Beckenham School of Art 1916*
20 Beckenham Road, Kent, home to the Beckenham School of Art 1908-62
I felt I had come to Heaven.
Margaret Cuddon
Beckenham School of Art
1941-45
It is with the first and last known photographs of the Beckenham School of Art (BSoA) that I welcome you to the official website of what was a wondrous and magical institution. It was on this site between 1908 and 1962 that many of Britain’s most distinguished artists, craftspersons and designers were trained. This was no more evident each year as the Royal College of Art accepted more students from the BSoA than from any other art school. The BSoA was also one of the first art schools in the UK to attract students from abroad.
We had our own distinctive design style, colour preferences and handwriting that the larger art school community could recognize as ours. Our curriculum was drawn from a successful mix of Modernism, the Bauhaus and the classical and it was this that made us famous and has remained with our fellow alumni ever since.
It was an art education that called for the rudiments, principles and rules of art, craft and design to be understood before experimentation was permitted. As a consequence we were taught how to draw; we undertook exercises in colour theory, perspective, type setting and we pursued anatomy, calligraphy, graphic design, painting, typography, pottery, costume drawing as well as studied the history of art, architecture, furniture design and costume. Because our foundation courses were so comprehensive, we never needed to become slaves to fashion or the sensations of the day, an issue we always noticed when ever we visited other art school exhibitions. In all, the curriculum we pursued at the BSoA enabled us, and later as professionals to create fine and commercial works of art, craft and design that were figurative, abstract and innovative.
The art school building, being a collection of wood and corrugated roofed studios and workshops had its own distinctive smell. Upon entering, one was met by an odour derived from a concoction of paint, printing ink, turps and linseed oil.
By the middle 1950s it was becoming evident that the BSoA was over subscribed and plans were drawn up for a new and much larger campus. However, as similar was also apparent at Bromley College of Art and Sidcup School of art, it was decided in 1962 to amalgamate these into what became the Ravensbourne College of Art and Design at Bromley Common.
In 1962 after fifty four years as a diploma awarding institution, the BSoA closed down. However, the premises were then used as an Adult Education Centre that retained much of the ethos of our art school. Then in July 1978 vandals burnt the building down to the ground and it was not replaced. Fittingly the area is now a public garden known as the Beckenham Library Green, and in July 2008, it being the BSoA’s centenary, it is where a commemorative plaque was installed. Unquestioningly, our time at the BSoA left an indelible impression, and memories of those halcyon days still pull at the heart strings as the pages of this website prove.
This website has therefore been published for those of us who were former students and teachers of the BSoA to celebrate our years at ‘our old art school’. More than a celebration, it will also serve as an historical document as then unknown to us, the lifetime of the BSoA represented what were the golden years of the small and autonomous art school in England. It was an era that came to an end when it and other art schools of similar character were amalgamated, given names like ‘college of design and communication’ and ‘university for the creative arts’ and promptly lost all measure of individuality. It was also the end of an era at the BSoA when school dinners arrived in large metal containers and our morning and afternoon tea breaks were graciously hosted by Mrs Epps at the Bath’s caff.
In a sense, our community of art students and teachers was much like a family, and for sure, such will be reflected in the forthcoming pages of this website. Unfortunately, this culture did not survive the mergers as it was superseded by a factory environment and education becoming a business. This is no more evident as most educational establishments in the UK now need to advertise their ‘product’ and even sweep abroad to recruit students. Needless to say, the BSoA never needed to advertise nor promote itself as its results and international reputation as a centre of excellence was enough. After decades of art schools managed by teacher-practitioners, it seems that they have now been replaced by accountants – all the more reason for the justification of this website.
It is hoped that this home page will prompt former students and teachers to contribute by way of sending in photographs, stories, press cuttings and any other material that can be posted on its pages.
To date, over fifty photographs of formers students and teachers have been collected along with posters of school plays dating back to 1943. Most interestingly, a chronological history of the BSoA written by Principal John Cole was discovered in the library of the Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication in 2005. It stated that as ealy as 1902 art classes were held at the Technical School in Beckenham Road before a purpose built new art school offering a full-time art education commenced in 1908. Examples of prospectuses from 1917 to 1962 that show a fascinating range of styles of typography, drawing and design were also found. In time, extracts from these will be included on this website.
You will also find written reminiscences on this website including one describing what it was like being a student at the BSoA during World War II.
Our website will function not only as a repository for memorabilia but a valuable record of an institution that gained a considerable national and international reputation as a centre of art, craft and design excellence, the like of which will never reappear.
As you will see, the sections are devoted to News, which acts as a notice board, and sadly includes a few obituaries. Click on History for a History of the BSoA, and Gallery that includes a separate sections for photographs and our art work. A Stories section has been added as well a Guest Book that enables readers to contact each other and submit inquiries. Be rest assured that no personal information such as the sender’s email address will be published in this section without the permission of the named person. Similarly, corrections are welcomed and requests for the removal of any items will be met. A Register of students and teachers will be added.
For those of you not familiar with the colours of the panels on each side of this text, they are those of the school scarf that came into being during the BSoA’s last few years.
One wonders what our teachers of that time long ago and far away would have thought about our computer dependency today? Whatever, it is already evident from these pages that our BSoA website will grow with your contributions and so provide much pleasure for all to read. Enjoy.
Mac
Dr Cailean MacKirdy
BSoA 1958-62
Website Curator
This website was commenced in October 2005
Beckenham Library Green 2008, former site of the BSoA.
*© 1916 photograph courtesy of Bill Tonkin