45. Ruskin & the Communists 1

It is 150 years since an extraordinary and consequential meeting took place between John Ruskin and a group of politically radical workers in Sheffield. It resulted in the most quixotic of Ruskin’s experiments, and led to one of the most awkward collaborations he ever...

44. Ruskin & Manchester Grammar School

“Is this a holiday?” Flavius asks sarcastically in the opening lines of Julius Caesar. Thanks to Ruskin, the boys at Manchester Grammar School were unexpectedly granted half a day’s holiday in December 1864, a fact apparently long since forgotten. By careful...

Celebrating Paul Dawson

Celebrating Paul Dawson The strength of any Friends organisation relies heavily on the hard work and dedication of its volunteer committee. The modern-day Friends of Ruskin’s Brantwood was founded 35 years ago. It produced its first newsletter within about six months...

43. William White: Ruskin Curator Part III

In this third and final blog about Ruskin curator, William White, we consider his troubled relationship with Sheffield—its people, places, and most of all, the city council. Never content with the practical reality of living at Meersbrook Hall, he found himself at...

42. William White: Ruskin Curator Part II

Last time, we looked at William White’s family background and early career. Now our focus turns on his period as curator of the Ruskin Museum. It’s time to re-examine White’s achievements and limitations and to reassess his contribution both to Ruskin’s legacy and...