Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology

The School of Pharmacy was founded under the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School in 1909. Now part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, it still teaches from its original base in the Hawthorn Building. From its establishment until 1969, Pharmacy, in addition to nursing, was offered as part of the Technical School courses. Pharmacy already had its own school set up unlike nursing which came under Biology. However a formal Faculty or department did not exist until the Polytechnic was founded. University records show that basic pharmacy courses were being taught in the Leicester Technical School as early as 1887 in the guise of 'Pharmaceutical Chemistry.'

From the guide to the School of Pharmacy, Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology and Successors, 1935-1970, (De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections)

The Leicester School of Art and the Leicester Technical School merged in 1897 to form the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School, managed by the Education Committee of the Town Council. In 1919 the School was restructured and renamed the City of Leicester School of Arts and Crafts, and the City of Leicester Technical School. In 1925 these were renamed to the City of Leicester College of Arts and Crafts and the City of Leicester College of Technology; while in 1929 they reached their final version as the Leicester College of Art and the Leicester College of Technology. The two Colleges were never entirely separate, sharing building space and run by the same Committee, although they had separate principals and staff. In 1969 they re-merged to form the City of Leicester Polytechnic, which itself became De Montfort University in 1992.

The aim of the Colleges in their early years was to provide skilled workers for local industry. Subjects taught around the dates this gift book was compiled included architecture, building crafts, industrial design, printing and book production, silversmiths' work and allied crafts, pottery, dress design, draughtsmanship and painting, boot and shoe manufacture, hosiery and textile manufacture, chemistry and dyeing, pharmacy, physics, mathematics, engineering, biology, commerce, languages and industrial and commercial administration.

From the guide to the Gift Book, Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology, 1922-1938, (De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections)

De Montfort University originated in the Leicester School of Art, founded in 1870. A Technical School followed in 1882. The aim of both schools was to provide skilled workers for local industry. In 1897 the School was taken over by the Town Council of the County Borough of Leicester and renamed the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School.

The Technical section of the School operated a Day Department for school leavers over the age of 15 to take a 2 year Technical, Commercial or Scientific course. Technological courses included hosiery, boot and shoe manufacture, engineering, dyeing, carpentry and brickwork. Commercial courses included shorthand, typewriting, book-keeping, languages, and commerce. The Scientific course comprised chemistry, physical and technical science. The Evening Department offered evening classes to anyone over the age of 15, intended to help artisans improve their existing skills and thus benefit local industry.

The Junior Technical School was intended to offer boys of 13 and over the opportunity to have 2 years of additional teaching, especially if they were to go into a trade using handicrafts such as engineering, building and allied trades. The aim was to increase the boys' employability and the course was supported by the Local Employers' Associations of Engineers and Builders.

The Schools went through various changes of name and mergers before amalgamating to become the City of Leicester Polytechnic in 1969. In 1992 this became De Montfort University.

From the guide to the Registers of Students for predecessors of De Montfort University, 1870-1931, (De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections)

De Montfort University originated in the Leicester School of Art, founded in 1870. A Technical School followed in 1882. The aim of both schools was to provide skilled workers for local industry. In 1897 the School was taken over by the Town Council of the County Borough of Leicester and renamed the Leicester Municipal Technical and Art School.

The Schools went through various changes of name and mergers before amalgamating to become the City of Leicester Polytechnic in 1969. In 1992 this became De Montfort University.

From the guide to the Visitors Books, De Montfort University and predecessors, 1909-1998, (De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections)