Key Information
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1848-2016 (Creation)
Level of description
Series
Extent
2.1 linear metres
Content and Structure
Scope and content
The format and contents of the annual reports change gradually over time. The following types of information are to be found although they are not all recorded in each year's report: lists of office bearers, governors and staff, annual reports of Committee of Management/Board of Governors, reports of Headmaster/Director, various other reports, proceedings at annual meeting, tables of numbers of students attending each class, lists of occupations and ages of students, lists of prizes, programmes of classes and fees, lists of subscriptions, annual accounts. In more recent years the annual reports have mainly included only financial information. The two earliest volumes of the annual reports also include the following items: two copies of a pamphlet entitled "Laws and regulations of Glasgow Government School of Design", c1845; a copy of a document giving a short history of the Glasgow School of Art to be placed in the memorial stone to be laid by Sir Renny Watson on 25 May 1898; and a pamphlet entitled "an address to the council of the Government School of Design on the management of that institution by Henry J Townsend, member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and master of painting and modelling in the Government School of Design", 1846. Digital PDF copies exist for GOV/1/173 onwards and these can be found on the Glasgow School of Art website and are also stored within Archives and Collections.
Annual Reports are as follows:
GOV/1/1: Laws and Regulations [1845], An address to the Council of the Government School of Design [1846], and annual reports 1848-78
GOV/1/2: 1879-1906
GOV/1/3: 1906-1917
GOV/1/4: 1917-1938
GOV/1/5: 1938-1957 (1943-1944 is missing)
GOV/1/6: 1957-1964
GOV/1/7: 1964-1969
GOV/1/8: 1969-1972
GOV/1/9: 1972-1976
GOV/1/10: 1976-1980
GOV/1/11: 1980-1984
GOV/1/12: 1984-1988
GOV/1/13: 1988-1993 There is also a set of loose reports.
NB reports from 1993 onwards are all loose:
GOV/1/14-36: [1845-1867 wanting]
GOV/1/37: 1868
GOV/1/38-40: [1869-1871 wanting]
GOV/1/41: 1872
GOV/1/42: [1873 wanting]
GOV/1/43: 1874
GOV/1/44: 1875
GOV/1/45: 1876
GOV/1/46: 1877
GOV/1/47: 1878
GOV/1/48: 1879
GOV/1/49: 1880
GOV/1/50: 1881
GOV/1/51: 1882
GOV/1/52: 1883
GOV/1/53: 1884
GOV/1/54: 1885
GOV/1/55: [1886 wanting]
GOV/1/56: 1887
GOV/1/57: 1888
GOV/1/58: 1889
GOV/1/59: [1890 wanting]
GOV/1/60: 1891
GOV/1/61: 1892
GOV/1/62: 1893
GOV/1/63: 1894
GOV/1/64: 1895
GOV/1/65: 1896
GOV/1/66: 1897
GOV/1/67: [1898 wanting]
GOV/1/68: 1899
GOV/1/69: 1900
GOV/1/70: 1901
GOV/1/71: 1902
GOV/1/72: 1903
GOV/1/73: 1903-1904
GOV/1/74: 1904-1905
GOV/1/75: 1905-1906
GOV/1/76: 1906-1907
GOV/1/77: 1907-1908
GOV/1/78: 1908-1909
GOV/1/79: 1909-1910
GOV/1/80: 1910-1911
GOV/1/81: 1911-1912
GOV/1/82: 1912-1913
GOV/1/83: 1913-1914
GOV/1/84: 1914-1915
GOV/1/85: 1915-1916
GOV/1/86: 1916-1917
GOV/1/87: 1917-1918
GOV/1/88: 1918-1919
GOV/1/89: 1919-1920
GOV/1/90: 1920-1921
GOV/1/91: 1921-1922
GOV/1/92: 1922-1923
GOV/1/93: 1923-1924
GOV/1/94: 1924-1925
GOV/1/95: 1925-1926
GOV/1/96: 1926-1927
GOV/1/97: 1927-1928
GOV/1/98: 1928-1929
GOV/1/99: 1929-1930
GOV/1/100: 1930-1931
GOV/1/101: 1931-1932
GOV/1/102: 1932-1933
GOV/1/103: 1933-1934
GOV/1/104: 1934-1935
GOV/1/105: 1935-1936
GOV/1/106: 1936-1937
GOV/1/107: 1937-1938
GOV/1/108-114: [1938-1939 to 1945-1946 wanting]
GOV/1/115: 1946-1947- short report and includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/116: 1947-1948- includes separate Accounts reports
GOV/1/117: 1948-1949- includes separate Accounts reports
GOV/1/118: 1949-1950- Accounts reports only
GOV/1/119: 1950-1951- Accounts reports only
