Date:1880 - 1890 (c.)
Description:This room is now used for fiction books, the view was taken sometime in the late nineteenth century. Handsworth Library, on the Soho Road, was opened on May 1st, 1880. There were books to borrow, and newspapers in the Reading Room. The first Annual Report in 1881 stated that the Committee: 'had the pleasure of congratulating the Local Board and the inhabitants of the District on the great success which has attended the adoption of the Public Libraries' Acts in Handsworth' 28,810 volumes had been issued in the first year. In July 1882 music books were added to the stock; the 1887 Report affirming that 'our Music Library is acknowledged to be of special and almost unique excellence amongst Free Public Libraries' By 1882 there were 2,434 borrowers. This would continue to increase over the next thirty years, partly due to universal education, and partly due to the increase in population. By 1911 the population was given as 73,000; and there were 4,235 borrowers.
The timeline shows resources around this location over a number of years.
Originally built about 1700 and demolished in 1870. Handsworth Council House and ...
A rare photograph of the Waggon and Horses on Soho Road. Originally built about ...
This photograph of Soho road was taken from outside Handsworth Library facing towards ...
A photograph of Handsworth Council House and Library taken in the late 1980's. ...
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Image courtesy of: Local Studies and History Department
Donor ref:Local Studies/ Warks Photo Survey Wk-H5-0092 (3/815)
Source: Local Studies and History Department
Copyright information: Copyrights to all resources are retained by the individual rights holders. They have kindly made their collections available for non-commercial private study & educational use. Re-distribution of resources in any form is only permitted subject to strict adherence to the usage guidelines.