273:
of applications. In 1904 Carnegie refused the grant as he believed the income of the
Library Committee would not support larger premises. An amended application was made and Carnegie gifted ÂŁ3,000 in November 1904 to erect a new public library stipulating that a site must also be given for the building. At a Runcorn Urban District Council meeting in June 1905 it was decided to carry out the plans for the library alteration and extension using the ÂŁ3,000 gifted by Carnegie. An exterior wall of Waterloo House formed an interior wall of the extended library, both buildings housing the library; the lending department in Waterloo House, the reading rooms and reference department in the new building.
277:
ceremony on 1 December 1906 by Mr. Daniel Bisbrown, J.P., Chairman of the
Runcorn Urban District Council, who was presented with a silver key with which he opened the main entrance. A public ceremony had been decided against as there was a risk of protests and boycotts by those who disagreed with how Carnegie made the money which enabled him to make the grant for the library. It remained Runcorn's central library until 9 November 1981 when a new library was opened at Runcorn Shopping City and the Carnegie Library became a branch library. It closed in 2012 when Runcorn Library was moved to the former market hall on Granville Street.
239:
Runcorn Public
Library was re-opened at the offices of the Runcorn Guardian newspaper on High Street. The subscription was one shilling per quarter. The library was moved to the Runcorn Literary and Mechanics’ Institute after it was established in October 1868. Towards the end of 1881 it was announced that the institute was to close. The Runcorn Public Library containing around a 1,000 volumes was consequently handed over to the Runcorn Free Public Library Committee by the Literary and Mechanics’ Institute.
170:
250:, Chairman of the Liverpool Free Library Committee. Picton was presented with a silver key supplied by Messrs. Handley and Beck. The library was furnished with the stock and bookcases transferred from the Runcorn Literary and Mechanics' Institute. It was housed in the boardroom of the Runcorn Improvement Commissioners at the Town Hall in Bridge Street, which was seen as a temporary arrangement until a permanent location was found.
374:
289:
227:
31:
177:
261:, offered to fund the reading room for three years on the condition his choice of rooms were used for the library. He later withdrew the offer when different rooms were chosen. The opening ceremony, on 7 November 1883, included a procession from the former town hall in Bridge Street to the new premises, Waterloo House.
272:
In 1902, more library and reading room space was needed. The
Runcorn Free Library Committee applied to Andrew Carnegie to fund the extension. Carnegie had provided grants for many other libraries in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Carnegie replied in 1903 that he had received an overwhelming number
268:
After a bequest of 3,000 books and natural history specimens of
British birds and animals in 1897 the library was extended. The existing reading rooms were added to the library and new reading rooms were erected, with a spacious gallery for the accommodation of the specimens. The architect was James
238:
was established by public subscription on 29 January 1858. It was instigated by Philip
Whiteway, jnr who had obtained subscriptions of ÂŁ80 and contributions of books from friends. The library was located at the Literary Institute until the institute was dissolved in September 1864. In March 1865 the
358:
of green and dark brown enameled bricks. An ornate cast-iron spiral staircase leads to the first floor former reference library. A secondary staircase from the old town hall was also incorporated into the
Carnegie library and a room was provided at the north end of the flat roof, above the reading
349:
revolving door. The ladies’ reading room was on the right. The main reading room was further down and entered by swing doors. The remodeled lending library was also accessed from the hall; the existing bookstore and lending library had been turned into one room by removing walls and supporting the
276:
The
Carnegie Library was also designed by James Wilding, surveyor and water engineer to the Runcorn Urban District Council. During construction the reading room was transferred to temporary premises and the lending department was closed from April to June 1906. The library was opened with little
296:
The
Carnegie library building has a reverse L-shaped plan. It is a 1906 extension to Waterloo House which housed the existing library. According to the architect James Wilding's description, “it is designed in a late period of Gothic architecture and is quite and dignified in style and design”.
264:
By 1896, the
Runcorn Free Public Library housed around 8,000 books, two reading rooms (one for ladies) and had a separate library entrance on Egerton Street. Lectures on the books in the library were given every winter in the adjacent Technical School as the reading room was too small.
