Papers of William Oliphant Hutchison, Director of Glasgow School of Art, 1933-1943

Reference:GB 1694 GSAA/DIR/9
Dates of Creation:1933-1943
Name of Creator:
Language of Material:English
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
General correspondence 1934-1943, letters to school governors and staff 1933-1942, Empire Exhibition - committee minutes and papers 1936-1939, Scottish Council for Art and Industry - committee minutes and papers 1934-1939, National Register of Industrial Art Designers - committee minutes and papers 1937-1941, correspondence with the Royal Society of Arts 1939.
The papers that survive from Hutchison's time as director include the typed copy letters from the correspondence that he sent out. Many are related to school business, but there are also a sizeable amount of letters of a more private nature. Notable correspondents include D.M. Sutherland, A.R. Sturrock, Nikolaus Pevsner, Muirhead Bone, Douglas Strachan, Tom Purvis, Sir John Richmond, Sir George Pirie and Randolph Schwabe, with many of the original incoming letters surviving in Hutchison's files and the files of the school secretary. These letters provide a vivid account of the Scottish art scene before the outbreak of the Second World War. The wartime letters themselves contain many personal letters of reference for students and staff, as well as accounts of military service from those in training and at the front. Notably, there are letters from Robert MacBryde describing his and Robert Colquhoun's experiences from 1939-1941. Letters from Muirhead Bone display his strong feelings about Scottish nationality and the role of artists during a war.
There are also subject files relating to specific projects that Hutchison undertook, including the Empire Exhibition of 1938, organised by the Scottish Council for Development and held in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. Hutchison was vice-chairman of the fine art committee and was in charge of selecting examples of Scottish printing for the actual exhibition. He suggested that students decorate the pavilions, and school staff and students, including David Donaldson and Bill Crosbie, were involved in the poster and sculptural competitions. He also arranged that exhibition space be made available for the four Scottish art schools.
Another area of interest was the Council for Art and Industry, an agency set up by the Board of Trade. Its aim was to encourage good design and the Scottish committee of the council spread its sphere of influence widely, addressing education, training, industry, exhibitions and much else. Hutchison was appointed to the Scottish committee of the council in 1934 and was closely involved in its work until the outbreak of World War Two.
The National Register of Industrial Art Designers was set up in London in 1937 at the suggestion of the Council for Art and Industry, and a representative from the Scottish central art institutions was sent every year to attend meetings. The principals of the four Scottish colleges took it in turn, and Hutchison attended in 1940-41. The papers of the previous three years were given to him by the other principals. There is also correspondence relating to the register in the school correspondence, and an account of its creation can be traced in the papers of the Council of Art and Industry.
Arrangement
The material is arranged into series and then arranged chronologically.
Access Information
Directors' papers which are over 30 years old are available for public consultation. Permission from the director is needed for access to those less than 30 years old.
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections standard procedures.