Three Centuries of a City Library Part 9

LOCAL COLLECTION.

The collection of literature relating to Norfolk and Norwich was first mooted on January 15th, 1879, when the Committee resolved that works of interest connected with Norwich should be purchased. This decision was doubtless the result of a recommendation from the Librarian, Mr. George Easter, as Mr. James Reeve, F.G.S., then Curator of the Castle Museum, had suggested to him the wisdom of forming a Local Collection. In April of the following year the Librarian reported to the Committee that he had received during the year 10 pounds for fines, and he requested that he might retain the amount for the purpose of forming a Local Reference Library. The Committee sanctioned his request, and from that time to the present the fines imposed for the detention of lending library books beyond the time allowed for reading have been exclusively devoted to the Local Collection. Mr. Councillor Stanley, a member of the Committee, by way of a commencement, gave "the books containing a complete list of the city and county charities," and the annual report for 1880 stated that "A collection of Books of local interest is proceeding very satisfactorily."

The collection had grown in ten years to 1,603 volumes and 1,933 pamphlets. In the annual report for 1893-94 it was stated that the receipts for fines from 1880 to that date had been 620 pounds, and that the collection numbered 2,646 volumes, 3,462 pamphlets, and numerous engravings, maps, portraits, etc. Mr. Easter was mainly responsible for the selection of the books for the Local Collection, and owing to his great enthusiasm in its development the collection comprised at his death in December, 1900, nearly 4,000 volumes and about 5,100 pamphlets.

Mr. Walter Rye joined the Committee as a co-opted member in the latter part of 1904, and within a few months the Committee had accepted his voluntary services as a Norfolk antiquary, to compile a card catalogue of the local books and pamphlets. This catalogue he has kept up to date.

The collection soon engaged his special attention, and from the time of his joining the Committee until the present year he has been zealous in its development, giving each year donations from his private collection, and working in its interest in various ways. In 1908 he published at his own expense the following catalogues which he had compiled: "Catalogue of the Topographical and Antiquarian portions of the Free Library at Norwich" (81 pp.), "Calendar of the Doc.u.ments relating to the Corporation of Norwich, preserved in the Free Library there" (22 pp.), "Catalogue of the Portraits referring to Norfolk and Norwich Men . . . preserved in the Free Library at Norwich" (33 pp.), and "Short List of Works relating to the Biographies of Norfolk Men and Women, preserved in the Free Library at Norwich" (34 pp.).

Mr. Rye's donations have been both numerous and valuable. In 1905-06 he presented his collection of prints, comprising about 700 portraits and nearly 7,000 views, which included the well-known Smith Collection.

During the years 1911-16 his donations became more extensive, and were crowned by his promise made to the Committee in 1916 that he would bequeath his valuable Norfolk ma.n.u.scripts and the remainder of his printed books, of which copies were not in the Library. Some of the more important ma.n.u.scripts which he has given to the Library are the following: Friar Brackley's Armorial Ma.n.u.script, circa 1460--a paper volume of 142 pages, with 75 coloured drawings of arms of the Pastens and Mautbys and their matches, being the oldest Norfolk Armorial ma.n.u.script known; Collection of original ma.n.u.scripts relating to the Carpenters'

Company of Norwich, 1594; Rev. F. Blomefield's Original Entry Book for his "History of Norfolk," 1733-6; Norfolk Pedigrees, compiled by Peter Le Neve--a volume (86 pp.) of Norfolk pedigrees, with the arms in colours, and an index of names. For these and other gifts the Committee provided an oak exhibition case in the Reading Room in February, 1912. In May 1916 the Council placed on record its appreciation of, and grateful thanks for, Mr. Walter Rye's munificence to the Library.

At the close of 1911 the Committee, having a considerable balance in hand, resolved to bid for a number of items at the auction sales of Dr.

Augustus Jessopp's Library and the Townshend Heirlooms. At these sales many interesting and valuable doc.u.ments relating to the history of Norfolk and Norwich were purchased for about 92 pounds, including fifteen of Dr. Jessopp's note-books and an "Address from the Gentry of Norfolk and Norwich to General Monck" in 1660, bearing the signatures of about 800 persons. The latter ma.n.u.script was published in facsimile by Messrs.

Jarrold and Sons in 1913, the volume also including an introduction by Mr. Hamon Le Strange, F.S.A., biographical notes and index by Mr. Walter Rye, a catalogue of the collection of books in the Library on the Civil War period by the City Librarian, and several portraits.

