Three Centuries of a City Library Part 6

In the preface it was confessed that while the catalogue would be useful to the members of the Library, the "great motive, and main end of Publishing this Catalogue was to encourage donations to the Library."

Possessors of the catalogue were recommended to interleave it with "spare paper, on which may be added such books as shall be given, it may serve for many Years, even till the number of Books here be doubled, which when, (as is greatly to be wished for) it shall be, a new Edition of the Catalogue may be expected."

The cost of the catalogue involved the members in debt. Under the date May 2nd, 1709, in the Minute Book is the following memorandum: "It is this day Agreed by us whose Names are underwritten yt ye fourteen shillings & three pence now paid by Mr Herne the present library keeper to Mr Joseph Brett to clear his disbursemts for catalogus &c for ye service of ye Library shal be repaid ye said Mr Herne by the succeeding Library keeper upon his Election unles paid before." A further memorandum dated May 6th, 1709, shows that a book was sold to raise the money: "Recd of the Under-library keeper Fourteen Shillings for Sr Waltr Raileigh: A super-numerary book sold to Mr. Lillington by order of the Society which is towds ye discharge of the above sd 14s 3d paid to Mr.

Brett by me. W. Herne."

The second edition of the author catalogue was compiled by Benjamin Mackerell, the late Library Keeper, and published in 1732, the preface being dated April 15th, 1732. Mackerell closely followed the plan of the previous catalogue, using part of the preface for his "Dedication" "To the Right Worshipful Robert Marsh, Esqr; Mayor, The Worshipful The Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of Norwich." The entries are limited to one line each, and there is a column showing the sizes. The catalogue consisting of 54 printed pages, and measuring 8.5 by 6.5 inches, is ent.i.tled "A New Catalogue of the Books in the Publick Library of the City of Norwich, in the year 1732, to which is added, An Account of the Orders prescribed by the Court and Common Council for the regulation of the same, together with an account of Mr. John Kirkpatrick's Roman and Other Coins," printed by William Chase, in the c.o.c.key Lane. Neither of the two copies of this catalogue in the Library contains the account of Kirkpatrick's coins, and Mr. F. Kitton, the compiler of the 1883 catalogue, had not seen a copy containing it. As all the pages of the catalogue except the last one have a catchword it is reasonable to a.s.sume that the account of the coins was not included.

The next catalogue was published in 1817 as a supplement to that of the "Public Library" where the City Library was housed. Unfortunately the present writer has been unable to trace a copy of this catalogue, which, however, is recorded in Samuel Woodward's "Norfolk Topographer's Manual,"

1842: "A Catalogue of Books belonging to the Norwich City Library, which, by permission of the Corporation, are now deposited in the Norwich Public-Library Room; 35 pp., 8 vo. Norwich (1817)." This catalogue, according to a paragraph in the Catalogue of the Public Library, 1825, had an "alphabetical arrangement, in divisions of languages and sizes."

Perhaps this catalogue served as the "copy" for the catalogue of the City Library which is printed at the end of the "Second Catalogue of the Library of the Norfolk and Norwich Literary Inst.i.tution," 1825, pp.

105-137, as its arrangement is by languages and sizes. This arrangement not being "calculated to be conveniently accessible" it was deemed advisable by the Committee of the Public Library that "it should be subjected to the same scientific arrangement as the books which are the property of the Public Library; and in order to prevent the obvious inconvenience of two references, the Committee have included both sets of works under the same arrangement, distinguishing those which are the property of the Corporation . . . by a prominent and appropriate designation," i.e., the letters C. L. in black letter. This catalogue is a cla.s.sified catalogue with the following nine cla.s.ses, seven of which are subdivided, and the arrangement in each cla.s.s is alphabetical by authors' names: I. Theology; II. Ethics, Metaphysics, and Logic; III.

Sciences and the Arts; IV. Jurisprudence, Government, and Politics; V.

History and Biography; VI. Geography, Topography, Voyages and Travels; VII. Polite Literature and Philology; VIII. Poetry and Dramatic Works, Novels and Romances; IX. Transactions of Literary and Scientific Societies, Reviews, Magazines and Reports.

A new edition of the Public Library Catalogue was published in 1847, the arrangement being the same as in the preceding one.

