| Individual or organisational biography | On 10 Aug 1878 a Royal Commission was established to investigate parochial charities. It reported on 12 Mar 1880 and resulted in a new emphasis on enhancing the technical workforce, in the face of new technologies and foreign competition, as well as a greater understanding of how parochial charities could be better administed to help the poor. The resultant legislation was the City of London Parochial Charities Act, 1883. This provided that the five largest parishes should continue to administer their own charitable endowments, but that the charities of the remaining 107 parishes [about 1,400 separate charitable gifts and bequests stretching back over 400 years] should be administered by a new corporate body the Trustees of the London Parochial Charities [now named City Parochial Foundation]. This in turn led to a number of educational foundations in deprived areas of London, where people needed to retain relevant practical skills to remain in, or gain employment. The St Bride Foundation Institute was one of the establishments. A Central Governing Body was established for the Trustees, nominated by local London government bodies and educational establishments.
St Bride Foundation Insitute, Bride Lane, Fleet Street was founded 1883 and, in Nov 1894 the St Bride Foundation Printing School opened to teach part-time courses.The School was located on St Bride Street in the heart of the historic book production district in London. In 1894 the Foundation had approximately 124 evening class students. Evening classes were a major part of the school's activities. The school's aims were to provide a technical printing school, reading and lecture rooms and swimming and wash baths. In 1911, the school appointed their first full-time Principal, J.R. Riddell who instigated a move from text book based learning to practical teaching. The facilities at the schools soon grew insufficient. A 1912 report by J.C. Smail highlighted the limited and cramped conditions at St Bride Foundation Printing School and called for consolidation of technical schools in London. The first full-time courses began at St Brides in 1919. For some time students of St Bride Foundation Printing School and Bolt Court Technical School and its successor the London County Council School of Photo-Engraving and Lithography, shared some classes. This was due to the similar subjects taught at the schools and that students required usage of equipment held at the schools.
In 1922 the school's Central Governing Body placed it under the direct guardianship of London County Council, prior to this the Foundation was under the control of the Trustees. In 1922 after coming under County Council control, the school was re-named London School of Printing and Kindred Trades and moved to 61 Stamford Street. In 1933 61 Stamford Street was extended so it could greater meets its students needs. The School became independent from London County Council control in 1949 when in merged with the London County Council School of Photo-Engraving and Lithography, Bolt Court to form the London School of Printing and Graphic Arts. The schools merged after the 1944 Education Act had stated that smaller technical schools should merge to better serve their communities and students needs. |