Three Centuries of a City Library / an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Norwich Public Library Established in 1608 and the present Public Library opened in 1857

by Geo. A. Stephen

Mackerell’s remarks, and the fact that the Minute Book was not filled, seem to indicate that the Library was neglected for some years. On September 21st, 1801, the Assembly complied with the request of the Committee of a subscription library, with the misnomer “Public Library” (established in 1784 in St. Andrew’s Hall) by granting them leave “to have the use of the books in the City Library, to be kept under the care of their Librarian apart from other books, the President giving a receipt for the safe return of the same on demand.” [13b] The City Committee reported to the Assembly in 1805 “that the books in the City Library have not of late been carefully preserved, that some valuable works have been mutilated and others lost or mislaid.” [13c] The Assembly thereupon rescinded the order of September 21st, 1801, requested the President and Committee of the “Public Library” to “make good all losses and injuries,” and committed the custody of the City Library to

the Steward. In 1815 the City Library was again entrusted to the “Public Library.” Ten years afterwards, the “Public Library,” which still housed the City Library, was removed to a building in St. Andrew’s Street. The admission fee to this Library in 1825, as stated in the Catalogue of the Library of that date, was five guineas, and the annual subscription was one guinea. This Catalogue contains the following rules regarding the City Library:

“LIV. The books belonging to the City Library having been deposited in the Library Room of the Public Library, by permission of the Corporation, are accessible to the subscribers, and may be delivered out under a written order of the president, or vice-president, countersigned by an officer of the Corporation.

“LV. The Librarian shall have charge of the books belonging to the City Library, and shall procure the necessary authority for the delivery of books to subscribers applying for them.

“LVI. The books belonging to the City Library shall be returned to the Librarian every quarter day; and the same fines and penalties shall apply to subscribers not attending to this regulation, or to losing, lending or injuring books belonging to the City Library, which are laid down by the laws for the protection of the books belonging to the Public Library.”

In the same catalogue it was stated that the City Library was under the particular inspection of the Mayor and seven members of the Council who constituted the Library Committee of the Corporation. “The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Norwich, for the time being, is an Honorary Member of the Public Library; and the Members of the Library Committee of the Corporation, together with the Speaker of the Commons, the Town Clerk, and the Chamberlain, if not already Members of the Society, have the privilege of constant access to the Library Rooms during their continuance of office.” [14] These rules were in force in 1847, and were reprinted in a new edition of the Catalogue printed in that year. The members of the rival subscription library, called “The Norfolk and Norwich Literary Institution,” which was established in 1822, were also allowed to borrow

books from the City Library, by an order from the Chamberlain of the City. [15a] In 1835 the “Public Library” with the City Library was removed to a new building opposite the north door of the Guildhall, on the site of the present Norfolk and Norwich Subscription Library.

Ostensibly the City Library was adequately cared for by the “Public Library,” but in reality it was greatly neglected. At a meeting of the Council on July 10th, 1856, the Town Clerk read a report from the City Library Committee, stating that they had inspected the books of the City Library, and “considered them in a very disorderly and dirty condition, that they could not be compared with the catalogue till they were re-arranged. They recommended that a grant of £25 should be made for the rearrangement of the books, and that Mr. Langton [the Librarian] be employed for that purpose.” [15b] In the discussion that ensued Mr. Ling said some of the books “were lying on the floor, damaged by dust and cobwebs, and an extremely valuable manuscript of Wickliffe’s Bible was in a bad state.” [15c] Mr. Brightwell suggested that the City Library would be a capital foundation for the Free Library, and the matter was referred back for the consideration of the City Library Committee. Those interested in the “Public Library” strove hard to retain the City Library, and on November 20th, 1856, the following memorial signed by the President was presented to the Council and discussed:—

To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of Norwich, in Council assembled. [15d] The Memorial of the Committee of the Norwich Public Library

Sheweth,—That at a quarterly assembly of the Corporation, held June 19th, 1815, a certain Report of the Library Committee was agreed to, and consent given for the city books to be taken to the Public Library under the direction of the same Committee.

That your memorialists have learned with deep regret that it is contemplated to apply to the Council for power to remove the city books to the Free Library.

That upon the faith of their tenure of these books, as long as the conditions imposed were satisfactorily complied with, various sums of money, to a considerable amount, have from time to time been expended by your memorialists from the funds of the Public Library in their preservation.

That the books of the City Library have been embodied in the catalogues of 1825 and 1847, under the same scientific arrangement as the books which are the property of the Public Library, distinguishing those which are the property of the Corporation by a prominent and appropriate designation; and that therefore by the removal of the City Library, the catalogue, to which your memorialists have recently published the first appendix, will be rendered quite useless and an expense, otherwise unnecessary, will be incurred.

That although the books of the City Library were recently found in a very dusty condition; yet that during the 40 years they have been in the custody of your memorialists, they have suffered no deterioration from damp, loss, or otherwise.

That the contiguity of the Public Library to the Guildhall affords the greatest convenience of application to the Town Clerk for permission to take out books from the City Library, and of the access of the Library Committee of the Corporation to inspect their property.

That it is in contemplation to place a fire in the room appropriated to the City Library, and further to improve it by the insertion of a large bay-window, which will make it a light and cheerful place for all who need reference to these ancient and valuable books.

That your memorialists venture to point out the entire unsuitableness, in their judgment, of works in learned languages, on abstruse subjects or in black letter, to the objects of the Free Library.

And your memorialists therefore pray that the books of the City Library be allowed to remain, as heretofore, in their keeping.

Signed on behalf of the Public Library Committee.

Norwich, Nov. 10th, 1856.

G. W. W. FIRTH, President.

Edward Edwards, in his monumental “Memoirs of Libraries,” 1859, (vol. 1, p. 739) printed the above memorial which he said carried “its refutation on its face.” “On so puerile a production,” he continued, “it were idle to waste words. One remark, however, may be appropriate in anticipation of the history and objects of the Act of Parliament in pursuance of which the Free City Library of Norwich has been created. No Institution established under that Act can with justice address itself to any “class” of the population in particular. Rate-supported Libraries are ipso facto “Town Libraries.” Their cost is defrayed by ratepayers of all degrees. It is the imperative duty of every Town-Council so to manage them as to make them conduce, in the utmost possible measure, to the researches, the pursuits, and the profit of every class of the townspeople. For some readers it may also be desirable to add that the

so-called “Public” Library by whose managers this Memorial is drawn up, is Public in name only.”

Notwithstanding the persistent attempts of the “Public Library” on futile pretexts to retain the City Library, the Council on February 17th, 1857, decided by a large majority in favour of the removal of the City Library to the new library building under its own control. Even then the Free Library Committee had difficulty in securing the books, and it was only after their repeated applications that the City Library was installed in the Library in 1862. Mr. John Quinton, the Librarian of the Norfolk and Norwich Literary Institution, superintended the removal of the books, and arranged them in their new quarters. The book-plate in the volumes was printed from a wood-block engraved by his daughter, Miss Jane Quinton, a student of the Norwich School of Art, which at that time occupied the top floor of the Library. The books were shelved in cases on the ground floor until 1879 when they were removed to their present glass cases in the News Room.