East Greenwich library

Brief description

Designed by Sydney RJ Smith in a free Edwardian Baroque (also described as neo-classical) style. He designed many other libraries during this period, including: Streatham Library, South Lambeth, Brixton, Tate Free Library (South Lambeth Road), Durning Library (Kennington), Tate Free Library (Streatham), and Tate Free Library, Brixton Oval.

The building is of red brick with Portland stone dressings and a slate roof with chimney stacks. It included accommodation on the first floor, for the library custodian.  The triangular 1905 layout reflects the ‘open-access’ library system which was a strong shift in library floor plans of the time that started c 11 years earlier. It served as the central library for the old Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich. The building was extended in 1922.

Opening in 1905, it was one of the first Carnegie endowed libraries in England (the very first was a Keighley, opened in 1904).

Awarded Grade II listing in 1993

Current status: Closed in 2015. Update: we drove past in 2021, and the building has a “sold” sign on it. Update 2: The building was sold to a group who plan to convert it into a church. News article linked below.

• Year grant given (if known):
• Amount of grant:
• Year opened (and by who – if known): 1905

Photo of library in 2006:

Details:

Old photo of library (postcard):

Nothing in my collection yet

Visited?

Yes – back in 2006 when it was still open.

Web links:

• Entry on the listed buildings register
• Farewell East Greenwich library
• Entry on the Waymarking site
• News article: First details of plan to convert historic East Greenwich Library into church revealed (March 2022). Links to the planning application – which includes a heritage survey and condition survey with scores of photos of little-seen areas of the building (pdf)

Woolwich library

Brief description

Erected by the Woolwich Local Board of Health. The architects were Messrs. Church, Quick and Whincop.

Awarded Grade II listing in 2007.

Current status: Closed in 2011, I don’t know what the plans are for this building.

• Year grant given (if known):
• Amount of grant:
• Year opened (and by who – if known): 8 November 1901, by Lord Avebury

Photo of library in 2011:

Old photo of library (postcard):

Visited?

We visited I think just after it had closed in 2011 – so the library signs were all still in evidence.

Web links:

• Entry on the listed buildings register

Eltham library

Brief description

The architect was Maurice B. Adams. Borough of Woolwich is carved in the stone above the former entrance – another illustration of how borders have shifted in London, as this library is now in Greenwich.

Awarded Grade II listing in 2000.

Current status: Still a library, now run on behalf of Greenwich council by Better [2023], but now part of the modern “Eltham Centre” – which also contains a leisure centre and cafe. I’m glad they kept the frontage – and yes, the library is still behind those windows, but that is no longer the front door. The centre’s entrance is around the corner.

• Year grant given (if known):
• Amount of grant:
• Year opened (and by who – if known): 1906

Photo of library in 2011:

Old photo of library (postcard):

Visited?

We visited in 2011, and had a quick wander round the new Eltham centre.

Web links:

• Archiseek has a drawing which incorporates a plan of the library
• Entry on the listed buildings register

West Greenwich library

Brief description

By the architect Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas, known for buildings in the baroque revival style, who also designed Deptford library. Given Grade II listing in 1973.

The library was refurbished in 2010 as part of a £1million programme.

Current status: Still a library, now managed by Better (formerly GLL) (2021)

• Year grant given (if known):
• Amount of grant:
• Year opened (and by who – if known): 1907

Photo of library in 2014:

Details:

Oval plaque on the front which reads:”The gift of Andrew Carnegie Esq”

Old photo of library (postcard):

Visited?

Passed by many times – and finally went inside in 2018. The library is beautiful inside, it has 3 sections, each with a domed ceiling. The photo above was taken by me in 2014.

Web links:

• Entry on the listed buildings register
• Entry on the Waymarking site
• News article: Library marks its centenary (Oct 2007)

Plumstead library

Brief description

This building, designed by Frank Sumner, borough engineer, is on Plumstead High Street.

Grade II Listing was awarded in 2016.

From the listing entry: “The library was originally laid out with the reading room in the very well-lit north-east room, the newspapers and magazines in the large north-west room, and the adult lending library was held in the south-west, with a book store, offices, and a ‘music, art and study room’ partitioned off opposite. The issue desk was positioned at the entrance to the lending library. Evidence exists to suggest the library may originally have operated on a closed access system. The first-floor museum was opened in 1919.”

Current status: Still operating as a public library. Although when it was opened it was in the London Borough of Woolwich, it is now situated in Greenwich, and run by GLL.

• Year grant given (if known):
• Amount of grant: £15,250
• Year opened: Opened by the Right Honourable John Morley MP on 17 December 1904

Photo of library today:

Details:

Old photo of library (postcard):

[to be scanned]

Visited?

I visited on a Saturday (2 July 2016) and the library was open and fairly busy. Virtually all the public computer terminals were in use and there were a couple of families in the children’s section.

Web links:

• Entry on the listed buildings register
• Plumstead Library given listed status days before council proposals to demolish all but the facade
• Article: Early Carnegie library to be restored (Designing Libraries)
• Architects designs for the redevelopment (2018)