Bristol Guild of Applied Art
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Guild of Applied Art, more commonly referred to within Bristol as simply The Guild, is a privately held
department store
on Bristol
's Park Street
in the UK. Founded in 1908, the Guild was inspired by the philosophy of William Morris
, and originally offered a place for artists and craftsmen to come together, learn from each other and sell their wares. Today it still showcases artists both local and foreign, while also operating as a more conventional small department store.
in the true sense, a co-operative for local craftsmen to organise, work, learn and sell their handiwork. It was built on the principles behind William Morris's Arts and Crafts Movement
and lasted in that form until 1918, when the enterprise folded. It was bought out by three local businessmen and turned into a fully commercial venture, importing glass from Sweden
and crystal and pottery from elsewhere in the United Kingdom
. Park Street has been the home of the Guild since its founding, with the modern-day premises located at 68–70 Park Street. Since the 1940s, the Guild has survived the Bristol Blitz
bombings in World War II
and a Provisional IRA
attack in 1974.
and Dan Arbeit, at its second floor public gallery. While he was a student at Bristol University, the Guild was a source of fascination and inspiration for the writer John Metcalf
. In 2008, an extensive programme of refurbishment department by department, with a major overhaul of the layout and café began.
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
on Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
's Park Street
Park Street, Bristol
Park Street is a main street in Bristol, England, linking the city centre to Clifton. It forms part of the A4018.The building of Park Street started in 1761 and it was Bristol's earliest example of uniformly stepped hillside terracing. The street runs from College Green up a steep incline...
in the UK. Founded in 1908, the Guild was inspired by the philosophy of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, and originally offered a place for artists and craftsmen to come together, learn from each other and sell their wares. Today it still showcases artists both local and foreign, while also operating as a more conventional small department store.
History
The Guild was founded in 1908 as a guildGuild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
in the true sense, a co-operative for local craftsmen to organise, work, learn and sell their handiwork. It was built on the principles behind William Morris's Arts and Crafts Movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
and lasted in that form until 1918, when the enterprise folded. It was bought out by three local businessmen and turned into a fully commercial venture, importing glass from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and crystal and pottery from elsewhere in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Park Street has been the home of the Guild since its founding, with the modern-day premises located at 68–70 Park Street. Since the 1940s, the Guild has survived the Bristol Blitz
Bristol Blitz
Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War II. The presence of Bristol Harbour and the Bristol Aeroplane Company made it a target for bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe who were able to trace a course up the River Avon from Avonmouth using reflected moonlight on the...
bombings in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and a Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
attack in 1974.
Modern times
Since its inception the Guild has offered exhibitions of particular artists and craftspeople, both established names and newcomers, including Gillian LowndesGillian Lowndes
Gillian Lowndes was an English ceramics sculptor.Born in Cheshire in 1936, she spent much of her childhood in British India. She studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts beginning in 1957 and spent a year at L’École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1960...
and Dan Arbeit, at its second floor public gallery. While he was a student at Bristol University, the Guild was a source of fascination and inspiration for the writer John Metcalf
John Metcalf (writer)
John Metcalf, CM is a Canadian writer, editor and critic.-Biographical:Metcalf was born in Carlisle, England on November 12, 1938. His father, Thomas Metcalf, was a clergyman and his mother, Gladys Moore Metcalf, was a teacher. Metcalf immigrated to Canada in 1962 at the age of 24. It was in...
. In 2008, an extensive programme of refurbishment department by department, with a major overhaul of the layout and café began.