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In view of the grant by the Exchequer to the London County Council of
moneys arising from the beer and probate duties for Technical Education, the
Vestry presented a petition to the Council asking for the establishment of
Municipal Technical Schools in Shoreditch in conjunction with the London School
Board, and the deputation waited upon the Technical Instruction Committee of the
Council to discuss the matter. The Committee pointed out the difficulty of the
Council initiating such an undertaking, but encouraged the deputation (which was
the first to approach them) to make a local effort to start the schools so as to be in
a position to receive a subsidy from the Council when the grant came to be
distributed by the Technical Instruction Board which was about to be formed.
The Vestry accordingly resolved to establish Municipal Technical Schools for
Shoreditch, which appear to be the first Municipal Schools of the kind started in
London, but owing to legal difficulties as to the application of rates for this
purpose, their means were limited to a sum of £400 per annum derived from
letting the lamp posts of the parish for advertisement purposes.
The objects of the School were formulated as follows:—
(1) To improve the industries of Shoreditoh by increasing the skill and
knowledge of the artizans engaged therein.
(2) To supplement the practice of the workshop by teaching apprentices and
artizans the practical application of the principles of Scince and art to
such industries.
(3) To enable specialists in particular branches of an industry to become
good all-round men.
(4) To develop the art faculty of artizans by moans of a Technical Museum,
and Lectures on the application of art to industry
The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor of London kindly consented to be the first
President of tho Sohool, and the following gentlemen are Vioe-Presidents: —
The Right Hon. Baron Monkswell, L.C.C.
Sir James D. Linton (P.R.I.)
Prof. Stuart, M.P., L.C.C.
J. Williams Benn, Esq., M.P., L.C.C.
W. R. Cremer, Esq., M.P.
R. G Alabaster, Esq, J.P. The Hon. Claude Hay
Nathan Moss, Esq., L.C.C. J. C. Horsley, Esq., R.A.
W. J. Orsmau, Esq., L.C.C. T. Humphry Ward, Esq.
Henry Ward, Esq., L.C.C. E. Austin, Esq.
J. Look, Esq. (of the firm of Messrs. Collinson & Look).
All tho classes at this school, exoept tho Manual Instruction Class, have been
limited to artizans and apprentices actually engaged in the trades dealt with.