The Library books having been repaired in 1879 and 1880, the City Committee decided in 1882 to issue a new catalogue, with the view of making the books accessible to the citizens. The work of compiling the catalogue was entrusted to Mr. Frederic Kitton, Hon. F.R.M.S., an eminent microscopist of his day, who resided in Norwich for many years, but who apparently had no bibliographical knowledge or library experience. This appointment was made in the days when it was the common fashion to regard the work of compiling a library catalogue as within the capacity of any intelligent person; whereas there are, in fact, many rules to be observed, and much practical experience is necessary if the thousand and one pitfalls which beset the path of the cataloguer are to be avoided.

The catalogue {50a} was on much more ambitious lines than its predecessors, and the compiler claimed to "have carefully copied the t.i.tle pages, retaining their abbreviations, antique spelling, inaccuracies, or other peculiarities." An examination of it, however, shows that it abounds in inaccuracies, and exhibits most of the errors that can be made in an author catalogue. A catalogue of the City Library compiled in accordance with modern bibliographical practice is still a desideratum.

THE QUARTERS OF THE LIBRARY.

The first home of the Library, as stated on page 4, was parcel of the dwelling house of Jerrom Goodwyne, the sword-bearer of the City. This house was built over the south porch of the Church of the Black Friars, now known as St. Andrew's Hall, which had been acquired by the City at the Dissolution. It is clearly shewn in the frontispiece, which is a reproduction of Daniel King's engraving of Black Friars' Hall, probably executed about 1650. The Local Collection contains two copies of the engraving which have different plate numbers: one, numbered 78, is from the edition of Dugdale's "Monasticon" published in 1718, but the book from which the other one, numbered 50, was taken, has not been traced.

Writing in 1857 Henry Harrod remarked that "If the view engraved by King correctly represents this house, it was by no means an ornamental feature; still it was as good as the far more pretentious structure which has replaced it." {50b}

In regard to the building of this house Kirkpatrick gives an extract from a record of 34th Henry VIII, showing that the city granted to John Kempe, the chaplain, "in consideration that he, of his benevolence hath bestowed about the buylding of a lodgyng with three chambers, over the porch of the house, late the black friars, now the common hall of the city, and on either side of the same porch, above sixty pounds;--that, therefore, the said J. Kempe shall have the same lodgyng, with the office called the _Chapleyn of the Chappell_, belonging to the said hall called, _St.

John's Chapel_, with all the oblacions; also, liberty of the garden and yard called the prechyng-yard." {51}

The first of the few entries in the Minute Book regarding the library rooms shows that the books were not too well protected from the elements, for on 10th August, 1657, "Mr. Collinges gaue an acct of 1s. laid out for coale and wood for the drying of ye bookes harmed by ye raine."

From the instructions, in Latin, to the Librarian which are set out in the cla.s.sified and alphabetical catalogue of 1658 we learn that the library was arranged in two parts, East and West, and that the books were cla.s.sified. "On the East part the treasury of the books is double, major and minor. The larger part is divided into ten cla.s.ses folio. The smaller has only four cla.s.ses of books in 4to and 8vo. The numbering of all cla.s.ses must always be begun from the bottom. On the West part the treasury of books is single, arranged in five larger cla.s.ses. Here the number must always be reckoned from the top."

In 1664 the development of the Library necessitated the enlargement of the accommodation, and on 11th July "All the minrs. present agreed in a pet.i.tion to ye Mayr Sherriffs Aldn. &c in Court of Comon Councell for ye addition of a roome to ye library, and ye better shelving of it. They further desired Mr. George c.o.c.k and Mr. Beresford to present ye pet.i.tion to ye Comon Councell at their next a.s.sembly. Mr. Chamberlain hauing first viewed ye roome & computed ye charge." On the 12th January 1673 the members decided to pet.i.tion the Court for removing some wainscot doors, and on March 9th it was recorded that by order of the Court of a.s.sembly "we haue also leaue to take downe ye waynscott Doores wch now conceale the Bookes."

