Fundraising Brochure, Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology

Brochure produced as a way to appeal for funds in order to provide for equipment in the 1925-27 extension of the Hawthorn Building. Contains statistics for enrolment and attendance at Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology from the years of 1911-26. Also contains a brief history on the colleges, as well as the links they had to many of Leicester's manufacturing industries. The front cover contains the archway entrance of Hawthorn, with the title, 'The Gate of Opportunity'. A similar image and title can be seen in the 1927 prospectus.

In 1897 the Leicester School of Art (founded 1870) and the Leicester Technical School (founded 1882) were merged and brought under the control of the Town Council. The new institution was renamed the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School.

In order to accommodate this new institution a new building was begun in a part of Leicester known as 'the Newarke'. The School building was constructed as one long wing with a grand central entrance. Today this is the part of the building which faces the Hugh Aston building. The foundation stone was laid on 30 March 1896 and the building was opened on 5 October 1897. It soon proved too small and extensions were planned. The first extension was the south wing, now the side of the building which faces along Richmond Street, which was opened in 1909. The west wing opposite the Portland building was built between 1927 and 1928. In order to construct this wing an asylum for orphan girls, which had been founded by the vicar of St Mary de Castro in 1800, was demolished.

The final wing was the north wing, facing Trinity House (at this date still a hospital for the poor). In order to construct this wing, a grand old house, known as Shipley Ellis House after the owner, a prominent industrialist, had to be destroyed. Construction took place between 1935 and 1939. The building is still part of the modern De Montfort University campus, known as the Hawthorn Building.

Open for general access. External researchers are advised to make an appointment with the Archivist.

Part of the institutional records of the University.

The brochures are in good condition.

Catalogued by Gursharan Hayre, Graduate champion, January 2018

Material may be copied for research purposes only, subject to copyright regulations and the condition of the material.