GOV/1/120: 1951-1952- includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/121: 1952-1953- includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/122: 1953-1954- includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/123: 1954-1955- includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/124: 1955-1956- includes a separate Accounts report
GOV/1/125: 1956-1957
GOV/1/126: 1957-1958
GOV/1/127: 1958-1959
GOV/1/128: 1959-1960
GOV/1/129: 1960-1961
GOV/1/130: 1961-1962
GOV/1/131: 1962-1963
GOV/1/132: 1963-1964
GOV/1/133: 1964-1965
GOV/1/134: 1965-1966
GOV/1/135: 1966-1967
GOV/1/136: 1967-1968
GOV/1/137: 1968-1969
GOV/1/138: 1969-1970
GOV/1/139: 1970-1971
GOV/1/140: 1971-1972
GOV/1/141: 1972-1973
GOV/1/142: 1973-1974
GOV/1/143: 1974-1975
GOV/1/144: 1975-1976
GOV/1/145: 1976-1977
GOV/1/146: 1977-1978
GOV/1/147: 1978-1979
GOV/1/148: 1979-1980
GOV/1/149: 1980-1981
GOV/1/150: 1981-1982
GOV/1/151: 1982-1983
GOV/1/152: 1983-1984
GOV/1/153: 1984-1985
GOV/1/154: 1985-1986
GOV/1/155: 1986-1987
GOV/1/156: 1987-1988
GOV/1/157: 1988-1989
GOV/1/158: 1989-1990
GOV/1/159: 1990-1991
GOV/1/160: 1991-1992
GOV/1/161: 1992-1993
GOV/1/162: 1993-1994
GOV/1/163: 1994-1995
GOV/1/164: 1995-1996
GOV/1/165: 1996-1997
GOV/1/166: 1997-1998
GOV/1/167: 1998-1999
GOV/1/168: 1999-2000
GOV/1/169: 2000-2001
GOV/1/170: 2001-2002
GOV/1/171: 2002-2003
GOV/1/172: 2003-2004
GOV/1/173: 2004-2005 (digital file also exists)
GOV/1/174: 2005-2006 (digital file also exists)
GOV/1/175: 2006-2007 (digital file and paper draft copy)
GOV/1/176: 2007-2008 (digital)
GOV/1/177: 2008-2009 (digital file and paper draft copy)
GOV/1/178: 2009-2010 (digital file also exists)
GOV/1/179: 2010-2011 (digital file and paper draft copy)
GOV/1/180: 2011-2012 (digital file and paper draft copy)
GOV/1/181: 2012-2013 (digital file and paper draft copy)
GOV/1/182: 2013-2014 (digital)
GOV/1/183: 2014-2015 (digital)
GOV/1/184: 2015-2016 (digital)
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
This material has been appraised in line with Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections standard procedures.
Accruals
System of arrangement
The reports are in chronological order. Up until 1993, they are bound together with various other pamphlets as noted in the scope and content note. From 1993 the reports are loose.
General Information
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Glasgow School of Art has its origins in the Glasgow Government School of Design, which was established on 6 January 1845. The Glasgow Government School of Design was one of twenty similar institutions established in the United Kingdom's manufacturing centres between 1837 and 1851. Set up as a consequence of the evidence given to the House of Commons Select Committee on Arts and their connection with Manufactures of 1835-1836, the Government Schools hoped to improve the quality of the country's product design through a system of education that provided training in design for industry. Somerset House was the first of such schools to be established, opening in 1837, and others followed throughout the provinces.
In 1853 the Glasgow Government School of Design changed its name to the Glasgow School of Art. Following the receipt of some funding from the Haldane Academy Trust, (a trust set up by James Haldane, a Glasgow engraver, in 1833), The Glasgow School of Art was required to incorporate the name of the trust into its title. Consequently, it became the Glasgow School of Art and Haldane Academy, although by 1891 the "Haldane Academy" was dropped from the title. Glasgow School of Art was incorporated in 1892. In 1901 the Glasgow School of Art was designated a Central Institution for Higher Art Education in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.
