Manchester: the libraries
Our visit to Manchester in November 2024 had four library visits in it! And we still missed one that I really wanted to see. (All headings below are linked to the relevant library website should you wish to know more).
Manchester Central Library
We visited the main public library in Manchester with Eunice, of Life in the Mouse House, on the day she came over to meet us. It’s a magnificent building. Entrance is via the Shakespeare Hall, called after the huge stained glass window above the front door. The window was designed by the Arts & Crafts artist, Robert Anning Bell RA (1863-1933) and includes a portrait of William Shakespeare and scenes from many of his plays. The ceiling is covered in heraldic decorations by George Kruger Gray (1880-1943).
On the ground floor we met one of several bee sculptures we came across over the week. They were part of the Bee in the City Trail in 2018, the worker bee being a symbol of Manchester. On the stairs was a beautiful sculpture of a girl reading by Giovanni Ciniselli (1832-1883).
Our first sight of the Reading Room took our breath away. What a beautiful space to work in!
We walked round the circular shelves very silently admiring the exhibition of Hoyles Collection of Printed Cottons 1884, and the little bird with the message Reading sets me free. Wonderful!
While with Eunice we also tried to visit the John Rylands Library and the Portico Library, but both were closed that day. The Portico remains on our to-do list, but we managed to visit John Rylands a few days later.
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Now part of the University of Manchester, the John Rylands Library was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband, entrepreneur and philanthropist John Rylands, who died in 1888. Eunice has written a comprehensive post about the library so I will restrict myself mainly to pictures here, especially as I still have two libraries to go! The building is one of the finest examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Europe.
In the historic entrance hall two old printing presses were on display. The Columbian Press, also known as the Eagle Press, was invented by American engineer George Clymer in 1813 and, despite being over two hundred years old, is still used for demonstrations. The Albion Printing Press dates from the 1860s.
The main reading room, with statues of Enriqueta and John Rylands at opposite ends, stunned us even more than the one at the Central Library.
As you might expect, I just loved wandering round looking at the books and the old card catalogues. What librarian of a certain age has not dropped one of those drawers without its securing pin and had to refile all the cards? (Hint: I have definitely done this).
I also loved the doors and the glimpse of the Librarian’s Office with its green lampshade. I could certainly see myself working in there!
Chetham’s Library
Chetham’s Library, which was founded in 1653, is the oldest surviving public library in Britain. It was established under the will of Humphrey Chetham (1580-1653), a prosperous Manchester textile merchant, banker and landowner. The building is even older, dating from 1421 when it was built to accommodate the priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church. It is now part of Chetham’s School of Music so, because the site is populated with children and young people, visits are by pre-booked guided tour only and for safeguarding reasons photographs of the library exterior are not allowed – however, the interior was more than interesting enough. As usual I have far too many pictures of book shelves – I just can’t help it! A few are shown below.
Other than the magnificent decoration, this reading room held two particularly interesting items: a chained library and the table where Marx and Engels studied for six weeks in the summer of 1845. The books they read are still held by the library – those on the table are facsimiles.
The chained library was one of five for which Chetham left £200 in his will. They were to contain “Godly books … chained upon desks or to be fixed to the pillars … in the Parish Churches of Manchester and Bolton-in-the-Moors, and in the Chapels of Turton, Walmesley and Gorton”. Two survive – this one is Gorton’s.
Working Class Movement Library
My final library, although historic, is quite different from the others – and I am actually a member! I first heard of the Working Class Movement Library some years ago when a Tory MP objected to it receiving any public funds. (It’s a charity, but I suspect he thought it was part of the public library system. I don’t expect Tory MPs to be clued up.) This kind of complaint is often counter-productive and, like many others, I was inspired to send a donation. I’ve renewed my “Radical Readership” every year since, but this was my first opportunity to visit.
The Library is across the river from Manchester in the neighbouring city of Salford. Jubilee House originally opened in 1899 as a home for district nurses, then in 1957 became a local authority home for adults with learning disabilities. In 1987 Edmund and Ruth Frow moved in with their Working Class Movement Library, which they had been amassing since the 1950s, and lived there until shortly before Eddie’s death in 1997.
Opening hours are fairly limited, and if you want to see beyond the exhibition space on the ground floor you’ll need to book a Friday afternoon tour. We did exactly that. I don’t have photos of rows of books this time as they are all crammed into what are essentially bedrooms and not very picturesque. The view below looking up from one of the landings gives a general idea of the layout. The NALGO Room housed an exhibition of posters – I liked the name because many, many years ago I was a NALGO Shop Steward (National and Local Government Officers’ Association).
Some exhibits remain very pertinent today.
Some reminded us of home.
We met the Suffragettes again (of course).
And finally, a few other items which caught my eye.
It’s a good job John is happy to visit both women’s history sites and libraries! We didn’t neglect his primary interests though. My next Manchester post will concentrate on science and industry.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
These libraries are beautiful and interesting. My favourite is the John Rylands Library reading room.
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They are palaces to books!
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I didn’t know the last one but absolutely loved the first three that I visited several times when living in Manchester. I actually have a similar post in my blog.
Looking forward to read your science post 😁.
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The last one is definitely worth visiting too if you are ever back that way.
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Hi Anabel – what a fascinating post – wonderful to see here … I really need to inwardly digest and re-read … but I’d love to visit – perhaps one day. Absolutely entrancing … so pleased you and John were able to visit – cheers Hilary
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‘M sure you would love it there. So much interesting history.
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As you know, Chetham’s is one of my favourite places to visit! I visited John Ryland’s library a couple of years ago… I nearly visited last weekend too, but the exhibition areas are closed due to work and there happened to be a queue to get in.
I do have a blog post about The Portico Library coming up.
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The exhibition areas at John Rylands were closed when we went too, but there was no queue – we went about 4pm so it was quieter. I’ll look forward to your post about the Portico.
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There is so much history that has been retained there and lucky we are today to have that! It is always so interesting to learn about Scotland.
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We are very lucky to have so much history preserved.
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