PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The Plymouth Institution for the promotion of Science, Literature and the Liberal Arts was formed in 1812 by Mr Henry Woollcombe. The foundation stone of their permanent home, the Athenĉum, was laid by Mr Woollcombe on May 1st 1818. It was designed by Mr John Foulston and was credited as being the first example of the true Grecian temple that was attempted in Britain. The front was a Doric portico of four columns, extending the a width of 36 feet, similar to that in Athens. There was a frieze in the lecture room of which it was stated: 'The Metopes and Procession are cast from the famous Elgin collection and were presented to the Institution in the most gracious and munificent manner by His Majesty King George IV.' It was also said that the Apollo was the likeness of Admiral Sir T B Martin; the Venus was that of General Sir W Congreve; and the Antinous was that of the Earl of Morley. The Reverend Robert Lampen opened the building on February 4th 1819. A museum was built in 1828-29 but an attempt to get it extended as a memorial to Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, when he died failed to come to fruition. The project was revived later and the extension was completed during the presidency of Mr R N Worth, when the extension more than trebled the capacity of the old building. The museum had contained the ducking stool from the Barbican, which had been in use in the days of Sir Francis Drake, but this went missing after the Blitz. The Transactions of the Plymouth Institution first appeared in 1830 and contain many valuable papers on local history. In 1851 the Devon and Cornwall Natural History Society amalgamated with the Plymouth Institution. The old Athenĉum was destroyed on April 21st 1941 during the during the Blitz of Plymouth. The ruins remained until after the end of the Second World War, alongside the bus terminus in Athenaeum Place. It was finally demolished in 1959, the work being completed in early November.
The Athenĉum in 1942 The present building was erected on almost the same spot
(the entrance doorway is exactly where the old one was) and was opened by the Lord Mayor,
Alderman Arthur Goldberg, on Thursday June 1st 1961. It contains a theatre sitting
350, as well as a library.
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