Black and white/sepia (delete as appropriate)

Acc.no: PEZPH : 2016.50.253

Identification

Item: Passmore Edwards Art Gallery, Newlyn

Description: The Art Gallery at Newlyn, was one of many public institutions built at the expense of philanthropist J Passmore Edwards, in the latter half of the 19th century. By the time of his death in 1911, he had paid for over 70 such institutional buildings, and 25 Free Libraries. The son of a Blackwater carpenter, he was born in 1823 and died in 1911, having made his fortune in the newspaper business. His intention to provide an art gallery at Newlyn was announced in July 1894, and this building was intended not only for the display of works of art and an artists' club, but was also to provide a public reading-room for the fishermen and local inhabitants. However, this was frustrated by its distance from Newlyn Town and the creation of other reading-rooms (Cornishman 12 July 1894). Built at a cost of £1500, a memorial stone was laid on the new building by J Passmore Edwards, on Wednesday 22 May 1895 (Cornishman 23 May 1895). While the building was a gift of the benefactor, it had to be self-supporting thereafter and the Art Gallery was managed by a committee of trustees lead by the artist community. During building, there was a problem when in June 1895, Mr Edwards was summoned by Madron Local Board, for not having submitted plans of the new building for their approval. Local arrangements were placed in the hands of architect, Mr James Hicks, but when work was about to commence in the March, he had inadvertently approached the Paul Local Board. By the time he realised his mistake, work had already started on the building. After some argument in court, the summons was withdrawn (Cornishman 13 June 1895). Work was completed during the early Autumn, and an opening exhibition was staged towards the end of October with an admission charge of 6d. The Architect was Mr James Hicks of Redruth and the Contractor Messrs Symons and Son of Blackwater. The four large copper plaques on the front of the building represent the four elements, to the design of John Mackenzie and Thomas Gotch, and were made by students of the Newlyn Industrial School.

Condition: Good

Description

Material: Photographic paper

Production

Method: Printed

Category: Photography

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