The Great Exhibition and after

As early as 1841 there had been proposals in the Bradford Observer for the establishment of a 'School of Design', but it was not until 1859 that such a school was started.

Bradford manufacturers received twelve medals for cloth and nine for yarn, but the marked superiority of the French in the production of all-wool cloths and shortcomings in the design of Bradford fancy goods gave some cause for concern,

 

Unfortunately it lasted only five years, because its teacher was more interested in pure than in applied art. It re-emerged, however, before 1868 as a School of Art and Industrial Design. From the beginning there was a close connection with local industry, including a course on fabric dyeing. Another school of art was formed in 1866 in a room in the High School in Hallfield Road; this was transferred to the Technical College in 1883, where it formed an art department.