The Committee received in 1915 an intimation of a munificent bequest of 500 pounds by the late Mrs. Elizabeth Russell Hillen, of King's Lynn, for the advancement of local archaeology, etc., on condition that the name of Hillen should be permanently a.s.sociated with the use of the money. The Norwich Castle Museum also received a similar bequest. Mrs. Hillen was the widow of Mr. Henry James Hillen, a native of King's Lynn, who died in 1910. After retiring from the profession of schoolmaster he devoted much of his time to historical and archaeological research, and subsequently published the fruits of part of his work in local newspapers, several brochures, and his monumental "History of the Borough of King's Lynn," 2 vols., 1907. Mr. Hillen made considerable use of the Local Collection, and his wife's bequest was no doubt partly in recognition of the services it had rendered.

For many years the Committee has tried to make the collection as complete as possible, its wise object being to collect everything local: it has endeavoured to obtain all books, pamphlets, prints, plans and maps, and important ma.n.u.scripts relating to Norfolk and Norwich, all books and pamphlets printed locally until about 1850, all books and pamphlets by authors a.s.sociated with the county either by birth or residence, portraits and biographical publications relating to Norfolk people, local newspapers, election literature, early theatre bills, broadsides, book-plates, reports and proceedings of local authorities and societies, etc.

When the present Librarian commenced his duties in 1911 the collection, as recorded in the stock-book of the Library, comprised 5,129 volumes and 6,362 pamphlets, since which time by purchase, spontaneous donations, and systematic application for local publications the collection has increased to 6,364 volumes and 8,126 pamphlets. In addition there are about 7,900 topographical prints and photographs, 950 portraits, and 380 maps, exclusive of the Photographic Survey Collection.

The collection contains extremely valuable files of local newspapers, including a rare volume of "Crossgrove's News or the Norwich Gazette" for the years 1728-32, the "Norwich Gazette" 1761-64, a long file of its successor the "Norfolk Chronicle" from 1772 with a few gaps to date, the "Norwich Mercury" 1756-60, 1771-80, and from 1802 to date, and "The Eastern Daily Press" from 1875 to date. Recent features introduced in the Local Collection are files of obituary notices of Norfolk people, extracted from various papers and mounted on large cards, and cuttings from newspapers and periodicals of items of local interest, which are mounted on uniform sheets, cla.s.sified, and filed for reference.

Donations to the Local Collection have been far too numerous even to allow mention of the names of all the chief donors, but the interest of Mr. James Reeve, F.G.S., the Consulting Curator of the Castle Museum, should not pa.s.s unnoticed. He has given in recent years several scarce books and prints, including a copy of his rare monograph on "John Sell Cotman," and a volume of etchings by the Rev. E. T. Daniell.

In order to provide a handy guide to the extensive literature relating to Norwich, the present writer prepared an annotated and cla.s.sified catalogue of the books, pamphlets, articles and maps in the Local Collection dealing with the City under its most important aspects. The catalogue, ent.i.tled "Guide to the Study of Norwich" was published in 1914, and the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society marked its appreciation of it by purchasing 360 copies. In 1915 a series of special annotated catalogues of literature in the Library relating to Norfolk Celebrities was commenced in the "Readers' Guide." The first was devoted to the collection of literature relating to Lord Nelson (comprising 218 books, 39 pamphlets, 81 articles, and 31 prints), and the second to Norfolk Artists. Both catalogues were reprinted as pamphlets for sale at sixpence each.

He also prepared a scheme of cla.s.sification for the entire collection, and began cla.s.sifying and cataloguing the contents in 1915, but the work has been suspended owing to the absence of his trained a.s.sistants on service. However, about 3,000 books and pamphlets have been cla.s.sified and catalogued in accordance with modern bibliographical practice, and it is hoped that in due course a complete catalogue will be prepared and printed, which will not only serve as a key to unlock this vast store of local information, but will also form an extensive bibliography of Norfolk and Norwich.

NORFOLK AND NORWICH PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY.

A valuable adjunct to the Local Collection is the Norfolk and Norwich Photographic Survey Record which was inaugurated in January, 1913.

Shortly after the disastrous flood in Norfolk and Norwich during August, 1912, the Committee favourably considered a report from the City Librarian on the collection of photographs of everything interesting, valuable and characteristic of Norfolk and Norwich. A conference was convened between a Sub-Committee of the Public Library Committee and representatives of the local learned and scientific societies on 13th January, 1913, and ultimately a comprehensive scheme was adopted. It is carried out by the Public Library in collaboration with the Norwich and District Photographic Society and other local scientific societies, with the following object: "To preserve by permanent photographic process, records of antiquities, art, architecture, geology and palaeontology, natural history, pa.s.sing events of local or historical importance, portraits, old doc.u.ments, prints, and characteristic scenery of the county of Norfolk." The photographs contributed to the Survey become the property of the Public Library, under the care of the City Librarian, who is the Secretary and Curator of the Survey. The Public Library has undertaken the responsibility of the mounting, storage and cataloguing of the photographs. The Collection is increased by donations of prints, and the purchase of prints from money specially subscribed for the purpose.

