North British Academy of Arts

The academy, later known as the North British Academy of Arts, Science, Literature, and Music, was located in the Claremount Buildings on the western side of Barras Bridge on the corner with Eldon Place in Newcastle upon Tyne, which is now opposite the County Council Offices.

"[2] They soon evolved to encompass "the betterment of humanity by the advancement of art, literature, science, music, education, law, medicine, manufactures, commerce, agriculture, industries, and, engineering, to the end that the sum of human knowledge may be increased",[3][4] with the Society organized into ten sections, each presided over by a distinguished specialist.

[34] A gardening competition was established in 1910 to foster a love of nature and beauty amongst school children, so that the homes of the poor might be beautified and the young provided with an innocent and interesting hobby.

Initially there were 2,761 child gardeners at work in the slums of Newcastle upon Tyne, competing for prizes to a total of 50 guineas with the academy providing the seeds.

Their window boxes and flower pots were to be exhibited and judged in one of the school halls of the city in September of the following year.