| Description | The records in Charles London Pickering Archive spans his life as a print student at the London County Council Central School of Arts and all of his career as a lecturer of Typography and Inspector of Education until the year of his death in 1998.
Records relate to the history of printing, typography and the book trade from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries and some interesting early bindings, which can be found in the University of the Arts library. Most records of the Charles London PickeringArchive fall into the time after 1949, when Pickering was appointed as Inspector of Education (HMI). This Archive includes records about Pickering's lifetime involvement in various print societies, as evidenced by his annual membership cards which date from 1926 to 1992, correspondence and photographs. Most notably records on the Double Crown Club, the Association of Teachers of Printing and Allied Subjects (ATPAS), Beatrice L Warde Trust and the Wynkyn de Worde society can be found. Through print samples, pamphlets and articles on printing and print education the development of the craft of printing, especially print education, in the twentieth century can be followed.
This Archive also comprises Pickering's personal papers, sketchbooks, notes and some of the publications and books which may have formed part of Pickering's personal library. |
| Individual or organisational biography | Charles London Pickering, was born in 1908 in Southwark. Pickering received most of his primary education in during the First World War at the Friern School in East Dulwich from 1913-1920. Pickering completed his secondary education in Goodrich Road, a higher grade school, from 1920-1922. In 1922, at the age of 14, Pickering started his career in the printing industry as a student at the London County Council Central School of Arts, a public school of fine and applied arts in London, England, where he was educated until 1939.
After a merger with Saint Martin's School of Art, the Drama Centre London and the Byam Shaw School of Art, the institution is now called Central St Martins. In 1931, after finishing a one-year-long course at the London County Council School of Photo-Engraving and Lithography (Bolt Court) and completing an apprenticeship at the Baynard Press, working as a composer, Pickering commenced his career as a lecturer at the Central School of Arts and Crafts.
Pickering worked as a lecturer at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1930-1941. Pickering also taught at the Medway College of Arts and Crafts from 1933-1939 and the Guildford School of Art and Crafts from 1936-1939. Pickering's final role as an academic member of a college of art took place at Medway College of Art, where he was the acting Head of the Printing Department from 1939 until 1949. Pickering additionally gave short courses for teachers of art in typography and illustration at the Ministry of Education for the duration of World War II. During this time Pickering started his collection of print samples and journal and newspaper articles related to print education.
Most records of the Charles London Pickering Archive date from after 1949, when he was appointed as Inspector of Education (HMI). Although Inspectors assessed schools in England since 1833, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) was only created in 1984. In this position as Inspector of Education, Pickering visited print schools all over the country and evaluated their level of excellency.
Pickering was an active member of numerous print societies, as evidenced by the annual membership cards which date from 1926 to 1992, correspondence and photographs. Some societies Pickering joined as early as 1926 including the London Typographical Society, and the London Society of Compositors and remained a loyal member until the 1990s. Pickering was an honorary member of the City and Guilds of London Institute, ATPAS and a member of the Wynkun de Worde Society, the William Morris Society and the National Graphical Association. Pickering acted as Chairman of the Beatrice L. Warde Trust Fund, a scholarship created to enable disadvantaged students to commence their printing education.
As a member of the Double Crown Club, a London dining club of artists, publishers, typographers, book designers and illustrators to promote the appreciation of printing by discussion rather than campaigning, Pickering collected the club's dinner menus, which were designed by a different member every time.
Pickering authored, printed and published several books and publications concerning composition, printing and printing education as well as well printing an publishing editions of well known books.
Charles London Pickering died in 1998 at the age of 90. |
| Custodial History | The Charles London Pickering collection was donated to the London College of Printing Library and Learning Resources in 1998 by a private donor. The Archive was transferred to the University Archives and Special Collections Centre in 2007. Pickering's book collection, consisting of over 2000 books remains in the UAL Libraries. |