Birmingham Central Library Ratcliff Place 1882 - 1974

[Mike Fisher]

Edit. Extracted from the D J Norton site: Birmingham's Victorian Central Library was located in Ratcliff Place adjacent to the Midland Institute. The building curved around into the part of Edmund Street that disappeared from the city in the early 1970's. It had been opened in 1882 after the earlier library, opened in 1865, burnt down in 1879 when an extension was being built. ..... it was demolished in October 1974.


I remember going on a school visit to the original Central Library in about 1960? with the spiral staircase in it's original position and looking at the old newspapers not on film but the actual newspapers. Spent many extended lunch hours in the early 90's researching my family history on the 6th and 7th floors and the escalators where always broken

 

[Shortie]

The reference library reading room was the one with the spiral staircase and I believe there were more than one, but I would not swear to it. Masons College, along with Norwich Union Chambers were both demolished in 1963 - not during the war, but I can imagine there may have been some damage. the Old lending and reference library were demolished in 1974. I had left Birmingham by then, but do rememer that the man who gave the go ahead to demolish the library and also Snow Hill Station, did, not too long after, say he was sorry and that he recognised he had done the City a bad turn. Although this is only an artists impression, the picture attached was a Christmas card commissioned by Pinsents in the early 1990's, which I simply could not throw away. I think it is quite delightful, showing Chamberlain Square as it should still be. Shortie, with a tear in my eye for all the lovely lost Birmingham buildings.View attachment 48009

 

[mikejee]

Here is a sad photo of the destruction of the old library in the 1970s

 

[Ladywood 2]

I thought the old Victorian Central Library a wonderful place most of all on a rainy day.
It's where I first met Horatio Hornblower.

 

[Ladywood 2]

The Central Library

 

[Stokkie]

Some of the timbers and cabinets from the Shakespeare Memorial Library were stored and can be seen on Floor 9 of the current Library of Birmingham. The book collection isn't displayed there as this room is neither climate controlled nor large enough for the Shakespeare collection. It is worth seeing for nostalgic reasons as aside from books I think it is the only part of the old library to survive.

 

[Richard Dye]

View attachment 212753
The Central Library

Magnificent!

 

[Stokkie]

The Shakespeare Memorial Room at the top of Birmingham Library. It was in store after the destruction of the old library and installed here in the new building. Pictured Jan 2022. Whoever took the decision to store the material from the old library did a good job.

 

[Vivienne14]

This thread has been created as we don't appear to have a thread exclusively covering the Victorian library of 1882-1974.

The D J Norton site linked below offers some excellent Geoff Thompson photos of this old Victorian library

Victorian Central Library from the Geoff Thompson Collection

Colour Photo's of Birmingham's Victorian Central Library

www.photobydjnorton.com

 

[Vivienne14]

And some photos from the Birmingham Mail archives.

 

[John L]

From the Geoff Thompson Collection: