alderley, UK. 1970-05-22. p. 3.
  81. ↑ Casson, Michael (1967). Pottery in Britain today. London: Tiranti. p. 5. ISBN   0854580204.
  82. ↑ "John Gander's art news". Kensington Post. London, UK. 1967-10-06. p. 20.
  83. ↑ "Death of an artist". Westminster and Pimlico News. London, UK. 1978-11-03. p. 7.
  84. ↑ "Pottery in motion". Biggleswade Chronicle. Biggleswade, UK. 1979-07-13. p. 56.
  85. ↑ Casson, Michael (1967). Pottery in Britain today. London: Tiranti. p. 6. ISBN   0854580204.
  86. ↑ Fournier, Robert (1970). Ceramic Creations. New York: Sterling. p. 110. ISBN   9780517126318.
  87. ↑ Louis Katin (1951-06-23). "Six generations of potters". Clevedon Mercury. Clevedon, UK. p. 4.
  88. ↑ "Famous Potter makes her home at Selsey". Bogner Regis Observer. Bognor Regis, UK. 1959-10-16. p. 15.
  89. ↑ "Uses mainly wood ash glazes". Westminster and Pimlico News. London, UK. 1959-05-29. p. 7.
  90. ↑ "Potter will show his work on tv programme". Bury Free Press. Bury, UK. 1967-11-24. p. 5.
  91. ↑ "Hobby into business". Nottingham Guardian. Nottingham, UK. 1964-02-29. p. 4.
  92. ↑ Grover, Ray (1975). Contemporary Art Glass. New York, USA: Crown Publishers. p. 107. ISBN   0517516284.
  93. ↑ Nelson, Glen C (1966). Ceramics: A potter's handbook. Minnesota, USA: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 55.
  94. ↑ Casson, Michael (1967). Pottery in Britain today. London: Tiranti. p. 7. ISBN   0854580204.
  95. ↑ "Sculpture in Pottery 'a light industry'". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 1954-08-24. p. 10.
  96. ↑ Backemeyer, Sylvia (2000). Making their mark: art, craft and design at the Central School 1896-1966. London: Herbert Press. p. 114. ISBN   0713652616.
  97. ↑ "Pots take wing to Euro show". South Eastern Gazette. London, UK. 1973-10-16. p. 3.
  98. ↑ "When Cheyne Walk really had an atmosphere". Westminster & Pimlico News. London, UK. 1958-11-14. p. 3.
  99. ↑ Nelson, Glen C (1966). Ceramics: A potter's handbook. Minnesota, USA: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 49.
  100. ↑ "Pottery Exhibition". Surrey Mirror. Surrey, UK. 1955-10-07. p. 14.
  101. ↑ "Charles and Mary at Malmesbury". Glamorgan Gazette. Glamorgan, UK. 1976-05-27. p. 9.
  102. ↑ "Carved tablet unveiled by Queen Mother". Hertford Mercury and Reformer. Hertford, UK. 1958-06-20. p. 11.
  103. ↑ MacDonald, George F (1989). Masters of the crafts: recipients of the Saidye BonrfmanAward for Excellents. Quebec, Canada: Canadian Museum of Civilisation. p. 60. ISBN   9780660107882.
  104. ↑ "Silversmiths put their work on show". Bury Free Press. Bury, UK. 1971-09-03. p. 10.
  105. ↑ "Paul has silver chosen for show". Maidstone Telegraph. Maidstone, UK. 1970-03-13. p. 3.
  106. ↑ Eileen Bradford (Winter 1954–1955). "Teaching the blind to weave". Handweaver and Craftsman (Vol. 1 No. 7 ed.). North Carolina, USA: Lily Mills Company. p. 42.
  107. ↑ "Weaving exhibition". East Kent Gazette. Kent, UK. 1955-11-04. p. 4.
  108. ↑ "Illustrations". Bradford Observer. Bradford, UK. 1950-04-19. p. 3.
  109. ↑ "Cleopatra in red satin". Chelsea News and General Advertiser. Chelsea, UK. 1954-06-25. p. 6.
  110. ↑ "Talk to county guild". Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer. Evensham, UK. 1954-03-26. p. 8.
  111. ↑ "ABOUT US". Contemporary Applied Arts.
  112. ↑ "Homework". Daily News (London). London, UK. 1948-11-03. p. 2.
  113. ↑ Who’s Who in Art. Detroit, USA: Art Trade Press. 1962. p. 330.
  114. ↑ Sherman, Vera (1972). Wall Hangings of Today. London, UK: C T Branford. p. 110. ISBN   9780263517293.
  115. ↑ "Accepted". Liverpool Echo. Liverpool, UK. 1971-09-22. p. 3.
  116. ↑ "Stratford Fashion Parade". Stratford Upon Avon Herald. Stratford Upon Avon, UK. 1948-10-29. p. 3.
  117. ↑ "Craft Centre Plans". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK. 1950-06-07. p. 4.
  118. ↑ Joyce, Ernest (1970). Encyclopedia of Furniture Making. New York, USA: Drake. p. 13. ISBN   9780877490685.
  119. ↑ "Craft Link". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool, UK. 1972-05-23. p. 3.
  120. ↑ "Craftsmen in line". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 1972-07-21. p. 8.
  121. ↑ "Beginnings". caagallery.org. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.