WAG and Bantock House Museum

Here is a brief but fascinating history of Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Bantock House Museum, the two venues that The Victorian Galleries are being held in. The gallery was built during the Victorian period, Bantock House Museum dates back to before this time but the Bantock family resided at the house during this period.

 

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Wolverhampton Art Gallery first opened it’s doors in 1884 it was paid for by a local industrialist Philip Horsmann; the site was donated by the council.

When it was first built, it had no permanent collection but this soon began to develop as a result of two important bequests. One by a local tin toy manufacturer, Sidney Cartwright in 1887 of over 400 works of art from the 18th and 19th century, and one by Paul Lutz who was also an industrialist in 1899. These collections were displayed upstairs and the ground floor was used for temporary exhibitions.

                                                     Images © Wolverhampton Arts + Museums

Designed by Birmingham architect Albert Chatwin in a Neo-classical style; the first floor was designed with no windows to allow maximum space for hanging pictures.

During the early part of the 20th century, the School of Art and design took up residence in the red brick part of the building and the gallery was run by the senior teacher of the School of art.

Between the wars the gallery had no professional staff or regular funding, it wasn’t until 1969 that the council began a series of rapid movements and a curator was appointed  along with two assistant curators and two technicians. In 1984, the gallery expanded into the old art school building. This meant that they then had room to add retail spaces, education facilities and more gallery space.

Between 1993 and 1996, further refurbishment of the galleries and stores took place and at the same time the decision was made to create specific identities for each of the venues within the Midlands and so the Art Gallery reverted back to its original purpose of collecting, displaying and interpreting art. Other disciplines such as craft and social history became the specialisation of Bantock House Museum and Bilston Craft Gallery. 

                                                     Images © Wolverhampton Arts + Museums

Following a £6.4 million extension in 2007, the gallery now has a space for its extensive Pop Art collection which changes  on average every 6 months and features work from modern British and American artists.

 

The gallery also has a large collection of Victorian and Georgian works and several exhibition spaces dedicated to contemporary and interactive works, including the Sensing Sculpture room in which every piece is designed to be handled.  

Following a £249,000 grant from Heritage Lottery Fund, Wolverhampton Arts and Museums service have been able to completly redevelop the Victorian Gallery. Having a refurbishment and a re-display of art works and objects, the gallery now features beautiful pieces some of which have not been seen by the public for many years as they have been in stores.

This grant along with support from Renaissance West Midlands and the Friends of Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Bantock House Museum, is being used to fund the construction of both The Victorian Rooms at Bantock House Museum and The Victorian Galleries at the Art Gallery.

Bantock House Museum

 

 

Built in the 1730’s and set in 43 acres of park, the house was originally known as Merridale Farm until a building alteration in the early part of the 1800’s made the house grander in appearance and so it was renamed Merridale House to reflect this.

 

The Bantock family moved to the house in 1884; Thomas Bantock built a successful business as a canal and railway agent whilst his wife Mary raised their 7 daughters and 3 sons.

Exterior of Bantock House taken from Wolverhampton History and Heritage Website, interior images and Baldwin Bantock © Wolverhampton Arts + Museums

 

One of their sons, Baldwin, joined the family business after leaving school and when his father died in 1896; he inherited both the business and the house.
 
Baldwin married Kate Jones (also known as Kitty), they didn’t have any children instead they chose to devote themselves to serving the town of Wolverhampton. Baldwin became mayor of the town and also served as a High Sheriff of Staffordshire. In honour of this service, the house was renamed Bantock House in the 1940′s.

Upon his death in 1938, the house was donated to the council and although Kitty lived for a further 16 years after her husband had died, she donated English Porcelain and Chinese ivories. During the Second World War the house was used by Home Guard for military use but once the war ended the corporation decided to turn the house into a museum.

After a renovation in 1948, the house officially opened to the public. It is now a Grade II listed building decorated in an Arts and Craft style providing an insight into Bantock family life. The newly restored Billiard room on the first floor showcases some of the people who have shaped Wolverhampton and the industries they created.

                                                      Images © Wolverhampton Arts + Museums

 

The house also features displays of  beautiful decorative arts from the collection and also has a community gallery featuring a regular changing programme of events and exhibitions. Now open on the first floor of the house  is a Ladies’ Bedroom and Children’s Nursery, which  gives a greater insight into what it was like to be living in Wolverhampton during this period.

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