[Picture: Exhibition and Lecture Room]

With the view of stimulating public interest in the Photographic Survey, and of acquainting persons with the scope and methods of photographic survey work, Mr. L. Stanley Jast, who was then the Chief Librarian of the Croydon Public Libraries, and the Hon. Curator of the Surrey Photographic Survey, delivered a public lecture with lantern ill.u.s.trations to a large audience at Blackfriars' Hall on 24th January, 1913. The first exhibition of photographs ill.u.s.trative of the work of the survey was arranged by the City Librarian, and was held in the new Exhibition Room at the Library during December, 1913. An ill.u.s.tration of the room, from a photograph taken during the exhibition, faces this page. The opening ceremony was performed by Mr. Russell J. Colman, D.L., J.P., the President of the Survey, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor of Norwich (Mr. James Porter) who was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriff (Mr. C. T. Coller). The collection of photographs, which commenced in May, 1913, increased at a rapid rate, and although the work of the Survey has been practically at a standstill since the beginning of the war, the collection numbers 1,847 mounted prints and 59 lantern slides. The technique of the photographs reaches a very high standard, the majority of them are platinotypes, and many are of whole-plate size.

The collection will undoubtedly be of service to antiquaries, historians, architects, geologists, naturalists, photographers, artists, and all lovers of the beautiful in nature and art, and it will also be of inestimable value to posterity.

LECTURES, READING-CIRCLES, AND EXHIBITIONS.

For a long period lectures have been regarded as an important part of the educational or "extension" work of organised public libraries throughout the country, but in the case of Norwich lectures were inst.i.tuted as a means of promoting the extension of the Library itself. As soon as the first stone of the building was laid the Committee in January, 1855, authorised the Secretary to make arrangements for a course of lectures at the Bazaar, St. Andrew's Street, in order to promote the objects of the Library, and by the April meeting lectures had been given by the Rev. A.

B. Power (twice), the Rev. A. Reed, the Rev. J. Compton, the Rev. J.

Gould, Mr. J. Fox (twice), Mr. J. H. Tillett, and Professor Edward Taylor, of Gresham College. Charges were made for admission, in aid of the funds of the library, and the net proceeds amounted to about 10 pounds, the attendances having been "better than usual at lectures in Norwich."

In October, 1861, a sub-committee was formed to arrange weekly penny readings, interspersed with lectures, in the large room at the Library on Thursday evenings, and in April of the following year the Secretary reported a net balance in hand of 9 pounds : 6 : 0, which sum was spent on books for the Library. In September, 1863, the Committee evidently intended to continue the penny readings, as it was resolved that Mr.

Dowson, a member of the Committee, should have full liberty to make arrangements for conducting the penny readings during the following winter session.

A course of popular lectures in connection with the Library by distinguished scientists was inaugurated by Mr. F. W. Harmer, J.P., F.G.S., F.R.Met.Soc., in the year of his mayoralty, 1888.

(Parenthetically it may be remarked that he has the distinction of being the oldest member of the Public Library Committee, he having served on it continuously since 1880.) Hoping to place the scheme on a permanent basis, Mr. Harmer suggested the appointment of a Committee of the Corporation to carry out arrangements for a yearly series of similar lectures on science by distinguished men, under the provisions of the Gilchrist Trust, and the matter was referred to the Library Committee.

The first of these series, delivered early in 1889 by Sir Robert Ball, Dr. Lant Carpenter, Dr. Andrew Wilson, Professor Miall, Professor Seeley, and the Rev. Dr. Dallinger, were "crowned with complete success." Under the management of the Committee another course was delivered during the following winter, when the lecturers were Sir Robert Ball, Dr. Andrew Wilson, Mr. Louis f.a.gan, and Mr. Henry Seebohm, and two lectures were given during the winter of 1890-91, by Sir Robert Ball and Dr. Andrew Wilson respectively. Unfortunately, for reasons of economy, these were supplemented by a series by local gentlemen (which were given in Blackfriars' Hall), but the result was the reverse of successful, and led eventually to the abandonment of the original scheme. Lectures by Sir Robert Ball and Dr. Andrew Wilson, with others by local gentlemen were given, however, in the winter of 1892-93, and in the following winter by Sir Robert Ball, Dr. Andrew Wilson, and Dr. Drinkwater. No lectures were given in the winter of 1893-94 as the University Extension Lectures then inaugurated were regarded as sufficient, but these appealed to a different cla.s.s, and never took the place of the others.

In that year the Committee-room was in frequent use by three public circles of the Norwich Branch of the National Home Reading Union, and by the Norwich Students' a.s.sociation, which again used the room in 1894-95.

The National Home Reading Union continued to use the room for several years.

