Tag: Tyne and Wear

Gateshead library

Brief description

In 1916 the Carnegie Trust of Dunfermline offered Gateshead a grant of £15,000 for a new public library (John Johnstone’s library on Swinburne Street was by then too small). In 1918 Arthur Stockwell was appointed as architect. Initial designs were costed above the grant, even though it was raised to £16,500. Stockwell died. In 1925/6 a reduced design was executed by David Ditchburn with a top-up loan of £6,500 from the government.

The library echoes the design of its neighbour the Shipley Art Gallery. Ionic portico with two ranges capped with small domes and one-storey wings. It was operated on the open-access system. It was extended in red brick by Leslie Berry, Borough Architect in 1975/6 and remains the town’s main library (Taylor and Lovie, 2004).

Current status: Still open as a public library, run by Gateshead libraries (2018)

  • Year grant given (if known): 1916
  • Amount of grant: £16,500
  • Year opened (and by who – if known): 31 March 1926, by the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine (chair of the Carnegie UK Trust)

Photo of library today (2018):

gateshead-forblog

Detail

gateshead-plaque-forblog

Old photo of library (postcard):

Nothing in my collection yet

Visited?

Yes, for a workshop in January 2018.

Web links:

Kayll Road branch library, Sunderland

Brief description

Carnegie paid for 3 branch libraries in Sunderland: Hendon, Monkwearmouth and West Branch (Kayll Road library). All are built in red brick a similar style (Edwardian baroque) as each had to follow a basic plan produced by Sunderland librarian John Alfred Charlton Deas. West branch was designed by Sunderland architect Hugh Taylor Decimus Hedley. The site was donated by Alderman William Burns.

Awarded Grade II listing in 1990.

Current status: Still open as library. In 2017 Pallion Action Group developed a business plan to take over operations at Kayll Road Library. The plan included details to develop the building as a community hub as well as maintaining it as a fully functioning library. This bid was successful and Kayll Road Library re-opened it doors in March 2018 (2021)

  • Year grant given (if known):
  • Amount of grant: Total grant for all 3 libraries: £10,000
  • Year opened (and by who – if known): 1909, by the Reverend G. W. Kitchin, the Dean of Durham and Warden of the University of Durham.

Photo of library in 2020:

Photo credit: Oriel Prizeman 2020. Image shared under CC license CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 Cardiff University AHRC Shelf Life project

Details:

Old photo of library (postcard):

Nothing in my collection yet

Visited?

Not yet

Web links:

Monkwearmouth branch library, Sunderland

Brief description

Carnegie paid for 3 branch libraries in Sunderland: Hendon, Monkwearmouth and West Branch (Kayll Road library). All are built in red brick a similar style (Edwardian baroque) as each had to follow a basic plan produced by Sunderland librarian John Alfred Charlton Deas. Monkwearmouth branch was designed by Edward Cratney, of Wallsend and Sunderland. The site was the gift of JG Addison.

Awarded Grade II listing in 1994.

Current status: The library closed in 2013. The building was taken over by production company MCC Media  (2017). According to Shelflife project, in 2020 the building was empty.

  • Year grant given (if known):
  • Amount of grant: Total grant was £10,000 (originally for 2 branches, but they managed to stretch it to 3)
  • Year opened (and by who – if known): 21 October 1909, by Andrew Carnegie

Photo of library in 2020:

Photo credit: Oriel Prizeman 2020. Image shared under CC license CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 Cardiff University AHRC Shelf Life project

Details:

Old photo of library (postcard):

Nothing in my collection yet

Visited?

Not yet

Web links:

Hendon branch library, Sunderland

Brief description

Carnegie paid for 3 branch libraries in Sunderland: Hendon, Monkwearmouth and West Branch (Kayll Road library). All are built in red brick a similar style (Edwardian baroque) as each had to follow a basic plan produced by Sunderland librarian John Alfred Charlton Deas.  Hendon branch was designed by Edward Cratney, of Wallsend and Sunderland. The foundation stone was laid by Councillor J Hindmarch, of the Museum and Library Committee, on February 26, 1908.

Current status: The public library closed in 2014, and reopened as a community centre. It is run by a charity: Back on the Map, and as a one stop shop for the community it combines book lending with an IT drop in centre,  NHS services and space for local groups (2021)

  • Year grant given (if known): 1903
  • Amount of grant:  Total grant was £10,000 (originally for 2 branches, but they managed to stretch it to 3)
  • Year opened (and by who – if known): 1908

Photo of library in 2020:

Photo credit: Oriel Prizeman 2020. Image shared under CC license CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 Cardiff University AHR Shelf Life project

Details:

5154873883_d4d8fe71c5_z

Photo showing the stone carved details, by flickr user She-who-must, shared under cc licence

Old photo of library (postcard):

Nothing in my collection yet

Visited?

Not yet

Web links: