Founded in 1933, the purpose of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen, is to foster and promote fine craftsmanship and good design. These aims came out of the vibrant Arts and Crafts Movement in the Cotswolds at the turn of the 20th century.
See the timeline of the Guild below, from the initial founding to the present day.
The architects and designer-makers, Ernest Gimson and the brothers Ernest and Sidney Barnsley, set up workshops in Sapperton, near Cirencester. They developed what has become known as the Cotswold tradition of furniture and has inspired designers and makers worldwide
A breakaway group from a Tolstoyan commune in Purleigh, Essex arrived in the Cotswolds by bicycle and set up the self-sufficient Whiteway Colony. The crafts played an important role in the community and several members join the Guild including Fred Foster and the Dodo Press
C. R. Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft moved from London’s East End to Chipping Campden. Harts Silversmiths carry on the Guild tradition of fine metalworking
Following the death of Gimson, his foreman Peter Waals sets up a workshop at Chalford. Both he and many of the cabinetmakers who worked with him including Harry Davoll, Ernest Smith, Fred Gardiner and Owen Scrubey went on to join the Guild
The Rural Industries Bureau is set up to provide advice and information to help the development of rural industries following World War I
In Cheltenham librarian curator Daniel Herdman organised the first of a series of Cotswolds Arts and Crafts exhibitions featuring the work of contemporary makers at the Art Gallery & Museum. Subsequent shows toured to Chipping Campden and Painswick as well as Cheltenham
The Rural Community Council, founded to support rural craftsmen after World War I, began to research the formation of a Cotswold Arts and Crafts Society. They sponsored the first of many shows at the Three Counties show in Gloucester in 1926
Michael Cardew was taken to the former Beckett’s Pottery at Greet, near Winchcombe. He decided to reopen the pottery, persuading the former thrower, Elijah Comfort out of retirement. The Winchcombe Pottery, probably one of the longest surviving craft potteries in Britain, is still a Guild member
The ornamental blacksmith, F E Banks of Westonbirt, was appointed to a six-month position by the Rural Community Council to oversee ‘the organising of Rural Craftsmen and the fostering of Rural Industries’. This led to the formation of the Guild of which Banks was a founder member
Phyllis Barron and Dorothy Larcher moved their workshop from London to Painswick.
They revived the crafts of hand-block printing and indigo dyeing and received commissions for their fabrics from the Duke of Westminster, Coco Chanel, and Winchester Cathedral.
They were founder members of the Guild
The Guild of Gloucestershire Craftsmen was founded with about forty members; they included traditional craftsmen such as George Brint, a basket maker from Quedgeley, and W H Hamlin and Son, fishing rod and tackle makers from Cheltenham as well as designer-makers linked to the Arts and Crafts Movement. Some such as furniture maker Peter Waals, stained-glass artist Paul Woodroffe, potter Michael Cardew,and the hand-block printers Barron and Larcher had international reputations. The Guild issued a blue sign for display outside members’ workshops. As patrons of the Guild, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort did much to promote its work
Ray Finch started working at the Winchcombe Pottery. When Cardew left in 1939 he took over pottery and ran it until 1979 when he handed over management to his son, Mike
The Guild began its long association with Painswick. The first summer show was held in the village and, until the move to Cheltenham in 2013, Painswick was the Guild’s main showcase
The British Council organised an Exhibition of Modern British Crafts shown in London and New York. Exhibitors included Guild members Michael Cardew, Harry Davoll, Barron and Larcher and the glass engraver Michael Dinkel
The Guild took part in the Exhibition of Cotswold Craftsmanship at Cheltenham organised as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations
The Queen attended the Guild
exhibition held at Badminton House
during the horse trials. She was
presented with a folding tea table
by Fred Foster; Princess Margaret
bought a log fork
The architect Oliver Hill was
commissioned to design the
summer exhibition at Painswick for
the Guild. Working with Guild
members Gerry Carter and Eric
Rice, he produced a ‘gay and
whimsical, startling layout’ that
established a policy of shows
designed by individual members.
A chance and ill-considered remark
overheard at an exhibition opening
led to a major rift in the Guild.
Some members felt that the Guild
was becoming too closely linked to
the establishment and left to form
a rival grouping.
The Painswick exhibition celebrates
the work of sculptor and puppeteer
William Simmonds who joined the
Guild in 1946
The Crafts Study Centre is opened
at the Holburne Museum, Bath. It
features work by many Guild
members including Cardew, Finch,
Barron and Larcher, Rita and Percy
Beales.
Guild members Gerry Carter, Theo
Moorman and Bryant Fedden
produce work for the altar at
Manchester Cathedral.
Guild member Bryant Fedden
organised a Guild exhibition at
Foyles bookshop in London’s West
End
Guild member Gerry Carter was
invited to Lesotho for three years
with his wife Joan to develop
weaving workshops.
Guild member Colin Gerard
publishes a book ‘Practical Guild to
Pottery’ illustrating the growing
emphasis on education as part of
the Guild’s remit.
The Guild holds the first of a series
of high profile Christmas shows at
the, Cirencester Workshops
organised by the potter, Tony
Davies
1983
The Guild celebrated its 50th
anniversary with the publication of
A Fertile Field, a booklet on its
history written by Stuart Robinson,
Guild Chairman, and an exhibition
at Cheltenham Art Gallery &
Museum and the Crafts Study
Centre, Bath.
The Guild changed its name to The
Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen
and adopted the calligraphic ‘GGC’
logo
The Painswick summer show was opened by Diana, Princess of
Wales. She chose to stay well over
an hour and spoke individually to
all 47 exhibitors. This event
generated a great deal of national
coverage for the Guild.
Guild member Rod Forss designed the modular display equipment
that is still in use in The Guild at 51
in Cheltenham and at Guild
exhibitions.
Following recommendations made
in an independent report on the
Guild’s future, a paid Guild
Administrator was appointed.
The Guild established a permanent
gallery in the Gardiner Room of the
Painswick Centre. This remained
the Guild’s focal point until the
opening of The Guild at 51 in
Cheltnham in 2013.
The Crafts Study Centre, with its
collections containing work by
many Guild members, relocated to
the University for the Creative Arts,
The first of 2 films ‘Made for You’ directed and made by Steve Hilliker, produced by Colin Gerard and Val Michael, was made. It featured 6 guild members in their studios. ‘Made for You 2’ followed in 2006 with funding from Gloucestershire County Council.
After a 2.7 million facelift, New Brewery Arts opened at Cirencester. A number of Guild members including Hugh and Sophia Blackwell and the Studio Seven collective have had workshops in the complex.
The Guild adopted the star logo and held its first Spring show in the renovated Market Hall at Tetbury organised by Val Michael and Neil MacGregor.
To commemorate the life of Ray Finch, the Painswick summer show included an exhibition of his work loaned by Guild members.
The Guild moved from Painswick to Cheltenham. The Guild at 51 opened in the enlarged Wilson Art Gallery & Museum in October with the support of Arts Council England and other charitable trusts.
The Guild opened a new shop in the heart of the elegant Montpellier area of Cheltenham.
