Liverpool School of Art

The College started life as the Mechanics School of Arts in 1825, Mechanics in this instance referring to artisans and craftsmen of the period. Its aim was to encourage the study of the sciences behind their current or future occupations. It was renamed The Mechanics Institute in 1832 and evening classes in mechanical drawing, figure drawing and landscape drawing were started. Five years later in 1837 a new building was opened in Mount Street and for some time the School was unofficially known as Mount Street School of Art or Liverpool Institute and School of Art. By now the attendees included professional artists, architects, engravers, carvers, gilders, painters, cabinet makers, upholsterers, joiners, plasterers and stone masons. Still in use today it is now the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts. By 1856 it had morphed yet again as the South Liverpool School of Art.

Amongst its former staff in the late 1950's Julia Carter Preston, Arthur Ballard, Charles Burton, Nicholas Horsfield, George Mayer-Marten, Alfred K. Wiffen, Austin Davies and Philip Hartas. Its student alumni include John Lennon, Stuart Sutcliffe, Cynthia Lennon, Maurice Cockrill, Ray Walker, Margaret Chapman, Norman Thelwell and Bill Harry. In 1975, Clive Langer, Steve Allen, Tim Whittaker, Sam Davis, Steve Lindsey, John Wood and Roy Holt a mix of Fine Art students and tutors at the college founded seminal 'art rock' band Deaf School and went on to sign a record deal with Warner Bros Records US after being 'discovered' by former Beatles publicist and head of Warner Bros UK at the time Derek Taylor. Deaf School is acknowledged as catalysts of the post-Beatles musical revival in the city.