Gloucester Public Library

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Gloucester Public Library
Map
LocationGloucester, Gloucestershire
Typepublic library
Established1897
Branch ofGloucestershire Libraries
Collection
Size52,017 Edit this on Wikidata
Access and use
Access requirementsNone
Other information
Websitewww.gloucestershire.gov.uk/libraries/find-a-library/gloucester-library-including-music-and-performing-arts/

Gloucester Public Library is a public library in Brunswick Road, Gloucester, England, founded in 1897 and is open 6 days a week.[1] It has been listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England since 1973.[2]

History

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Originally called the Schools of Science and Art, the original part of the building was built by FullJames Waller & Son in 1872 for the Gloucester Science and Art Society which was mainly funded by subscribers.[3][4] It also housed a museum of Literature and Science. There were several failed attempts to run a free public library at the Working Men's Institute and a survey from 1887 shows that taxpayers voted against having a free public library. In 1893, the building was extended with a hall built for the Gloucester Science and Art Society called the "Price Memorial Hall".[citation needed] The city corporation brought the book collection of the Gloucester Literary and Scientific Association in 1895 and took over the buildings and running of the school and museum in 1896. In 1897, a free library service was started. The building was extended to the south in 1900 to house the new library, which was built to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and designed by F.W Waller.[citation needed]

The building finally opened as a public library in 1900.[5] The library opened with Roland Austin's Gloucestershire Collection of local history which has since moved to the Gloucestershire Archives in 2005.[6]

In 1902, the Price Memorial Hall was converted to be used as part of the museum which became The Museum of Gloucester.[7][8][9]

In 1990 a rare piece of choral music by Sir Edward Elgar was found in a plain envelope in the library's collections, 83 years after it disappeared.[10]

Architecture

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The library building is designed in the Neo-Gothic style.[9] It was inspired by the work of George Edmund Street. It consists of five bays parallel to the street with cross-gabled right angle ranges at each end. The two bays and right angle range at the north end of the building are the original part built in 1872 and southern end is the newer part built in 1900. It has two storeys and a cellar.[citation needed] There are two entrances on each of the end bays. All the bays have large ground and first floor windows apart from where the entrances are located.[citation needed] The newer southern entrance has the year 1900 engraved above it, and the southern range has the words "public library" engraved between the ground and first floor windows. Inside the main reading room is braced out to support a glazed atrium roof.[2]

The adjoining Price Memorial Hall is built in the renaissance style.[8]

Collection

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As well as a book collection, the library includes a dedicated Music and Performing Arts collection which has a large collection of vocal scores and orchestral sets.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gloucester Library including Music and Performing Arts - Gloucestershire County Council". www.gloucestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b Historic England, "Public Library (1245965)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 6 April 2020
  3. ^ "1899 – Public Library & Technical Schools, Gloucester, Gloucestershire". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  4. ^ Jordan, Christine (2016). Gloucester in 50 buildings. Stroud. ISBN 978-1-4456-5231-3. OCLC 944210864.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Sillence, Rebecca (2015). Gloucester : history tour. Stroud. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-4456-4858-3. OCLC 1062257135.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ "Archives under one roof". Worcestershire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, and Shorpshire Counties Publications. 27 October 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Gloucester, 1835-1985: Social and cultural life". British History. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Gloucester, 1835-1985: Topography". British History. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  9. ^ a b "City Centre Conservation Area" (PDF). Gloucester City Council. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Elgin score find". The Times. 21 August 1990. Retrieved 6 November 2022.

51°51′47″N 2°14′42″W / 51.8631°N 2.2450°W / 51.8631; -2.2450

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