Lectures organised by the Committee were again revived in 1916 on the occasion of the Tercentenary of the death of Shakespeare, when the following lectures were delivered at the Technical Inst.i.tute, the lecture room at the Library being too small for the purpose: "Shakespeare as National Hero," by Sir Sidney Lee, D.Litt., F.B.A.; "Shakespeare and the English Ideal," {84} by the Dean of Norwich (The Very Rev. H. C.

Beeching, D.D., D.Litt.); "Shakespeare and Music," by Mr. A. Batchelor, M.A.; "Dramatic Companies in Norwich of Shakespeare's Time," by Mr. L. G.

Bolingbroke; and "The Plant Lore of Shakespeare," by Mr. Edward Peake.

For the first two lectures one shilling was charged for admission, and the net proceeds were sent to the Jenny Lind Hospital in Norwich (7 pounds : 12 : 6) and the Camps Library (8 pounds : 5 : 6). The remaining lectures were free, but collections were taken on behalf of the Camps Library, and 3 pounds : 19 : 6 was received.

The Shakespeare Tercentenary was also commemorated by an exhibition in the Reading Room, consisting of books, prints and other material ill.u.s.trative of the life and works of Shakespeare. The prints were arranged in groups as follows: Portraits, Shakespeare's country, Contemporaries, Actors, Costume, Music, Pictorial ill.u.s.trations of Shakespeare, Elizabethan London, and Shakespeare Memorials.

In connection with the Gray bicentenary, which took place on December 26th, 1916, the Dean of Norwich, who is a member of the Public Library Committee, delivered a lecture on Thomas Gray at the Technical Inst.i.tute on December 15th, when the Deputy Mayor, Alderman H. J. Copeman, J.P.

(Chairman of the Public Library Committee), presided. A small exhibition of prints, and works by and about Gray was arranged in the Reading Room.

It is hoped that in future lectures on literary subjects or connected with cla.s.ses of books in the Library may be arranged from time to time.

CONCLUSION.

In the annual reports various statistics have been given of the visits to the News and Reading Rooms, and the number of books issued from the Lending and Reference Libraries, but as there was no uniform system of compilation, and the methods employed were not stated, an accurate statistical comparison between the past and present work of the Library is impossible. Suffice it to say that at no time of its history has it been so well equipped in all directions, and at no time has it stood higher in public esteem than it does at present. The old City Library possesses treasures befitting an old English "City of Churches," and the present Public Library fulfils the general purposes of a modern rate-supported Library. The Lending Library consists of about 18,000 volumes in all departments of knowledge, from which some 6,000 adults and juveniles borrow about 110,000 volumes annually. The Reading Room and News Room contain a careful selection of the leading newspapers, and a large variety of the best periodicals. The Reference Library contains about 24,000 volumes, including sets of the publications of several learned societies, and is being brought up to date by the purchase of recent standard works of reference. The Local Collection, which for completeness probably equals that of any other county, has a rich store of material, valuable not only to the antiquary, but to all those who desire to know something of the literature and art of the county, or its natural and geological history, or the part played by Norfolk and Norwich in the general history of England. Further, the Library, being encyclopaedic in character, may be regarded as a bureau of information, and as such it is playing an important part in the educational, industrial and social life of the City.

_Printed by Jarrold & Sons_, _Ltd._, _Norwich_, _England_.

Footnotes:

{1} A. Jessopp's Norwich (Diocesan histories), 1884, p. 155.

{2a} Leland's "Laboryouse Journey and Serche of Johan Leylande for Englandes Antiquitees," enlarged by John Bale. 1549.

{2b} London apparently is ent.i.tled to claim the distinction of having established the earliest British library under munic.i.p.al control. In an article in the "Library a.s.sociation Record," vol. 10, 1908, the late Mr.

E. M. Borrajo, formerly Librarian to the Corporation of the City of London, wrote: "The citizens of London may fairly claim to be the parent, in a sense, not only of the National Library, but of every public library in the country." He also stated: "The earliest a.s.sociation of a library with the Guildhall dates from some period anterior to the year 1425, when it is recorded that the executors of Richard Whittington and William Bury built the 'new house or library, with the chamber under,' the custody of which was entrusted to them by the Corporation." About the year 1549 the Lord Protector Somerset carried off three cart loads of books from the Library, and the following year saw its final disappearance. This library was a collegiate library and probably opened its doors to non-collegiate students, who were properly accredited. In the will of John Carpenter, proved in 1442, this library is referred to as the "common library at Guildhall."

{3} "The Maire of Bristowe is Kalendar by Robert Ricart Towm Clerk of Bristol, 18 Edward IV." (Camden Society), 1872, p. v.

{4a} J. Kirkpatrick's "History of the Religious Orders . . . of Norwich . . . written about the year 1725." 1845, p. 80.