The Library was removed about 1801, when it was lent to the "Public Library" (see p. 13), to a building formerly a Roman Catholic Chapel, in what is now St. Andrew's Street, which afterwards became a portion of the old Museum Building, now the offices of the Norwich Guardians. In 1835 the City Library, still on loan to the "Public Library," went with it to its new building in the Market Place opposite the north door of the Guildhall, on the site of its successor, the present Norfolk and Norwich Subscription Library. The City Library returned to the direct control of the Corporation in 1862, and was housed in the present Public Library building then recently erected.

DONATIONS TO THE CITY LIBRARY, 1608-1737.

(_Extracted from the Vellum Book_.)

DATE. DONOR. VOLS.

1608 Pettus, Sir John, 15 Knt., Alderman of Norwich 1608 Downing, Mrs. 3 Susannah, wife of Alderman George Downing 1609 Corye, Mr. Thomas, 10 Merchant 1609 Hirne, Sir Thomas, 12 Knt.

1609/10 Corbett, Thomas, Esq. 6 1609/10 Doyly, Henry, Esq. 2 1610 Doyly, Charles, Gent. 11 1610 Sedgwick, Robert, 12 Merchant 1610 Peade, Michael, 2 Notary Public and Registrar to the Archdeacon of Norwich 1610 Mingay, John, Gent. 2 1610 Pettus, Augustine, 4 Son and heir of the said [Sir] John [Pettus]

Howlett, Laurence, 1 S.T.B., Minister of St. Andrew's 1611 Newhowse, Thomas, 4 A.M., & Minister of G.o.d's Word 1611 Hannam, William, 3 Gent., A.M.

1612/3 Ga.r.s.ett, Robert, Esq. 7 1613 Blowe, Joanna, widow 4 1613 Thurston, Hamond, 3 Merchant 1613 Peckover, Mathew, 3 late Sheriff of Norwich 1614 Launey, Peter, 2 Minister of the Walloon Church [in Norwich]

Wells, William, 5 Theologiae Baccalaureus Throkmorton, 2 Ba.s.singbourne 1614 Cropp, John, 4 Physician and Surgeon Bird, Henry 1 1615 Ross, Richard, Gent., 1 late Sheriff of Norwich 1614 Barbar, Gabriel, 11 Gent., in the name of the Society of Virginia 1616/7 Nutting, Edward, late 5 Sheriff of Norwich 1616/7 Batho, William, B.T. 1 1617 Anguish, John, Gent., 7 and Citizen 1617 Anguish, Edmund, 9 Gent.

1617 Catelyn, Thomas, Esq. 7 Corbett, Anne, widow 1 of Thomas Corbett, Esq.

1618 Atkins, Thomas, 5 pounds and 7 Merchant, Norwich 1621 Scottowe, Augustine 17 Gallard, Robert, 1 formerly minister of St. Andrew's 1625/6 Page, Francis 1 1628 City of Norwich 1 Remington, Nathaniel, 4 Alderman [of Norwich]

1631 Borage, John 7 1633 Chapman, Samuel, 2 Merchant 1633 Barret, Thomas, 2 Merchant 1634 Mingay, Antony, Gent. 11 Mingay, Mrs., Widow 7 1634 Freeman, John Map of Canaan 1634 Blosse, Prudence, 8 Widow, Relict of Alderman T. Blosse Chappell, John, 4 S.T.B., Minister of St. Andrew's 1658 Payne, Joseph, 20 pounds and 1 Alderman [afterwards Sir]

Thornback, John, 1 Minister of St.

Andrew's Stinett, William, 7 S.T.B., Rector of St.

John Maddermarket 1658/9 Collinges, John, 1 pounds and 6 S.T.: Dr.

[1657] Whitefoote, John, 4 Rector of Heigham, next Norwich 1659 Brooke, Thomasine, 29 {53a} Widow & Relict of Wm.

Brooke, Gent.

[1659] Allen, Thomas 1 [1659/60] City of Norwich 6 1661 Payne, Sir Joseph, 16 Knt., late Mayor of this City Scottowe, Augustine, 7 {53b} Merchant.

