▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Arts ▁resulted ▁in ▁prem ises ▁being ▁built ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁on ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁How ick ▁and ▁William ▁Stre ets ▁on ▁land ▁ad jo ining ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ' s ▁All ▁Sain ts ▁C athedral . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁two - store y ▁building ▁designed ▁by ▁local ▁architect , ▁M . H . ▁Sad lier . ▁A ▁long - des ired ▁public ▁hall ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁helping ▁boost ▁the ▁membership ▁to ▁ 3 2 4 ▁people . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Arts ▁received ▁an ▁annual ▁grant ▁from ▁the ▁Government ▁on ▁the ▁understanding ▁that ▁" the ▁institution ▁should ▁tend ▁to ▁the ▁intellectual ▁adv ancement ▁of ▁the ▁people ". ▁Early ▁accounts ▁of ▁the ▁lect ures ▁and ▁discuss ions ▁suggest ▁that ▁entertain ments ▁were ▁many ▁and ▁varied , ▁including : ▁lect ures , ▁tea - dr ink ings , ▁read ings , ▁so ire es , ▁baz a ars , ▁an ▁occas ional ▁circ us , ▁" bi ological - phen omena ", ▁mes mer ism , ▁and ▁phr en ology . ▁The ▁courses ▁of ▁lect ures ▁were ▁on ▁occasion ▁am bit ious ▁and ▁expensive . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁the ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Arts ▁advoc ated ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁a ▁working - man ' s ▁college . ▁For ▁some ▁years ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁funds ▁made ▁available ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁for ▁technical ▁training