Liver Sketching Club

The Liver Sketching Club is a historic Liverpool Institution originally formed as the Liverpool Amateur Sketching Club in May 1872. It was founded by Samuel Burkinshaw, the Art Master at Liverpool College - later to be called Liverpool Collegiate, and ten of his students in May 1872. The founding members were Burkinshaw, Joseph Hetherington, Jonathon Viner Garrett Loney, James Towers, Robert L Farmer, George M Richardson, John C Halfpenny, Albert Sutcliffe, J G Owens, John Skirrow and J B Brew. The meeting at which the club was founded was held in the Committee Room at St Augustine's School in Salisbury Street, and this is also where the first monthly meetings were held. In 1875 the group changed its name to the Liver Sketching Club which still prevails.

By the beginning of the 20th century membership had increased to a three-figure number but by World War I membership slumped and the club had fallen on hard times. Further troubles followed when in 1936 a fire destroyed valuable paintings and drawings and much of the club's archival material. Unaccountably the club held its centenary annual exhibition in 1964 which was in its 92nd year of existence! One can only assume that in some previous years, more than one exhibition was held although there are no known records to prove or disprove this idea. The club has operated from various addresses in Liverpool over the years. In December 1875, the club relocated to 25 Cable Street and, by 1879, to Pool Buildings, 10 South Castle Street. In 1879, the studio was on the top floor of the warehouse of a fruit merchant at 22 Williamson Street, and in Cuthbert’s Buildings, 14 Clayton Square by 1880. In 1890, the club moved to premises at 11 Dale Street where it would remain for more than 80 years. Other locations were 36 Seel Street in 1992, Bluecoat Chambers in 1972, and Gostins Building, Hanover Street in 2004. The current studio is in Oriel Chambers, Water Street. The club is still active today with about 90 members who attend one or more of the 30+ meetings held at the studio each month covering life painting and drawing and portrait painting – all working from the live model.

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