Press Art School

Percy Bradshaw founded his School and its correspondence courses in 1905. Its courses were intended not only for aspiring commercial artists but for those who just wanted to draw competently. Bradshaw was destined to remain as Principal for the next 50 years and the school was a tremendous success. Many celebrated cartoonists and illustrators were to be pupils such as Cyril Kenneth Bird (Fougasse), Ern Shaw and Honor Appleton and Lawson Wood was at one time a tutor for the School. Within a decade of its foundation, the School which Bradshaw ran from his home in Forest Hill, London was supporting several thousand students each year a situation that continued for many years. In fact, by 1914, the PAS was enrolling 3,000 students a year and boasted a staff of 20. By 1943, more than 4,000 drawings by its pupils had appeared in ‘Punch’ alone. The Studio, Tatler and Pall Mall Magazine amongst many gave it glowing editorials. Notable artists employed as consultants were William Heath Robinson, Lawson Wood, Bert Thomas and Harry Rountree. The School closed in 1956.