| Building the New Free Library |
|
Alderman Stephen Craddock, who was
Mayor in 1896/97, considered the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee should be celebrated in some permanent
form.
He therefore called a meeting of the principal
citizens in the Town Hall, to discuss the subject. It
was decided that no more fitting memorial could be
raised than in the building a new Free Library.
The Town Council unanimously voted
to provide £2,050 towards the purchase of a suitable
site on the corner of Cleveland Road and Garrick Street,
which was occupied by the Theatre Royal and a timber
yard.
The old
theatre would be demolished and the site cleared, in
readiness for the building of the Central Library
People were asked to subscribe
towards the cost of the building. Alderman
Craddock, became treasurer, and a committee was
appointed to carry out the work.
The Mayor took a leading part
in raising the necessary funds, and asked the
leading people of the town for help. The scheme
worked well and raised £9,000.
|
Alderman Stephen Craddock, JP.,
joint owner of Craddock Brothers, boot and shoe
manufacturers. |
| Laying the Foundation Stone of the
new Free Library. |
|
The Duke and Duchess
of York, on their way to the library. |
|
On the 23rd July, 1900, the Duke
and Duchess of York visited the town, and laid the
foundation stone of the new Library.
The streets and
public buildings were decorated for the occasion. The
council granted the Mayor, Samuel Theodore Mander, £1,600
to meet the expenses.
A large procession was formed to
meet the Duke and Duchess at the railway station, where,
on arrival, the Royal pair were presented to the Mayor,
the Town Clerk, and Mr. A. J. Ram, the Recorder.
The
procession then went to the site of the new library in
Cleveland Road.
A large number of spectators came to see
the procession and watch the foundation stone laying
ceremony.
On arriving at the site, the Mayor
presented the following people to the Duke and
Duchess: the Mr. Price Lewis, Alderman Craddock, Mr.
William Highfield Jones, Alderman Joseph Jones,
Councillor Mason, and the Members of Parliament for the
Borough and County. |
Alderman Price Lewis, a master
tailor and a Borough Magistrate and Mayor in
1898/99. |
Samuel Theodore Mander, who
worked for Manders' varnish and ink works, was Mayor
in 1899/1900. He died in office, suddenly, on the
14th September, 1900, at Wightwick Manor. |
Mr. Ram, the Recorder, then read an
address of welcome from the inhabitants, to which the
Duke of York suitably replied.
His Royal Highness laid the
memorial stone of the Free Library amid the
enthusiastic applause of the guests and onlookers.
Samuel Theodore Mander, gave a
splendid lunch, in a large tent, to several thousand
local people, at which
the Duke and Duchess were present. After lunch the
Duchess presented prizes to the children of the Royal
Orphanage.
The new Free Library took one and a
half years to build. |
| Opening of the new Free Library on
the 11th February, 1902 |
|
The new Free Library. |
|
The new library building was opened
by Alderman Craddock. The Mayor, Councillor Plant, and
the members of the Town Council, took part in the
ceremony, which was viewed by a large number of people
in front of the building.
The proceedings commenced when
Alderman Joseph Jones, Chairman of the Free Library
Committee, presented a beautifully decorated gold key to
Mr. Craddock. He then used the key to open the entrance
door and presented the building to
the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of Wolverhampton.
Mr. Craddock said he was delighted
with the success of the venture. £11,000 had already
been subscribed, but as the new Free Library
had cost £14,000, a further £3,000 had to be raised to
complete it.
The Mayor, in accepting the building on behalf of
the town, said he "hoped it would prove of lasting
benefit to the inhabitants." At the close of the
ceremony, Mr. Craddock invited the subscribers and
friends to lunch at the library and allowed them to
inspect the building.
After lunch various speeches were given. |
Alderman Charles Paulton Plant, JP., wine merchant and brewer. Mayor
in 1901/02. |
|
Mr. Craddock
said that he "trusted the institution would afford
additional means of spreading knowledge, and be an
inspiration to the young people of the future towards
high ideals and noble deeds." He then called on Alderman Joseph Jones, Chairman of the Library
Committee, to give an account of the progress made. He
said: "Today they had come to the parting of the ways;
in future the work would go on in two separate
buildings. The handsome building which was opened today
would be devoted to Free Library purposes only, the
accommodation for which was greatly enlarged. The old
Free Library building would be used as a technical
school for the teaching of science. This department
would be under the management and control of Alderman
Price Lewis and a special committee appointed for the
purpose."
Mr. Jones said he believed the steps taken to
separate the departments were in the right direction; he
felt sure the Chairman of the Technical Schools would
use every effort to encourage and stimulate young
students in their work.
In the evening, the Mayor and
Mayoress, Mr. and Mrs. Plant, gave a reception to about
six hundred people in the Free Library buildings,
including members of the Town Council, subscribers and
friends. |
 |
|
|
Return to
Garrick
Street Photos |
|
Return to
the contents |
|