[1661] Smyth, John, Rector 1 of St. Michael Coslany [1661] Barret, Thomas 5 {53c} 1662 Norris, Francis, 14 Citizen and Alderman [of Norwich]

[1664] Morley, Thomas, 2 Curate of St. Peter Hungate 1664 Mann, John, Citizen 38 and Alderman [of Norwich]

1665 Fromentell, Samuel, 1 Citizen 1666 Meene, Joshua, 3 formerly Curate of St. Peter Per Moutergate 1666 Browne, [Sir] Thomas, 9 Professor of Medicine 1668 and 1673 Oliver, William, 2 Bookseller 1673 c.o.c.k, George, Curate 18 of St. Peter of Mancroft 1671-1676 Barnham, John, 5 Citizen 1673 Norris, Anthony, 3 Merchant of Norwich [1674] Ellsworth, John, 2 Physician [1674/5] Tenison, Thomas, 5 S.S.T.B. [afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury]

1674 c.o.c.k, Nathaniel, 33 {53d} Merchant of London 1676 [Reynolds,] Edward, 24 [D.D.] Bishop of Norwich 1678 Watson, John, Vicar 2 of Wroxham 1678 Clarke, Samuel, 1 Rector of Rainham 1681 Gardiner, Francis, 2 Citizen and Alderman [of Norwich]

[1681] Nurce, William, Clerk 2 [1681/2] Prideaux, Humphrey, 1 pounds {54a} and 1 S.T.P., and Prebendary [afterwards Dean of Norwich]

1691 Adamson, William, 2 Rector of St. John in Maddermarket 1678 Brigges, Augustine, [10] {54b} Citizen and Alderman [of Norwich]

Wisse, Thomas, Citizen and Alderman [of Norwich] Church, Bernard, Citizen and Alderman [of Norwich]

1696 Penning, Benjamin, 1 A.M., and Rector of St. Clement's, Norwich 1692 Ireland, Richard, His Library formerly Rector of Beeston and sometime also of St. Edmond's, Norwich, where he was born 1700 Adamson, William, 3 shelves of books Rector of St. John's Maddermarket 1704 Trimnell, Dr., 3 Archdeacon of Norfolk, and Prebendary of Norwich [afterwards Bishop of Norwich]

1704 Gardiner, Stephen, 1 Esq., Recorder of this City 1706 Gurdon, Thornaugh, 2 Esq., [Letton]

1706 Resbury, Benjamin, 1 Rector of Cranworth c.u.m Letton 1706 Adams, Archibald 1 1706 Moore, John, [D.D.], 3 Lord Bishop of Norwich 1706/7 Tanner, Thomas, D.D., 5 Chancellor of Norwich [afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph]

1706/7 Bacon, Waller, Esq. 1 1706/7 Beverley, Michael, 8 Esq., Citizen and Alderman of Norwich 1707 Potts, Algernon, Esq. 1 [of Norwich]

1707 Nelson, Thomas, 3 Rector of Morston, in Norfolk 1707 Cook, Sir William, 9 Bart.

1707 Eden, Henry, Fellow 4 of Trinity College, Cambridge 1707 Laughton, John, 4 Trinity College, Cambridge, and Library Keeper to the University 1707 Rudd, Edward, Fellow 3 of Trinity College, Cambridge Bradshaw, Samuel, 1 A.B., Trinity College, Cambridge Granger, Gilbert, 1 A.B., Trinity College, Cambridge Snow, Matthew, 1 Trinity College, Cambridge Chamberlain, William, 1 Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge Bourchier, Ralph, 1 Trinity College, Cambridge Cotes, Roger, Fellow 3 of Trinity College, Cambridge Eusden, Lawrence, of 5 Trinity College, Cambridge Smith, Edward, of 3 Trinity College, Cambridge Fleming, David, A.B., 1 of Trinity College, Cambridge [1707/8] Ganning, Nathaniel, 1 Rector of Reyme[r]ston, in Norf.

1708 Doyly, Samuel, Fellow 1 of Trinity College, Cambridge Farewell, Mr. [of 1 Trinity College, Cambridge]

Andrews, Mr., [of 1 Trinity College, Cambridge]

Foulis, [J.] Mr. [of 1 Trinity College, Cambridge]

