| Individual or organisational biography | The College for Distributive Trades was a technical training college in London. It was founded as the Westminster Day Continuation School in 1921. In 1923 it began planning a curriculum for young people entering work at retail stores. It first offered two year classes for 14-16 year olds. Later a one year course was offered for older students, largely students who had already completed their schooling. Demand for evening classes soon followed and classes in Textiles and Furnishing were created. At some time it fell into London County Council's jurisdiction. In 1929, London County Council renamed the school the School of Retail Distribution raising the schools status to a technical institution.
As a technical institution it comprised a Junior Technical School, offered full-time Senior Day Classes and part-time classes for employed students as well as evening classes. The evening classes were held at the Institute and at the premises of various London firms. The school was so successful it was copied in other parts of the UK and the subjects the school offered increased. Its curriculum developed and soon included courses on Drapery, Display, Outfitting, Furnishing, Hardware, Grocery, Dairy Salesmanship, Merchandise and Stock Control, and a course on the principles of Retailing and Branch Management. As part of their studies, students would have a practical element including working for a company enabling them to put their studies to practice. Some businesses would send their staff to the school for day classes or the Institute would hold classes at the respective company if they had sufficient students to warrant it. Due to the school's success and suggestions made by the school, the City and Guilds of London Institute devised an examination in Retail Distribution (Drapery and Outfitting).
In the 1930s, the school it was known as the Technical Institute of Distributive Trades. Around 1950 it was renamed the College of Distributive Trades.
From May 1939-1960s the College's main building was located at 107 Charing Cross Road, W.C.2, with some of its other departments including the department of Food Commodities at Eagle Court, Smithfield, E.C.1 and its offices at Westminster Bridge. The college also had its own library and restaurants as well as bookstalls. The college shared its Charing Cross premises with St Martin's School of Art. The building was owned by and designed by London County Council, which both schools were under the jurisdiction of.
The College of Distributive Trades was governed by a board of Governors many of whom were members of related trade unions and industries and had its own Principal. In 1961-1962 the College of Distributive Trades, Principal was T Hamar Jones.
During the 1970s the College held some classses at Briset House, 6-9 Briset Street, London, EC1. Sometime before 1980 the College merged with the National College of Food and Technology, the successor of Smithfield College.
In 1986 the college became part of the newly formed London Institute. In 1990 it merged with the London College of Printing [LCP] to form the London College of Printing and Distributive Trades. Before merging with LCP it was based at 30 Leicester Square and had departments in Display, Food Commodities, Management, Marketing and Advertising and Merchandising. |