Papers of Sir Harry J. Barnes, Director of Glasgow School of Art, 1964-1980

Reference:GB 1694 GSAA/DIR/13
Dates of Creation:c. 1964-1980
Name of Creator:
Language of Material:English
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
Material includes papers relating to various departments of the Glasgow School of Art, minutes of meetings, correspondence sent and received, art festival information, building work at the School, correspondence with other art schools and higher education institutions and files relating to projects and the development of the school.
Administrative / Biographical History
Harry Jefferson Barnes ( 1915-1982 ) was born on 3 April 1915 and grew up in Sheffield where his father was a professor at the University. He was educated at Repton School and went on to study at the Slade under Randolph Schwabe . He took the Diploma in Fine Art and was awarded a post-graduate scholarship which he used to study Stage Design. Barnes then spent the greater part of 1937-38 travelling in Europe studying the teaching of art and this culminated in a report on the teaching of art in primary schools.
After teaching for some years in secondary schools, Barnes took up duties as Assistant Master in Painting & Drawing at Glasgow School of Art on 4 January 1944 . He had been recommended by Schwabe, whose daughter Alice, Barnes had married in 1941 . In 1946 , on the retirement of Henry Alison and with Douglas Bliss taking up the Directorship, Barnes was promoted to Deputy Director and Registrar, a newly created post.
He was appointed Director when Bliss retired in 1964 and oversaw many developments. One of his major achievements was the setting up of the Mackintosh School of Architecture in 1965 in collaboration with Sir Charles Wilson at the University of Glasgow . Another achievement was the lease of buildings at Culzean Castle for the use of the School. Throughout the seventies students and staff stayed for a week at a time to study and be inspired by the natural environment. His time as Director saw massive extension at Renfrew Street with the building of the Foulis Building, the Newbery Tower and the laying of the foundations of the Bourdon Building.
His own personal interest in stage design was shown in the part he played in promoting and managing many of the student's plays at Glasgow School of Art. He was also a set designer for the Glasgow Grand Opera Society .
During the fifties and the sixties, interests in Scotland gravitated to the crafts and Barnes was involved in the creation of the Scottish Crafts Centre in Edinburgh and was appointed Convener of the Panel of Assessors who judged the work submitted to the Centre. He also represented the Scottish Crafts Centre as a member of the Joint Crafts Committee. He was then invited by the Secretary of State to be a member of the Consultative Curriculum for six years and, arising out of this, was invited to act as Chairman for the Working Party looking at the teaching of art in secondary schools. The Report from this, Curriculum No. 9 , was published.
Barnes was influential in setting up the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society , of which he was Chairman for many years. In conjunction with John Noble , Barnes acquired the Edinburgh Tapestry Company in 1955 at The Dovecot Studios and assisted in running it. Barnes also served on the Saltire Society and the National Trust and was on the board of the Citizens Theatre . He received an honorary MA from the University of Glasgow in 1966 and an honorary LLD from the same university in 1980 . He had been appointed CBE in 1971 and was knighted in 1980 .
He retired from Glasgow School of Art in 1980 to his home in Argyll and in 1981 was elected as Honorary President of Glasgow School of Art in succession to Jack Coia . Barnes died on 31 May 1982 after a long illness (Times Obit. 3/6/82).
Arrangement
This material has yet to be formally arranged and is currently arranged in the order in which it was received.
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.