Initially the School was located at 12 Ingram Street, Glasgow, but in 1869, it moved to the Corporation Buildings on Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. In 1897 work started on a new building to house the School of Art on Renfrew Street, Glasgow. The building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, former pupil of The Glasgow School of Art. The first half of the building was completed in 1899 and the second in 1909.
The Government Schools ran courses in elementary drawing, shading from the flat, shading from casts, chiaroscuro painting, colouring, figure drawing from the flat, figure drawing from the round, painting the figure, geometrical drawing, perspective, modelling and design. All these courses were introduced from the start at the Glasgow School apart from that of design. The course in design was the "summit of the system" where students came up with original designs for actual manufactures or decorative purposes and it was not until 1849, when Charles Heath Wilson became headmaster, that classes in design began to be taught. Also in this year Bruce Bell was engaged to teach mechanical and architectural drawing.
After 1853 the above pattern of courses was extended to 26 stages which formed the national curriculum for art schools. This system was known as the South Kensington system. An Art Masters could be awarded by gaining certificates in the available subjects. There was no restriction on entry and students could take as long as they wished to accumulate their passes before being awarded their Art Masters.
In 1901 the Glasgow School of Art was given the power to award its own diplomas. In the same year Art 91D classes for day school teachers commenced which were later known as the Art 55 classes. From 1901 to 1979 the School of Art awarded its own diplomas and thereafter it awarded degrees of the Council for National Academic Awards. In the 1970s the School of Fine Art and the School of Design were established. With the demise of the Council for National Academic Awards, from 1993 Glasgow University awarded the School's degrees in fine art and design.
In 1885 the Glasgow School of Art taught architecture and building construction conforming to the South Kensington system. Following on from the designation of the School as a Central Institution and the empowerment of the School to award its own diplomas, the School and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College worked together to produce a curriculum for a new course leading to a joint diploma.
In 1903 the joint Glasgow School of Architecture was established within the Glasgow School of Art in conjunction with the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. For the new diploma design classes were to be taught at the School of Art and the construction classes at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. The first diplomas in architecture were awarded in 1910.
In 1924 the Glasgow School of Art became a university teaching institution when the University of Glasgow set up a BSc in Architecture which was to be taught at the School of Architecture. In 1964 the Royal College of Science and Technology (formerly the Royal Technical College, formerly the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College) merged with the Scottish College of Commerce to form the new University of Strathclyde. Following the merger the Glasgow School of Architecture came to an end, the last students transferring to Strathclyde degrees and graduating in 1968.
In 1970 the Mackintosh School of Architecture was established. It is housed within the Glasgow School of Art and forms that school's Department of Architecture. Its degrees are accredited by the University of Glasgow and its Head is the University's Professor of Architecture.
The Glasgow Government School of Design was originally managed, as were the other Government Schools, by the Board of Trade and a Committee of Management representing local subscribers. Then, in 1852, the Government Schools of Design were taken over by the Department of Practical Art. This Department was renamed the Department of Science and Art in 1853 and was located in South Kensington, London. The Committee of Management was replaced in 1892 by the Board of Governors. In 1898, control of the School was transferred again, this time to the Scotch Education Department (renamed the Scottish Education Department in 1918).
The School became academically independent in 1901 when it was free to develop its own curriculum and its own diplomas, subject to the approval of the Scottish Education Department. The chief executive of the School was the Headmaster, renamed Director in 1901, and a Secretary and Treasurer was responsible for all aspects of the administration of the School. As the School grew, other administrative posts were added.
Archival history
The Committee of Management and (from 1892) the Board of Governors published a report on the School each year. The reports from 1847-1854 are entitled reports of proceedings of the Glasgow Government School of Design at annual general meetings and those from 1868 are entitled annual reports of the Glasgow School of Art.
Custodial history
Physical Description and Conditions of Use
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical Description
Contains both analogue and digital records. Analogue records extend to 2.1 linear metres. Digital files for annual reports extend to 22MB on Archives & Collections digital archive drive.
Finding aids
Related Material
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Microfilm exists in the searchroom (some years missing).
Digital PDF copies exist for GOV/1/173 onwards and these can be found on the Glasgow School of Art website and are also stored within Archives and Collections.