The Borough Group was a collective of mid-20th-century artists from the

Borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

area of

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the boroughs, in whole or in part, of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sut ...

. The group was associated with

David Bomberg David Garshen Bomberg (5 December 1890 – 19 August 1957) was a British painter, and one of the Whitechapel Boys. Bomberg was one of the most audacious of the exceptional generation of artists who studied at the Slade School of Art under Henr ...

, who was then teaching a number of the artists that formed the group at the

Borough Polytechnic London South Bank University (LSBU) is a public university in Elephant and Castle, London. It is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name. Founded in 1892 as the Borough Po ...

, hence the name. Cliff Holden founded the Borough Group in 1946 with the purpose of developing the ideas of fellow artist Bomberg, who taught at the then Borough Polytechnic during the 1940s and 1950s, and was the leading light of the movement. Not to be confused with the later Borough Bottega (1953–c.1955), which was founded later by Bomberg as a consciously hierarchical organisation that emulated his understanding of a Renaissance-style workshop. In 1944, Holden met Bomberg at the City Literary Institute in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

where the latter was teaching. In 1945, Bomberg began to teach evening Art classes at the Borough Polytechnic (now

London South Bank University London South Bank University (LSBU) is a public university in Elephant and Castle, London. It is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name. Founded in 1892 as the Borough ...

) until 1954 when he taught at the

Bartlett School of Architecture Bartlett may refer to: Places *Bartlett Bay, Canada, Arctic waterway * Wharerata, New Zealand, also known as Bartletts United States * Bartlett, Illinois ** Bartlett station, a commuter railroad station * Bartlett, Iowa * Bartlett, Kansas * ...

. Holden initiated the group after consultation with Bomberg himself.

Edna Mann Edna Mann (1926 – 1985) was a British painter and co-founder of the Borough Group of artists. Mann was educated at Romford County High School for Girls and then studied art at the South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art. Here i ...

, Dorothy Mead, and Peter Richmond (later Miles Richmond) were other founding members. Holden was first president of the group during 1946–48 at the suggestion of Bomberg. The group then extended to 11 members, including

Dennis Creffield Dennis Creffield (29 January 1931 – 26 June 2018) was a British artist with work owned by major British and worldwide art collections, including the Tate Gallery, The British Museum, Arts Council of England, the Government Art Collection, The L ...

(best known for his drawings of English cathedrals), and Bomberg became president. The Borough Group was active until Spring 1951. During its existence, the group organised seven major exhibitions. The group reorganized with new members during 1953–56 as the Borough Bottega. Bomberg died a year later in 1957. There are many reminders of Bomberg's teaching at the Borough Polytechnic at the present day University. Several works by Bomberg and Miles Peter Richmond hang around LSBU's campus and a student hall of residence is named after Bomberg, David Bomberg House on Borough High Street. The collection of the

Tate Gallery Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

includes paintings by Bomberg. , a

Heritage Lottery Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom. History The fund's predecessor bodies were ...

grant has been raised to allow a permanent display on David Bomberg and the Borough Group to be set up at London South Bank University, to open in Spring 2012.

Members

Members of the Borough Group included: *

* Lilian Holt Bomberg *

* Cliff Holden *

Leslie Marr Sir Leslie Lynn Marr of Sunderland, 2nd Baronet (14 August 1922 – 4 May 2021) was a British landscape artist, painter and racing driver. Early life, education and military service Marr was born in Durham, England, the son of Lieutenant Colon ...

* Dorothy Mead * Dinora Mendelson * Dorothy Missen * Len Missen *

Miles Peter Richmond Miles Peter Richmond (19 December 1922 – 7 October 2008) was a British artist. Born Peter Richmond, in Isleworth, Middlesex, he added the name Miles in the 1980s, and became generally known as such. From 1940 to 1943 he attended Kingston Sc ...

References

Organizations established in 1946 Organizations disestablished in 1951 British artist groups and collectives Arts in London History of the London Borough of Southwark London South Bank University *Borough Group {{art-movement-stub

Members

See also

References