Art and early years at the Bishop Otter College and Bognor Teacher Training College

Miss Murray

Before becoming the Principal of Bishop Otter College, Betty Murray had read Modern History at Somerville College, Oxford from 1928 to 1931. From 1938 until 1948, she had been Fellow and Junior Bursar at Girton College, Cambridge.

Betty Murray had the responsibility as Principal of Bishop Otter College of overseeing new buildings for the increase in staff and students, paying particular attention to the designs so that a view of life that embodied optimism and hope could be created.

Sheila McCririck

Prior to becoming Head of Art at Bishop Otter College, Sheila McCririck had taught at Bedford Froebel Training College, where she had also been a student. While she was living in Bedford, Sheila had exhibited Seashore, an oil painting at the New English Art Club in 1946.

Throughout her time at Bishop Otter Campus, Sheila McCririck promoted her belief that art was for all. This agreed with the post-war movement, 'Art For All', which pushed to make art accessible outside of museums and especially in education.

The Bishop Otter Art Collection did face some criticism from the Board of Governors over the choice of contemporary artworks. To prevent the collection being stopped, and to emphasise their belief in the value of the artworks in an educational environment, Betty Murray and Sheila McCririck hung some of the paintings in the College Hall. 

Audrey Blackman

Audrey Blackman was a sculptor and ceramist who created her figures by using rolled and slabbed clay. The figurines on display are made from rolled clay.

The University has thirteen ceramic figurines by Audrey Blackman, which were given to the University by a former member of staff, Trevor Brighton. Please see page 3 of the PDF below for Audrey Blackman's obituary

Portrait of Bishop Otter College

A Portrait of Bishop Otter College is a fascinating insight into the history of Bishop Otter College and its teachers. There are some wonderful class photos and photos of activities which students got up to as well as excerpts from letters and articles.

The link below will take you to the University of Chichester's Library Catalogue with a search on A Portrait of Bishop Otter College, Chichester, 1839-1990 by Trevor Brighton and Heather Warne.

Portrait of Bishop Otter College, from the University of Chichester Library Catalogue

Montessori and Social Progress in Sociological Review 1927

The Montessori method was created by the Italian educational reformer, Maria Montessori. The method allows nursery children to explore their environment and facilities through practical play and lets them develop at their own pace.

Sociological Review is the UK's oldest sociology journal, it was founded in 1908. The link below will take you to Arthur St John's 1927 Sociological Review article 'Montessori and Social Progress'. 

Willi Soukoup's Mother and Child sculpture

If you want to see Willi Soukoup's Mother and Child sculpture in the Chapel, please click on the map link below: 

https://maps.chi.ac.uk/#building=C17

Peter Hodgkinson's The Murray Relief

If you want to see Peter Hodgkinson's The Murray Relief, you need to stand in the corridor outside of the Post Room. Please click on the map link below to find the corridor:

https://maps.chi.ac.uk/#room=C02-0-06

 

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