| pauline |
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The town library was a very important part of my life. I spent half of my spare time reading. This was prior to television in our homes and apart from the cinema was the major way of adding to our knowledge of the world outside our own patch. Our town library was divided into children and adult sections. You were only allowed to start using the adult section after the librarian had checked your reading ability. The books were all 'hardback' and were all rather tattered and old. It was difficult to get the latest and you had to go on a waiting list. I would start on an author and when I found one I liked I would read everything they had by that person. Sometimes I tried reading the more serious stuff such as different religions, philosophy etc. There was a private library in the town where you could pay a fee to borrow a book for say two weeks. This was at Warners shop (which is where Thorntons Shop now is in High Street . Here you could get the latest novels and a friend who was working and had a bit more cash used to lend me books when she had finished them within the two weeks. I had a few late nights finishing them within the time still left. Warners was a shop for newspapers (they delivered in Stamford), toys, and the library up the rickety staircase. I think a Mrs Sutcliffe used to work there though not absolutely sure. Anyone else know?
Editor's note: Thanks for that Pauline. Anyone else love the library. Tell us about your time in the library and what it meant to you. Did you work in a library? What about life from the other side? All those customers with queries?
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| John Freear |
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I remember the library in 1939/40ish. As pupils of the Bluecoat School at the top of All Saints street, along with other primary schools (I presume) in Stamford we were introduced to the library through the school. In those days the popular books for boys of our age (8-9 years) were just William, Biggles etc. The librarian was a Mr Dunkley, very strict about the silence rule. One walked into the entrance hall, (same as it is now) joined the queue and "SHUT UP". If there was even the slightest noise of conversation mr D. would leave his desk, come up the queue and threaten dire consequences such as being turned out unless the noise abaited. When I talk about the level of noise, today you would equate it to a quiet hum!!!!!!
Kate: Bit different today, but not too noisy and still a hive of learning activity. I think we rather respected those strict guardians of the positions of authority in the town and knew how far we could go. It allowed us to get on and enjoy the facilities on offer. Thanks for that John. More memories of Stamford Library welcomed. Anyone remember Mr Tebbutt and Kate Smith?
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| John Freear |
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I remember Mr Tebbutt and Kate Smith. Kate married a close friend of mine, Mike Walsh. He worked with me, they ultimately married and moved to Cirencester. Mike died a few years ago, Kate is still with us, has two children, a girl and a boy. I spoke to her about Christmas time last.
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| Rog |
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In the early 70s I particularly remember the glass cases of stuffed animals standing on the tops of the bookshelves. Where did they go I wonder?
Also a reading room for newspapers with angled desks for the papers to be spread out on.
Rog
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