(Signed) Antonio Brady, J.P.,
_Honorary Secretary_.
To the Right Honourable Earl Granville, K.G., Lord President of Her
Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.
IX. This letter was at once taken into favourable consideration by the
Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, Earl Granville and Mr.
Bruce being respectively President and Vice-President. A change of
Government shortly afterwards took place which caused some delay, but on
December 6, 1866, the Duke of Buckingham being President and Mr. Corry
Vice-President, a minute was passed recommending the proposal to the
favourable consideration of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s
Treasury, and asking that an estimate of the probable cost might be
included in the votes of the ensuing year. The following paragraph
occurs in this minute:—
“My Lords regret that Mr. Brady’s offer on behalf of Bethnal Green
can be adduced as the sole proof of the practical earnestness of the
several districts of the metropolis to act in establishing district
museums. Their Lordships, therefore, propose that the iron columns,
flooring, stairs, window fittings, heating arrangements, &c. of the
whole of the iron building should be re-erected as soon as
practicable at Bethnal Green, on the free site provided by the
locality, but that brick walls and a slate roof should be used
instead of iron; and they estimate that the cost will be 20,000_l._
The works would thus be of a permanent nature.”
X. The Treasury (the Right Hon. B. Disraeli being then Chancellor of the
Exchequer) accepted the proposal to re-erect the structure and to provide
for its maintenance, and a vote of 5,000_l._ on account was granted by
the House of Commons towards the cost of removal and re-erection of the
building, but some delay arose in consequence of legal difficulties as to
the conveyance of the ground. By the untiring efforts of Sir Antonio
Brady, the Rev. Septimus Hansard, rector of Bethnal Green, Mr. J. M.
Clabon, Dr. J. Millar, and others, heartily seconded by the trustees of
the land and supported by the Government, these difficulties were at
length surmounted, a special Act of Parliament having been obtained for
the purpose (31 Vict. c. 8.), and on 13 February 1869, the four gentlemen
above named, acting on behalf of the subscribers to the fund for the
purchase of the site, attended at the Council Chamber, Downing Street,
and presented to the Lord President and Vice-President of the Committee
of Council on Education the title-deeds of the site. {7}
XI. After the removal of the materials had taken place the erection of
the building was at once commenced in accordance with plans prepared for
the Department of Science and Art under the direction of Major-General
Scott, C.B.
XII. At the beginning of the present year (1872) the building was
sufficiently advanced for the reception of objects. Two important
collections, formerly exhibited in the iron buildings, already existed in
the South Kensington Museum ready for transfer to Bethnal Green, the
ANIMAL PRODUCTS COLLECTION intended to illustrate the various
applications of animal substances to industrial purposes, and the FOOD
COLLECTION, one of the most popular divisions of the Museum. These, with
an important series of examples of Economic Entomology recently formed by
Mr. Andrew Murray, now occupy the whole of the space on the ground floor
under the galleries, and it is confidently believed that they will prove
of great and abiding interest and educational value, forming as they do
no inconsiderable contribution towards the establishment of a complete
trade museum, the necessity for which at the East-end of the metropolis
has long been recognised.
XIII. The galleries of the building on the first floor are at present
assigned to Paintings and other Fine Art objects, and the Lords of the
Committee of Council on Education are indebted to the generous liberality
of Sir Richard Wallace, Bart., for the loan of a collection of Art
Treasures of almost unexampled beauty and value, occupying the whole of
the space assigned to this division. These Art Treasures, collected by
the late Marquis of Hertford, K.G., during a period of 30 years, have
hitherto been comparatively unknown to the English public, a large
portion of the objects having been specially brought over from Paris
within the last three months at the expense of Sir Richard Wallace.
XIV. The basement of the building contains a range of spacious and
well-lighted rooms. A portion of this will serve as Refreshment Rooms,
and it is proposed to use the remainder for educational purposes,
including a Library, and rooms in which classes may receive instruction
in the various branches of Science and Art.
XV. It was desired by Her Majesty the Queen that on the 24th June 1872
the Museum should be opened in state by His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales on behalf of Her Majesty, the Prince being accompanied by Her Royal
Highness the Princess of Wales.
HENRY COLE,
Director.
* * * * *
The Bethnal Green Branch of the South Kensington Museum was opened to the
public on Tuesday, the 25th June 1872, under the following regulations,
which are the same as those of the South Kensington Museum:—Daily (except
Sundays). Free admission on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, from 10 a.m.
to 10 p.m. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Students’ days),
admission sixpence, from 10 a.m. to 4, 5, or 6 p.m., according to the
season.
Tickets of Admission on Students’ days (available both for the Bethnal
Green Museum and the South Kensington Museum) are issued at the following
rates:—_weekly_, 6_d._; _monthly_, 1_s._ 6_d._; _quarterly_, 3_s._;
_half-yearly_, 6_s._; _yearly_, 10_s._ _Yearly_ Tickets are also issued
to any school at 1_l._, which will admit all the pupils of such schools
on all Students’ days. To be obtained at the Catalogue Sale Stall of
each Museum.
* * * * *