REPO RT. 



The past year has been one of continued usefulness and steady progress, 

 without any incidents of a sensational character. 



The whole of the site is now occupied by the buildings of the three 

 departments: the Brown Library, the Derby and Mayer Museums, and 

 the Walker Art Gallery. Every department is fully utilized, and each is 

 pressing for increased accommodation. This can only be obtained by 

 extending the buildings westward, the north, east, and south sides abut- 

 ting on the streets. 



The premises on the west, extending to Byrom Street, are now the 

 property of the Corporation, purchased under an Improvement Act. It 

 is to be hoped that the time is not far distant when public opinion will 

 be brought to bear on the subject, and will support an attempt to com- 

 bine with the present institution provision for technical education in the 

 arts and manufactures, for the want of which our artizans are placed at a 

 great disadvantage compared with the French and Germans, 



In this direction reference was made in the last Keport to a proposed 

 Collection of Casts illustrative of the progress of Art, especially as con- 

 nected with architectural decoration, similar to those which exist in 

 London and Paris. On the motion of Mr. P. H. Rathbone, a resolution 

 was carried in the Council on 2nd December, 1885, for the establishment 

 of such a collection, and a sum of £500 was granted for the purpose. 

 Steps have been taken towards carrying out the proposal. 



The Committee have to record with deep regret the decease of Mr. 

 Joseph Mayer, a member of this Committee, and the generous donor of 

 the Museum which bears his name. He had spent a long life in devotion 

 to the illustration of historic art, of which he made a very extensive 

 collection, a great part of it unique, and all of great value. The Wedg- 

 wood ware, the collection of ivory carvings, and the Faussett Anglo- 

 Saxon antiquities deserve special mention. The whole collection he freely 

 presented to the City without any restriction or condition. It may be 

 mentioned also that at Bebington, in the neighbourhood where he resided, 

 he formed and endowed a Free Public Library, and presented to the 

 public an ornamental park. 



The Branch Evening Reading Rooms, established last year as an ex- 

 periment, have been found successful, having been visited during the year 

 by 70,000 readers, being an average of 230 each night. 



