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Bloomsbury ( Lingard) Library Nechells

G

GER22VAN

master brummie
Can Bloomsbury Library be saved? At the moment the doorway is held up by what I would describe as two pole jacks.. I might add that plants in the brickwork do not help in the preservation of this fine Victorian building.
 
I have strong links with this area of Nechells, it will be a travesty if this wonderful building is lost, I suppose it depends if anyone has a vested interest in re-building the area. It will probably disappear in one of those'mysterious fires'
 
I haven't heard of any plans for closure, I agree it would be a great pity if it were demolished, it has a wonderful interior, and a lot of money was spent on the library just a few years ago. I wonder if Eric Hill knows anything about it as the Heartlands Local History Group hold/held their meetings there.
 
Jean it is located on Nechells Park Middleway i believe it is a listed building there is also one almost the same on Spring Hill. Dek
 
Ernie

It looks pretty superficial to me as its only the portico that is supported and that doesn't look much of a job either. There probably wasn't any danger of it falling anyway, but today with the HSSE as always I suppose they have got carried away.

It looks like the sort of job that back in my day would have cost a couple of Grand to put right but today who can say. I bet the scaffolding firm who erected the strutting got paid that.

Phil
 
GG Jean. On this old A-Z map you will see Linguard Street well this is not there any more as the library was on the corner. ( The black square was the Fire Station directly opposite the library.) Looking at the map I think Saltley Road is part of the Nechell's Parkway.
I hope this answers your question, in simple terms it is on Nechell's Parkway.
 
hello.ernie some called it lingard st library and bloomsbury library,same goes for the school.that was lingard st,but called bloomsbury st .confusing
 
Hello Pete, I wondered weather there was a district of Bloomsbury although I cannot say I had found a referent to it.
 
dek carr said:
Jean it is located on Nechells Park Middleway i believe it is a listed building there is also one almost the same on Spring Hill. Dek
Click to expand...

Dek with all due respect they are both wonderful buildings but Spring Hill Library is far superior with all the gargoyels around it


Mau-reece
 
Yes Pete it was confusing considering its location and it having the words Bloomsbury Library set into the stone work i should imagine it was to serve the Bloomsbury area when built. Dek
 
ta for repy dek and ernie. that sounds like a comedy duo lol. i used the library a lot when i went to the school down the road.it has the same sort of brickwork as the swimming baths. as you say bloomsbury library, school. cop shop.fire station.tire.flats.and st.
 
There is or was an area called Bloomsbury - it was formed by Ashted being extended to the north east to form the new suberb of Bloomsbury to merge with the district of Duddeston by 1834.
Sheri
 
Mossy said:
Dek with all due respect they are both wonderful buildings but Spring Hill Library is far superior with all the gargoyels around it


Mau-reece
Click to expand...
You are right Moss it is a grander building i was thinking in the broader sense i.e the Terracotta bricks and style. Dek
 
I cannot imagine how many of these high victorian buildings have been destroyed I remember in the early 60's during the great building boom in Birmingham that landmarks disapeared overnight lets hope that there more people of greater imagination in todays local goverment preservation.
paul
 
Ernie
That is the latest streetview picture (obviously out of date) from Meriden st
Mike
 
When was the library closed, anyone know? I used to use it when I worked at Foseco on Long Acre more than 30 years ago, and it seemed a bit run-down even then.

Big Gee
 
Big Gee said:
When was the library closed, anyone know? I used to use it when I worked at Foseco on Long Acre more than 30 years ago, and it seemed a bit run-down even then.

Big Gee
Click to expand...
It,s not closed just a bit of repair work needed. Dek
 
I pass this library every week and its most certainly not closed. The local history society that meet across the rd would i think be keeping an eye on things. Max
 
Hi, I think Bloomsbury "Library" has moved to The POD in Oliver Street. It looks as if the original Victorian building is in other use. Street View has a sign over the entrance suggesting that it is now used as a day care centre. Hopefully this means that the building is safe for the time being.
 
superdad3 said:
Hi, I think Bloomsbury "Library" has moved to The POD in Oliver Street. It looks as if the original Victorian building is in other use. Street View has a sign over the entrance suggesting that it is now used as a day care centre. Hopefully this means that the building is safe for the time being.
Click to expand...
I do hope so superdad3. It is a beautiful building. I used the library when I attended Bloomsbury Girls School in the sixties. From memory it was immaculate inside. The highly polished wood, the smell, everything so neat. It was so quiet in there, just the squeaking of our shoes or the Librarian saying ssshh! We haven’t been down that way for two or three years now but I always look to see if it is still standing. So pleased to hear that it is. Kind regards, Sue.
 
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