The Central School of Arts and Crafts was established in 1896 by the
London County Council. It grew directly from the
Arts and Crafts movement of
William Morris and
John Ruskin. The first principal – from 1896 to 1900 as co-principal with
George Frampton – was the architect
William Richard Lethaby, from 1896 until 1912; a
blue plaque in his memory was erected in 1957. He was succeeded in 1912 by Fred Burridge. in memory of William Richard Lethaby, placed on the Southampton Row façade of the Central School of Arts and Crafts building in 1957 The school was at first housed in Morley Hall, rented from the
Regent Street Polytechnic. In 1908 it moved to purpose-built premises in
Southampton Row, in the
London Borough of Camden. In the same year the
Royal Female School of Art, established in 1842, was merged into the school. The Central School of Arts and Crafts was renamed the Central School of Art and Design on 1 May 1966. It became part of the
London Institute in 1986, and in 1989 merged with
Saint Martin's School of Art to form
Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design. == Alumni ==