Northampton School of Art, 1924-1975 | University of Northampton Archive

The collection has been arranged in to fourteen series.

Series 1 consists of one box containing the minutes of the Governing Body of the Northampton School of Art

Series 2 consists of one box containing items that relate to the history of the Northampton School of Art

Series 3 consists of one box containing items relating to the rules and regulations of the School as well as disputes

Series 4 consists of one box containing items relating to the staffing of the Northampton School of Art

Series 5 consists of one box containing items relating to School events

Series 6 consists of one box containing items that relate to the series of Friday Night Lectures

Series 7 consists of one box containing publications produced by the Northampton School of Art

Series 8 consists of one box containing School stock books

Series 9 consists of one box containing the prospectuses of the Northampton School of Art

Series 10 consists of one box containing examination records

Series 11 consists of one box containing programmes for the Annual Presentation Days of the School

Series 12 contains photographs relating to the Northampton School of Art and has been divided in to two sub-series:

Sub-series 1 consists of one box containing photographs of dramatic productions

Sub-series 2 consists of one box containing photographs of the Pottery Workshops

Series 13 consist of one box containing newspaper clippings and articles that relate to the School

Series 14 consists of one box containing ephemera relating to the Northampton School of Art

On 11th March 1867, a free public lecture on Science and Art was held, under the auspices of the Museum Committee, in the Town Hall in Northampton. This proved very popular and as a direct result, evening classes in painting and drawing started in October of that year.

Art evening classes continued and expanded, closely linked to science classes, until in 1894 the Northampton and County Modern and Technical School was established. This held day, evening and weekend classes. In 1907 the evening class organisation became the Northampton and County Technical and Art School, with the Art School functioning separately. A further name change occurred the following year, to Northampton and County Technical School and School of Art.

One source states that the Northampton School of Art was re-designated the Northampton School of Arts and Crafts in 1917, but there are no documents in the archive from this date. However, two documents contained in the archive dated 1934 and 1937 use this form of name for the Art School.

The School of Art continued to grow, working in overcrowded rented accommodation, until new purpose-built premises were opened in 1937 next to the Technical College on St George's Avenue.

In 1954, the Central College of Further Education was established, to include both the School of Art and the College of Technology. The School of Art appears to have continued to function as a separate college, however, and the precise relationship to the Central College remains unclear. It is likely that relevant papers were destroyed by a fire in a County Council records store. Governors' papers from the late 1960s and 1970s use a variety of different headings including Central College of Further Education, School of Art, and College of Technology and School of Art.

In 1972 the School became known as the College of Art and 1975 saw the establishment of a college of higher education, Nene College. The Northampton colleges of Education and Technology along with the School of Art were amalgamated to form this new institution.