Vasanta Hall and Made with clay studio

Watch this video by local artist John Vincent about how Made With Clay Studio began at Vasanta Hall:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B_-20R_C_B4

For more information on the founding of our community pottery, join our Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Madewithclaystudio.
It shows the epic redevelopment of Vasanta Hall and all the amazing people that helped make it happen. Made with Clay is a community interest, not for profit company.
It is only up and running because of the time and effort of a lot of people, including previous members of Digswell Ceramic Community and financial support from Letchworth Heritage Foundation, Letchworth Civic Trust and North Herts District Council.

More on the history of Vasanta Hall:

The Vasanta Hall is sited in Gernon Walk (formerly Commerce Avenue) in Letchworth Garden City.  It was built in 1914,  extended in 1922 and subjected to minor alterations in the late 20th century, namely the brown brick detail at the top and the flat roofs.  In August 2003 the Vasanta was listed Grade II by Historic England (entry ref. No. 1390556).

The present building is about a third of the original plan and was the result of the joint efforts of the Theosophical Society and the Masons to house their Garden City Lodges.  The Vasanta was originally designed by the renowned architect Mr. William Harrison Cowlishaw (1869-1957) who was a follower of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement.  Cawlishaw’s best known work is “The Cloisters” in Letchworth, which was planned as a theosophical meditation centre and open-air school.  After World War I he was mostly commissioned to design memorials, namely The Pozières Memorial in the Somme.

The building was originally opened by Mrs. Annie Besant - the then president of the Theosophical Society.  In fact Vasanta which means spring in Sanskrit is, in Hindi, Vasanta the Indian form of Besant and was the name of the printing press set up by Annie Besant to print literature for the Society. At the inauguration ceremony Mrs. Besant stated the house “was intended to serve all noble purposes in Garden City: to gather together all who were willing to labour for the uplifting of the community and the help of humanity at large...” and “to encourage diversity of opinion and originality of thought, freedom of expression must follow freedom of thought...”. We hope these words will ring through the walls of this hall with its new creative use. One final point of interest. In a reflection of its new use as a community pottery, the building’s original architect WH Cowlishaw was also an accomplished potter and several pieces of his work (created at the Iceni Pottery, The Cloisters, Letchworth) are now held within the V&A’s collection. 

 

Further Reading

The Theosophical Society in England (see www.theosophicalsociety.org.uk)

The Theosophical Society

Members of the Theosophical Society come from all walks of life and belong to any philosophy or religion, or none. They stand in unity through their acceptance of the three Objects of the Society and their aspiration to learn about the timeless teachings of Theosophy – the Esoteric Wisdom.

Unity lies at the very heart of the theosophical community and inspires the lives of its members towards unselfish service and inner transformation. Divine Wisdom is One - the paths towards it are many.

The word Theosophy is from Greek origin meaning Wisdom of the Gods (theo – of Gods, Sophia – wisdom). It is a word which has been used for many centuries and is also known as the Ageless Wisdom. The Theosophical Society was founded to bring forth this knowledge for our predecessors and for us and for many generations to come. It is the Light which shines through the many coloured lamps of religion. The thread of truth in scriptures, creeds, symbols, myths and rituals.

The Society imposes no beliefs on its members, who are united by a common search for Truth and a desire to learn the meaning and purpose of existence through study, reflection, self-responsibility and self-less service. It jealously guards and promotes freedom of thought and no member may impose their views on any other.

Three Objects of the Theosophical Society

  1. To form a nucleus of universal Brotherhood without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.

  2. To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science.

  3. To investigate the unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in man.

Seen as revolutionary when it was founded in 1875, the Theosophical Society is part of a worldwide community which promotes an understanding of the spiritual truths which lie behind all religions and has at its foundation an aspiration for universal brotherhood. Joining the Theosophical Society is more than just becoming a member of an organization; it is an opportunity to help bring spiritual light into the world, through self-growth and group work.

Freedom of Thought

As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their respective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasise the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society, none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher, or writer, from H.P. Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his or her teachings or opinions on members.

Every member has an equal right to follow any school of thought, but has no right to force the choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion held, or because of membership in any school of thought. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The Members of the General Council earnestly request every member of the Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise the right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof, within the limits of courtesy and consideration for others.

The genuine acceptance of the Three Objects of the Society, is all that is required for membership in the Society, which is founded on the basis of the broadest tolerance and the search for truth. The above official statement should be carefully read and pondered, as it expresses the recognised standpoint of the Society as a whole.

Garden City Collection (www.gardencitycollection.com)

V&A Collections (https://collections.vam.ac.uk)

By Manuela Marques-Clarke and Jeremy Clarke 
9 September 2020