Douglas School of Art

The new School of Art opened on 22nd November 1880 in the island's capital. Subjects taught included drawing, oil and watercolour painting, modelling and designing. The intention was to attract students who might become future art teachers as well as trade apprentices wanting to learn useful skills. The first Head of the Art School, William J. Merritt, (b. c. 1856) appears to have struggled with funding issues and left in 1884, but not before a new purpose-built art school was nearing completion. Heated debates raged in the Manx newspapers over what the school should be teaching. The ‘mechanics’ were not felt to be getting the necessary tuition in geometrical and architectural drawing and it was said that there was too much emphasis on sketching and painting for the artists. The later to become famous designer Archibald Knox, was amongst the first student intake in 1880. After studying at the School he became a teaching assistant and began training as an Art Master which he followed all of his adult life alongside his designing for Liberty. The new purpose-built School of Art opened in Kensington Road in April 1884 but by September the resignation of William J. Merritt as Art Master, falling student numbers and reduced fees heralded the bleak prospect of bankruptcy or closure.

A new master David M. Robertson, (1860-1909) of Edinburgh arrived in January 1885 and during his tenure student numbers steadily grew and the art school was extended. Following Robertson’s premature demise Peter Chisholm was appointed in 1909 and the School again began to prosper. His long tenure ended during World War II in 1941 and William Hargreaves Whitehead, (1895-1971) of Oldham was appointed the new Principal of the School of Art in 1943. By now it had gone through a name change as was known as Douglas School of Arts & Crafts. By the late 1960’s the Art School building had outgrown its shelf-life. So in 1970, the School of Art and various other training establishments were moved to a new purpose-built College of Further Education on the outskirts of Douglas and became part of University College Isle of Man. Alumni and staff included Bryan Kneale, Norman Sayle, Ashton Cannell and Michael Sandle.

Ironically during World War II, very many great European artists who had fled Nazi tyranny had arrived in Great Britain only to be interned on the Isle of Man as enemy aliens. To my knowledge, none attended the School of Art. They included Hugo Dachinger, Martin Bloch, Fred Uhlman, Erna Nonnenmacher, Paul Nietsche, Kurt Schwitters, Erich Kahn and many more.