Ravensbourne

Ravensbourne, which was formerly Bromley Technical College, was opened in 1959 by the amalgamation of the Bromley School of Art and the Department of Furniture Design of the Beckenham School of Art. It was originally located at Bromley Common and Chislehurst in outer London before moving to a new purpose-built campus on the Greenwich Peninsula in September 2010. During its existence, it has variously been known as Ravensbourne College of Art and Design, Ravensbourne College of Art and latterly as simply Ravensbourne.

Beckenham School of Art
In 2005 the School Principal John Cole discovered documents in Ravensbourne's Library. They showed that classes existed as early as 1902 at what was then termed the Technical School in Beckenham Road before a purpose-built new art school opened its doors in 1908. Early prospectus showed that subjects ranged from typography to drawing and design. The School expanded after World War II and other subjects including Cabinet Making, Photography and Graphic Design were added to the curriculum. However, due to an oversubscription of pupils in July 1962, Beckenham School of Art closed down and amalgamates with Sidcup Art School and Bromley School of Art to become the Ravensbourne College of Art and Design situated at Bromley Common.

Bromley School of Art
Bromley School of Art opened in 1878 in Tweedy Road, Bromley as Bromley School of Science and Art and after World War II it became Bromley College of Art. In 1959 it merged with the Department of Furniture Design at Beckenham and, in 1965 it moved to purpose-built accommodation in Rookery Lane, Bromley Common. The College soon expanded and the site outgrew its intake. Within a decade it was relocated to Chislehurst where it became a College of Further Education.

Sidcup School of Art
This little-known art school was established in 1898 by Cecil Ross Burnett who was for many years its headmaster. While it did produce some fine artists such as the aforementioned Ross Burnett, Wally Fawkes (Trog), Jean Clark, Margaret Thomas and John Titchell arguably its greatest claim to fame is that Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was a student there. In 1961, while attending the college, Richards became reacquainted with his primary-school friend Mick Jagger who was then a student at the London School of Economics. They met by chance on a train and found they shared an interest in blues music. An early line-up of The Rolling Stones, including Jagger, Richards, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart ("Stu"), Ricky Fenson and Tony Chapman played at Sidcup Art College on 12 December 1962. About this time, this small art school together with Bromley School of Art and Beckenham School of Art amalgamated to form Ravensbourne College of Art and Design. Sidcup School was eventually demolished to make way for a Morrisons supermarket which opened in 2010.