337:. In the ground floor of the other three bays are three four-light windows and in the upper floor is one eight-light window. Between them the frieze from the tower is continued and is carved with floral and foliage designs. These bays have a parapet similar to that on the tower.
257:, situated on the corner of Waterloo Road and Egerton Street, was converted from a private residence to the new town hall, free public library and reading room. The architect of the conversion is thought to be James Wilding. The former owner of Waterloo House,
317:. The main wall line was kept back to allow light into the basement. Its ground floor has an arched entrance, above which is a series of five lights containing stained glass and the words "Free Library and Reading Room". Above this is a carved stone
84:
214:
and "possesses special architectural and historic interest within a national context". It was built in 1906 as an extension to Waterloo House and the existing library with a grant from
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642:
1021:
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1001:
246:. The Act was adopted by a large majority at a public meeting held on the 19 December 1881. The library was opened 6 July 1882 with great ceremony by
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Originally the entrance hall was accessed through a pair of sliding doors and a vestibule which was formed by a
970:
309:, and the single storey rear range at a right angle to the road is in red brick. The front elevation has four
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894:
721:"Runcorn Library Committee – A Communication From Mr. Carnegie. The Library's Twenty-first Anniversary",
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346:
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636:
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978:
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bearing the inscription "The Gift of Andrew Carnegie 1906". The upper storey has a six-light
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416:
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235:
305:
The two storey south facing front elevation to Egerton street is built of Runcorn red
995:
292:
Entrance to library showing the stained glass above the door and the inscribed frieze
253:
Waterloo House, a substantial late Georgian merchant's house with garden designed by
603:"Runcorn Improvement Commissioners. The New Town Hall, Interesting Reminiscences",
247:
898:
288:
242:
Runcorn Free Public Library was established in 1882 under the provisions of the
226:
30:
373:
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61:
48:
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362:
Since it was built, there have been considerable changes to the interior.
203:
280:
As of 2019, the Carnegie Library is under threat of partial demolition.
681:
Bibliographical Society (Great Britain )., Library Association (1897).
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322:
314:
199:
569:. London and New York, Truslove, Hanson & Comba, ltd. p. 113
351:
318:
287:
225:
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overhead rooms on girders. Inside the entrance lobby is a tiled
230:
Runcorn Library Entrance Hall c.1901. Architect James Wilding.
313:; the left hand bay forms a corner tower which has a slight
846:"Runcorn Urban District Council The Carnegie Library",
766:"Carnegie Gift to Runcorn ÂŁ3,000 for a New Library",
706:"Runcorn Free Library Application to Mr. Carnegie",
659:
The free library, its history and present condition
147:
139:
129:
117:
109:
91:
77:
40:
23:
473:"Dissolution of the Runcorn Literary Institute",
176:
558:
556:
545:"Opening of a Free Public Library at Runcorn",
503:"Runcorn Literary and Mechanics' Institute",
8:
920:"Waterloo House, Runcorn faces demolition"
662:. London : G. Allen. pp. 262–263
641:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
20:
388:Listed buildings in Runcorn (urban area)
875:
796:
794:
792:
566:Views and memoranda of public libraries
532:
445:
403:
687:. Oxford University Press p. 310
634:
16:Historic building in Cheshire, England
1007:Grade II listed buildings in Cheshire
588:"Runcorn Improvement Commissioners",
421:"Carnegie Library, Runcorn (1392040)"
411:
409:
407:
329:window containing stained glass with
146:
138:
128:
7:
359:room, for studying natural history.
1022:Former library buildings in England
1012:Buildings and structures in Runcorn
1002:Library buildings completed in 1906
781:"Runcorn's Carnegie Free Library",
736:"No Carnegie Subsidy For Runcorn",
620:Kelly's Directory of Cheshire, 1896
333:-style designs. At the summit is a
723:Winsford & Middlewich Guardian
426:National Heritage List for England
208:National Heritage List for England
206:, England. It is recorded in the
14:
957:Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew;
372:
175:
168:
29:
924:www.savebritainsheritage.org.uk
861:"Runcorn's New Library Opens",
831:"Runcorn Free Public Library",
816:"Opening ceremony at Runcorn",
1032:1906 establishments in England
210:as a designated Grade II
113:Runcorn Urban District Council
1:
1017:Carnegie libraries in England
751:"ÂŁ3,000 for a New Library",
97:; 118 years ago
623:. London. 1896. p. 436
458:"Local and District News",
1048:
656:Ogle, John Joseph (1897).
