In 1884 Mr George Dearden, of
15 Buchanan Street in Blackpool, and five young men (his two sons Joe
and Arthur together with H. Wilson, Arthur Moss and J.W. Knott), all
were moved by a desire to foster the love of Art. They met in his snug
front room and lamented the fact that there were no art classes in
Blackpool and no guidance for the young artist. But so keen were George
Dearden and these five young men that before they separated that night
they had created Blackpool Sketching Club. George Dearden having
promised to act as Secretary and Treasurer, they formed themselves into a
Committee. The first exhibition was presented at the YMCA Rooms in
Church Street.
Around 1886 the club was firmly established and an
exhibition of 226 exhibits was held in the Victoria Street schoolrooms. A
monthly magazine was published consisting of articles and illustrations
by the members.
It is interesting to note that the Patrons in this year included the Town Mayor, the Marquis of Hartington MP, Sir Matthew White Ridley MP and such eminent artists as Sir Frederick Leighton Bart., President of the Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters, Sir A. E. Millais RA, Sir John Gilbert, President of the Royal Watercolour Society and Mr M. Alma Tadema RA.
The role of the Grundy Brothers
within the Society is an interesting one, both being involved from the
early beginnings. Cuthbert C. Grundy VPRCA was an active member of the
Management Committee and also served a term as President during his
time. His brother, John R.G. Grundy RCA was a Vice President. The other
Vice Presidents in 1899 were Alderman R.B. Mather JP, Lord Ashton, the
Right Hon. Sir M.W. Ridley, Bart. MP, H. Haworth, J. Blane, A. Moss and
C.S. Fox.
In the summer of 1905
it was also decided to change the title and role of the Blackpool
Sketching Club in order to enlarge the scope and influence of the club.
Hence the name was changed to ‘The Blackpool Sketching Club and Arts and
Craft Society’ It was stated that the ‘object of the Society will be
the furtherance of culture and encouragement of Fine Art in all its
branches by bringing together all who love art work and are interested
in it’. The same philosophy applies today.
The Society celebrated its 25th
year in 1909 but unfortunately celebration were tempered by the death
of the founder member Mr George Dearden . The following year the
President, Mr J. Battersby and Mr Grundy conducted sketching parties
throughout the summer months and also included a visit to Southport Art
Gallery.
When Councillor Collins
was President in 1913 a dream became a reality when the Art Gallery in
Queen Street, given to the town by the Grundy brothers, was opened and
the Society was granted the use of the gallery for their annual
exhibition. Since those days the Grundy Art Gallery has been the home of
the Art Society’s Annual Exhibition for which the Society is extremely
grateful.
The clouds of war descended in 1914 and Blackpool became a gigantic barracks for 14000 soldiers, some of them becoming temporary members of the Society after the Society had written to the Commanding Officer inviting soldiers to join the Life Classes. As the war continued the Society still held its exhibitions and monthly lectures often in various cafes throughout Blackpool such a the Café Royal, Jenkinsons, the Station Café, the Nations Café and Collinsons.
The years following the war
also proved very difficult and the Society had reason to be very
grateful to its Honorary Secretary, Mr J.O. Wilde for keeping the
Society running. He was, later in 1928, elected President.
It was with great pride
that in 1920 the honour of a Knighthood was conferred on member Mr C.C.
Grundy in recognition of his support of art throughout the country, an
award truly deserved.
During the 1940’s it is clear that, under its new
name, The Fylde Art Society owed a significant debt to Mr Hayes for
successfully steering the society through the war years. Many other art
societies were not so fortunate. He could reasonably be described as a
man for his time. He joined the Society in 1937, worked as a committee
member and was then voted President in 1940, a position he held until
1946. As head of the Art Department at Blackpool Technical College and
obviously well known in the wider art world he was in a particularly
good position to support the society.
Many of the committee meeting were
held in his room at the college and he was instrumental, together with
the Lecture Secretary the Rev. J.S.B. Wallis, in attracting some very
influential and knowledgeable people to deliver lectures throughout this
time. For example Professor Gilbert Spencer RCA, brother of Stanley
Spencer. Great use was made of the “Epidiascope” to illustrate these
talks.
In 1948 the Society changed its name from The Fylde
Art Society to the Blackpool and Fylde Art Society. Two rooms at the
Grundy Art Gallery were used for the annual exhibition (later increased
to three), when the selection panel consisted of two Society members and
one outside practising artist. A full syllabus for the whole of the
winter session was arranged and joint meetings with the Blackpool
Photographic Society commenced.
The Rotary Club arranged a Hobbies
Exhibition for the town and the Society took part in this and at the
same time embarked on a programme of extending its activities with more
attention being given to social events. Saturday afternoon sketching
outings were once again becoming popular and it was with some eagerness
that coach outings to places further afield occasionally took place.
1971 saw the start of the
construction of the present Studio. The problem of co-ordinating all the
services required in the building (electrics, plumbing, heating,
glazing, kitchen equipment, toilets and cloakroom, painting and
decorating, furniture and soft furnishings) was an immensely difficult
one, but was tackled by the Building Committee in an enthusiastic and
efficient manner as were the many fund-raising efforts of the various
Sub- Committees within the Society. It was fortunate that the Society
had within its ranks so many craftsmen capable of undertaking much of
the work and who were generous and unstinting in their endeavours.
The 25th March 1972 was
indeed a red letter day in the history of the Society. The official
opening of the New Studio by Sir Harold Grime who, through the medium of
his editorship of the Evening Gazette, had always supported the Arts
in Blackpool. Many Past Presidents attended and the occasion is
commemorated in the Studio by a wall plaque in the form of an artists
palette.
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