Months and days

Year[s]

Activity

From July 15

1835

Select Committee of Arts and Manufactures set up with purpose of enquiring 'into the best means of extending a knowledge of the Arts and the Principles of Design among the people (especially the Manufacturing Population) of the Country ...' [quoted in Burton, 1999: 16]

July 11

1836

Board of Trade asked Treasury to provide funds to set up Government School of Design [Burton, 1999: 18]

August 16

1836

Select Committee report published. [Burton, 1999: 18]

June 1

1837

Foundation of Government School of Design in Somerset House [Burton, 1999: 19]. It had a 'committee on the museum of the school of design'.

Unknown

1846

Henry Cole (1808-1882) joins Society of Arts and sets up series of annual exhibitions of modern products that will eventually lead to Great Exhibition [Burton, 1999: 26; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 99 et seq].

Unknown

1849

Students at School of Design request a formal arranged museum associated with the school that visitors could attend and gain benefit from, the plea was considered by a House of Commons Select Committee but not actioned. [Burton, 1999: 22] Cole also gives presentation to Select Committee on the School of Design. [Burton, 1999: 27; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 104 et seq]

March 18 - June 29

1850

Cole involved in Society of Arts exhibition 'Ancient and Medieval Art, Franks was also member of the organizing committee with Prince Albert [Burton, 1999: 33; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 102]

May 1 – October 15

1851

Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations open in Hyde Park, London

July

1851

All exhibitors at Great Exhibition asked to contribute product examples to a 'Trade Collection', which will later become part of the South Kensington Museum [Burton, 1999: 41; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 115 et seq]

August

1851

Prince Albert proposes that there be a new establishment that will harness Science and Art to raise 'the Industry of all nations'. The Royal Commission of the Great Exhibition was recreated so that it could administer profits and invest in land for the institution in Brompton (the area later known as South Kensington). [Burton, 1999: 42-3; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 115 et seq]

September and on

1851

Henry Cole obtains grant from Board of Trade to purchase selection of best-designed objects in Great Exhibition for School of Design. He forms 'Designs Purchases Committee' with Redgrave, Owen Jones and A.W.N. Pugin' and buy series of artefacts in Autumn 1851 for museum collection at School of Design. [Burton, 1999: 31; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 146 et seq]

January 14

1852

Henry Cole put in charge of the School of Design [Burton, 1999: 22; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 148]; Cole and Richard Redgrave joint secretaries of Schools [Burton, 1999: 27] appointed superintendent of Department of Practical Art.

Unknown date

1852

Richard Redgrave appointed Superintendent of Art

February 19

1852

Marlborough House offered to School of Design as base by Prince Albert [Burton, 1999: 27]

May 17, 19

1852

The museum at Marlborough House opens, attended by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 153; Burton, 1999: 31, 33]

March

1853

Dept. of Practical Art becomes Dept. of Science and Art [Burton, 1999: 43; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 158]

September 12

1853

John Charles Robinson appointed curator at Marlborough House [Burton, 1999: 37; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 160]

October 10

1853

Norman Macleod appointed deputy to Cole [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 160]

May

1855

Catalogue of Museum of Ornamental Art published [Burton, 1999: 38]

June

1855

Catalogue of first circulating exhibition of Museum of Ornamental Art published [Burton, 1999: 38]

May 15 - November 15

1855

Exposition Universelle / International Exhibition, Paris [Burton, 1999: 46; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 163 et seq; wikipedia]

Unknown

1855

Building work begins on South Kensington site

January 12

1857

Richard Anthony Thompson joins SKM staff to arrange Education museum [Burton, 1999: 81]

May 14

1857

Philip Cunliffe Owen appointed Deputy Superintendent SKM (he was first appointed as clerk to Dept of Science and Art on 31.12.1854)[Burton, 1999: 81]

May 21

1857

Name of South Kensington Museum [SKM] officially adopted [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 179]

May 5 – October 17

1857

Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition (includes ‘Museum of Ornamental Art’)

June 22 / 24

1857

South Kensington Museum opens [Burton, 1999: 41; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 179]

November 16

1857

South Kensington Museum introductory lecture given by Henry Cole  [Burton, 1999: 77; Bonython & Burton, 2003: 181]

Unknown

1857

'Collectors Club' (later known as Fine Arts Club, Burlington Fine Arts Club) established by Redgrave and Cole [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 181, 211]

Unknown

1859

Richard Thompson becomes Keeper of Educational, Food and Animal Products collections [Burton, 1999: 81]

June 5

1861

Opening of Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens on other side of Exhibition Road [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 201] The galleries associated with these gardens at the western and eastern sides, called the East and West Galleries, were later used to house Educational Collections, including Pitt-Rivers from 1878.

April

1862

North Court is opened in SKM, South Court opened little later with exhibition of loaned medieval and renaissance decorative art 'The Art Wealth of England' [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 212]

May 1 to November 1 1862

1862

International Exhibition or Great London Exposition held in galleries built near Horticultural Gardens.

1864

Part of 1862 International Exhibition galleries pulled down to make way for Natural History Museum

April 1 to October 31

1867

Paris Exposition Universelle  [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 227 et seq]

1868

Underground Metropolitan Railway station opened at South Kensington [Burton, 1999: 75]

1868

Building work for Bethnal Green Museum [BGM] began (branch of SKM)

1869

New entrance block opens at SKM

1871

International Exhibition, there are Exhibitions between 1871-1874 [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 250 et seq]

June 24

1872

Bethnal Green Museum opened by Prince of Wales, branch museum of SKM

July (end)

1873

Henry Cole retires

1873

Architectural Courts open at SKM

February

1874

Philip Cunliffe Owen becomes Director of SKM, Sir Francis Sandford was Secretary of Dept. of Science and Art, combining it with his other job as Secretary of Education Dept. [Burton, 1999: 116; [Bonython & Burton, 2003: 264]

Unknown

1874

Museum of East India Company moves to SKM site, still under the India Office [Burton, 1999: 116]

July 1

1874

Lane Fox's loan collections display opens at BGM

Unknown

1876

Loan display of scientific apparatus shown in Western Galleries, SKM [in same area as Lane Fox's collection would be moved in 1878 [qv] [Burton, 1999: 120]

Circa December 21

1878

Lane Fox's loan collection displays moved from BGM to SKM [see 1862]. They occupy the gallery space previously occupied by Frederick Crace's loan collection of maps and prints of Old London. [Burton, 1999: 124]

November 11

1879

East India Company’s India Museum transferred to SKM and British Museum [Burton, 1999: 119]

December

1879

Caspar Purdon Clarke appointed to superintend arrangement of the Indian Collection [Burton, 1999: 119]

1899

SKM renamed Victoria and Albert Museum