563:Cotgreave, Alfred (1901).
488:"Runcorn Public Library",
354:floor, and the walls have
244:Public Libraries Act 1855
163:
159:
155:
125:
35:Carnegie Library, Runcorn
28:
24:Carnegie Library, Runcorn
973:, New Haven and London:
971:The Buildings of England
944:, Halton Borough Council
801:"Runcorn Free Library",
940:Starkey, H. F. (1990),
708:Manchester Evening News
895:Halton Borough Council
890:Runcorn Library closed
293:
231:
218:, and closed in 2012.
198:is in Egerton Street,
1027:Libraries in Cheshire
975:Yale University Press
291:
229:
848:Liverpool Daily Post
833:Liverpool Daily Post
184:Location in Cheshire
901:on 23 December 2012
522:, 10 September 1881
477:, 10 September 1864
58: /
768:Northwich Guardian
755:, 30 November 1904
607:, 10 November 1883
507:, 19 February 1876
505:Northwich Guardian
490:Northwich Guardian
475:Northwich Guardian
294:
259:Charles Hazlehurst
232:
148:Reference no.
62:53.3420°N 2.7374°W
984:978-0-300-17043-6
963:Pevsner, Nikolaus
865:, 9 November 1981
850:, 8 November 1906
820:, 5 December 1906
805:, 1 December 1906
770:, 3 December 1904
710:, 23 October 1902
592:, 20 January 1883
520:Cheshire Observer
462:, 30 January 1858
460:Cheshire Observer
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79:OS grid reference
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835:, 28 August 1906
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196:Carnegie Library
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67:53.3420; -2.7374
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977:, p. 561,
959:Hubbard, Edward
956:
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950:Further reading
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216:Andrew Carnegie
212:listed building
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132:Listed Building
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876:Starkey (1990)
868:
863:Liverpool Echo
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783:Liverpool Echo
773:
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743:
740:, 18 June 1904
738:Liverpool Echo
728:
725:, 27 June 1903
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533:Starkey (1990)
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446:Starkey (1990)
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236:Public Library
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878:, p. 222
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785:, 7 June 1905
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549:, 8 July 1882
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535:, p. 207
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448:, p. 217
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121:James Wilding
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903:, retrieved
899:the original
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689:. Retrieved
683:
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664:. Retrieved
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625:. Retrieved
619:
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571:. Retrieved
565:
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459:
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441:
430:, retrieved
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304:
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284:Architecture
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
252:
248:James Picton
241:
233:
195:
193:
143:13 June 2007
18:
942:Old Runcorn
691:27 December
684:The Library
666:27 December
627:27 December
573:27 December
518:"Runcorn",
255:Edward Kemp
65: /
41:Coordinates
996:Categories
394:References
347:Van Kannel
331:Mackintosh
140:Designated
134:– Grade II
85:SJ 510 830
50:53°20′31″N
965:(2011) ,
905:12 August
637:cite book
432:12 August
399:Citations
307:sandstone
269:Wilding.
118:Architect
110:Built for
53:2°44′15″W
967:Cheshire
366:See also
341:Interior
301:Exterior
234:Runcorn
204:Cheshire
934:Sources
335:parapet
327:transom
323:mullion
315:entasis
222:History
200:Runcorn
151:1392040
100: (
981:
352:mosaic
319:frieze
356:dados
92:Built
979:ISBN
907:2012
693:2019
668:2019
643:link
629:2019
575:2019
434:2012
325:and
311:bays
194:The
102:1906
95:1906
998::
969:,
961:;
922:.
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635:{{
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695:.
670:.
645:)
631:.
577:.
104:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
