THE BETHNAL GREEN BRANCH OF THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE LORDS OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION.
Lord President, The MARQUESS OF RIPON, K.G.
Vice-President, The Right Hon. W. E. FORSTER, M.P.
I. In tracing the origin of the Branch Museum of Science and Art at Bethnal Green it will be necessary to refer, though briefly, to the early days of the parent institution, at South Kensington, from whence a considerable portion of the new edifice and of its contents have been derived.
II. The South Kensington Museum stands on 12 acres of land, acquired by the Government at a cost of 60,000l., being a portion of the estate purchased by Her Majesty’s Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851, out of the surplus proceeds of that undertaking.
III. Here, in 1855, a spacious building was constructed, chiefly of iron and wood, under the superintendence of the late Sir William Cubitt, C.E., at a cost of 15,000l., intended to receive several miscellaneous collections of a scientific character mainly acquired from the Exhibition of 1851, and which had been temporarily housed in various places.
IV. In addition to the collections already alluded to, the whole of the Fine Art collections which had been exhibited at Marlborough House since 1852 were also removed thither, and these were supplemented by numerous and valuable loans by Her Majesty the Queen and others.
V. This building was opened on June 22nd, 1857, as The South Kensington Museum. Although in many respects well suited to its purpose, this iron building was avowedly of a temporary character, and from the first it was intended to replace it by buildings of a more architectural character and of more substantial materials. The erection of these permanent buildings was commenced at once, and at the beginning of the year 1865 sufficient progress had been made to render the removal of the iron building necessary.
VI. It appeared to the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education that “this iron building might usefully be divided into three portions, and that one of these portions might be offered to the proper authorities in the north, east, and south of London respectively, at a nominal sum, in order to assist in the formation of district museums, security being required for the completion of each portion in a suitable manner, and for its permanent appropriation to public uses.” After some correspondence with other Departments of the Government, it was decided that measures should be taken for carrying out this proposal.