Archive collections

Festival of Britain, 1951

1 folder, with additional material in individual artists’ collections

The Festival of Britain attracted millions of visitors from May to September of 1951, seeking to tell the story of British achievements in science and art, and raise spirits following the end of the Second World War.

‘Light’ Neville Street

Material currently being accessioned

Decommissioned in 2022, this innovative public art installation in Leeds lives on in our archive, with the artist’s early sketches, design proposals, technical documentation, and a 360-degree VR video experience.

Dorothy Annan (1900-83) and Trevor Tennant (1900-80)

14 boxes and 1 outsize folder

A comprehensive insight into the work of Dorothy Annan and Trevor Tennant, whose work included mural paintings, architectural commissions and bronze sculpture.

Helen Chadwick (1953-96)

135 boxes

Helen Chadwick was a British sculptor, photographer and installation artist. Her extensive archive includes sketches, photographs, costume, notebooks and more.

Geoffrey Clarke (1924-2014)

32 boxes and 1 portfolio

The archive of Geoffrey Clarke is a treasure trove of material including photographs, details of commissions, sketches, press coverage and catalogues.

Stephen Cripps (1952-82)

33 boxes

Drawings and sketches are at the core of our Stephen Cripps collection, whose experimental sculpture and performance combined found objects, sound and explosives.

David Dye (1945-2015)

32 boxes

David Dye was a talented artist, film maker and inspirational educator. Two of Dye’s notebooks from the archive’s extensive collection have been digitised and are available to view online.

Garth Evans (b. 1924)

5 boxes

This collection documents Garth Evans’ fellowship with the British Steel Corporation in 1969-71, his controversial ‘A Course’ and the Manydeed artist group.

Arthur Fleischmann (1896-1990)

4 files

Our archive of Arthur Fleischmann contains materials related to his Lockheed Fountain, including sketches, photos, press cuttings, and souvenir brochures from the Festival of Britain.

Edward Onslow Ford (1852-1901)

4 boxes

Rare collection of papers of artist Edward Onslow Ford, noted for his portraiture and an established figure in the New Sculpture Movement.

George Frampton (1860-1928)

6 boxes and 1 portfolio

Our archive of Sir George Frampton, one of the major figures associated with the New Sculpture movement, consists of around 400 photographs of his work as well as personal correspondence.

Alfred Frank Hardiman (1891-1949)

4 boxes

Our archive of Alfred Frank Hardiman contains photos, papers and correspondence related to many of his most well known works, including his monumental and architectural sculpture.

Rupert Forbes Gunnis (1899-1965)

32 boxes

Personal archive of the art historian and collector Rupert Gunnis, best known for his ‘Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851’, published in 1953.

Anthony Hatwell (1931-2013)

6 boxes and 1 object

Anthony Hatwell created his own style of sculpture, avoiding superfluous detail or decorative features. As well as his papers, correspondence and photos, the archive also holds Hatwell’s modelling tools and mallet.

Gertrude Hermes (1901-83)

3 boxes

Archive containing over 200 photos of the printmaker, sculptor, and designer Gertrude Hermes, recording her studio, exhibitions, sculptures and architectural works.

Eric Kennington (1888-1960)

1 file

Eric Kennington was a sculptor, illustrator and official war artist in both world wars. We hold a collection of sixty-six black and white photographs and published illustrations of Kennington’s work.

Hamish Basil Macpherson (1915-2005)

9 items

This unique collection comprises several car drawings made by sculptor Hamish (Henry) Basil Macpherson while working in the motor industry in the 1950s.

Joan Moore (1909-1996)

9 boxes

The archive holds papers, drawings and photographs by Joan Moore, including many sketches of animals made during her visits to London Zoo, which were the basis for her characteristic metal sculptures.

David Nash (b. 1945)

1 box

A collection of photos and sketches chronicles an exhibition by David Nash at Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland in the summer of 1991.

Paul Neagu (1938-2004)

3 boxes, plus other material

Paul Neagu pushed the boundaries of sculpture with works that were tactile, edible and performative. His archive contains working drawings, publicity materials, plans for public sculpture and more.

John Newling (b.1952)

The John Newling archive is an extensive record of project files, exhibition material and publications from an artist who explores the natural world and creates public art with a social purpose.

Keir Smith (1950-2007)

132 boxes

Extensive collection of sculptor Keir Smith’s sketchbooks, correspondence, photos and more, giving an insight into both his artistic practice and work as a teacher.

Betty Rea (1904-65)

5 boxes

Betty Rea’s archive gives a fascinating glimpse into the artist’s practice and the social and political world she inhabited, with letters, a sketchbook and over 200 photos.

Mary Ellen Rope (1855-1934)

1 box

Collection of sixty photographs, postcards, notes and watercolours of Mary Ellen Rope, who was best known for making sculpture and reliefs for churches, graves and memorials.

Charles Wheeler (1892-1974)

3 boxes

The archive of Charles Wheeler consists primarily of 500 photographs, as well as nine appointment diaries, and more than twenty speeches, lectures, and other pieces of writing.

Francis John Williamson (1833-1920)

1 box

This collection includes modelling tools used by the sculptor over a hundred years ago, as well as comprehensive photography of his work, most of which were taken by the artist and his wife.

Julia Wood (1953-2002)

5 boxes

Our archive of Julia Wood contains her notebooks, interviews, press cuttings, sketches and more, telling the story of an artist rising through the 1980s London art scene.