Hill, Mr., Fellow of 1 Trinity College, Cambridge [1708] Lightwin, John, 2 President of Caius College, Cambridge 1708 Gurdon, Brampton, 2 Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge Hawys, Roger, Fellow 1 of Caius College, Cambridge Crask, Dr., of 1 Cambridge Dodd, Mr., Fellow of 1 Clare Hall Worts, William, A.M., 1 of Cambridge 1709/10 Bedingfield, James, 1 als De Grey, Fellow of Gonvil and Caius College, Cambridge 1709/10 Prideaux, Humphrey, 1 D.D., and Dean of Norwich 1712 [Trimnell], Charles, 3 Lord Bishop of Norwich 1713/4 Peck, John, Esq., of 2 Bracondale 1714 Nelson, Thomas, Late His Library Rector of Morston, in Norfolk 1715 Herne, Clement, Esq., 2 of Heverland [1715/6] Seaman, Thomas, Esq., 2 of Heigham 1716 Mackerell, Benjamin, 2 of the City of Norwich, Gent.

[1716] Helwys, Nicholas, 1 Esq., Citizen and Alderman of Norwich 1717 and 1718 Prideaux, Humphrey, 2 D.D., and Dean of Norwich 1718 Clark, Thomas, Esq. 3 1719 Houghton, William 1 1721 Grayle, John, Rector 9 of Blickling 1725 Knyvett, John, of 1 this City, Esq.

1726 Tanner, Thomas, 100 {55a} S.T.P., and Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich [afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph]

1727 Reveley, Edward 4 1728 Kirkpatrick, John, His Library Merchant and Treasurer to the Great Hospital in this City 1729 Jermy, John, Esq. [?] {55b} 1730 Prideaux, Edmund, 60 {55c} Esq.

1730 Wingfield, Robert, 13 Writing master 1731 Pagan, William 7 1731 Gurdon, Thornaugh, [2?] {55d} [Letton]

King, Reuben, Primier 1 [_sic_] English Schoolmaster in this City 1731 Mackerell, Benjamin, 13 the present Library Keeper 1733 Whaley, John 1 Bennet, Gilbert 2 1733 Jermy, John 40 1732 Ellis, Ben-Jos[eph], 2 Minister of St.

Andrew's in Norwich 1737 Jermy, John, Esq. 14 1737 Nash, Robert, Esq., 4 Chancellor of this Diocese

PART II. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

FOUNDATION AND HISTORY.

Warrington and Salford claim to have established the earliest examples of munic.i.p.ally-controlled and rate-supported free popular libraries in the United Kingdom, they having added books to the attractions of their museums which were established in 1848 and 1849 respectively under the Act of 1845 "for encouraging the establishment of museums in large towns." Norwich, however, has the distinction of being the first munic.i.p.ality to adopt the first public library act, which was due to the labours of Mr. William Ewart. Ewart's act received the royal a.s.sent on the 14th August, 1850, and within seven weeks Norwich had decided to adopt it!

[Picture: Norwich Public Library. Foundation Stone Laid 13th September, 1854. Library Opened 16th March, 1857]

The initiator of the library movement in Norwich apparently was Mr.

Thomas Brightwell, a man of scientific tastes, who was Mayor of the City in 1837. At the Council meeting held on September 13th, 1850, he drew attention to the new act, and, according to the first annual report of the Library, he "presented a strongly worded memorial signed by 600 persons." He succeeded in carrying his motion that the Mayor be directed to ascertain the feeling of the citizens as to whether the provisions of the new act should be adopted, and a poll of the burgesses was taken on September 27th, when 150 voted in favour of the adoption of the act while only 7 voted against it. The act provided that a rate of one halfpenny in the pound might be levied for library purposes, but no provision was made for buying books. In 1855 this act was repealed by another, which remained the princ.i.p.al library act for England and Wales until 1892; it allowed one penny in the pound to be levied, and provided for the purchase of books.

After the adoption of the act the Council appointed committees for making all the necessary arrangements for the establishment of a Library, and it received reports from them in 1851, 1852, and 1853. By September 1854 two levies of the halfpenny rate had been made amounting to 500 pounds, and with that sum in hand the Corporation ventured to purchase the library site, and to approve the architectural plans, prepared by the City Surveyor, Mr. Edward Everett Benest.

The first stone of the building was laid on September 13th, 1854, by the Mayor, Sir Samuel Bignold, who lent 4,000 pounds for the erection of the building, and worked a.s.siduously to promote the Library. The ceremony was reported at length in the _Norfolk Chronicle_ of September 16th, 1854, from which the following extracts are taken: