Bolt Court

The foundation of the London College of Printing came about in 1883 via the establishment of the City of London Parochial Charities Act which aimed to offer improved supervision of charitable funds thus benefiting the inhabitants of these London city parishes by the development of learning and work prospects. This Act established the St. Bride Foundation Institute Printing School, which opened at the end of 1894. The same year saw the opening of a Guild and Technical School in Clerkenwell Road aimed at the enhancement of apprentice skills of journeymen engravers and lithographers. Circa1895 the establishment relocated to 6 Bolt Court, a small side street off Fleet Street, where it became known as the Bolt Court Technical School. The School was subsequently renamed the London County Council School of Photoengraving and Lithography. The establishment has had several guises which include the College for the Distributive Trades, London School of Printing and Graphic Arts and between 1990 and 2001 it was known as the London College of Printing and Distributive Trades. On 1 Jan 1986, the London College of Printing merged along with Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts, the Central School of Arts & Crafts, Chelsea School of Art, the College for the Distributive Trades, the London College of Fashion and St. Martin's School of Art to form the London Institute. Perhaps the Schools most 'unusual' alumnus was comedian Kenneth Williams who attended there from1940 where he trained as a draughtsman prior to his army call-up.