Royal Drawing Society

Founded in 1888, its full title was the Royal Drawing Society of Great Britain and Ireland and it was formed by Robert Ablett principally to promote the teaching of drawing primarily to school children as a means of education. Lord Leighton, Sir John Millais, and Sir Edward Burne-Jones took an active part in the society's labours and backed Ablett's endeavours. At its height, the 19th annual exhibition held in 1908, saw 15,000 drawings exhibited in the Orangery, Kensington and many children won medals for their work. Well-known alumni include Robert Sargent Austin, Brian Hatton, Edward Ardizzone, Edward Seago, Anglo-Australian marine artist Robert Back, Geraldine O’Brien, the Limerick-born flower painter and Evelyn Dunbar. There appeared to be an upper age limit of about 16 years of age and the Society appears not to have functioned after about 1966. It is not in any way related to the Society of the same name formed in 2000.

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