Geo. A. Stephen

“ The condition of the Lending Library was especially serious. The Library had been in existence for over half a century, and the stock of books had never been subjected to a thorough overhauling, so that there were accumulations of old, useless and worn-out books, while numerous standard works on various branches of knowledge were not in the Library. The work of re-organisation was done systematically, class by class. ”

“ J. H. Tillett. The Town Clerk presented to the Mayor an address from the Norwich District of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, begging “most respectfully to tender the thanks of our numerous association to you and the Corporation of this city for the manifestation of regard for the Working Classes in having determined on the erection of a Free Library; feeling assured that such an institution will be welcomed by a large number of the industrious inhabitants, and will prove largely beneficial to all who will avail themselves of the advantages it offers.” ”

“ I can wonder at nothing more, than how a man can be idle; but, of all other, a Scholar; in so many improvements of reason, in such sweetness of knowledge, in such variety of studies, in such importunity of thoughts. ”

“ A large and representative selection, dealing with the subject from every point of view, was made from the several thousand books published. The books thus purchased made the collection of war books a thoroughly representative one, and an annotated and classified catalogue of the books was printed in the “Readers’ Guide.” The Library has also been at the service of soldiers billeted in Norwich both for borrowing and for reference, and a large number of soldiers have availed themselves of its facilities for recreative reading and study. ”

“ In the same catalogue it was stated that the City Library was under the particular inspection of the Mayor and seven members of the Council who constituted the Library Committee of the Corporation. “The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Norwich, for the time being, is an Honorary Member of the Public Library; and the Members of the Library Committee of the Corporation, together with the Speaker of the Commons, the Town Clerk, and the Chamberlain, if not already Members of the Society, have the privilege of constant access to the Library Rooms during their continuance of office.” ”

“ One remark, however, may be appropriate in anticipation of the history and objects of the Act of Parliament in pursuance of which the Free City Library of Norwich has been created. No Institution established under that Act can with justice address itself to any “class” of the population in particular. Rate-supported Libraries are ipso facto “Town Libraries.” Their cost is defrayed by ratepayers of all degrees. ”

“ John Collinges should be Library Keeper until January, 1657; that each minister admitted to the use of the Library should pay 12d. quarterly; and that “a book should be bought for registring the acts of the mins at their severall meetings in the Library, and sheets of parchment fit for the engrossing of the orders, and that the library keeper be desired to provide these against the next meeting.” This minute book is still in the City Library, but it has been overlooked by all previous writers of notices of the Library. ”

“ William Bridge, whose “Works” (London, 1649) are in the Library, was born at Cambridge, became rector of St. Peter Hungate, Norwich, in 1636, and afterwards settled at Yarmouth. John Collinges, a Presbyterian, who came to Norwich in 1646, published controversial and devotional tracts and sermons. He is only represented by “A Short Discourse against Transubstantiation” p. 38 (London, 1675) , and “On the Intercourse of Divine Love” (1676) , but the Local Collection of the Public Library contains many of his writings. ”

“ Besides here are very few Humanity Books, few or none of Law, Physick, Mathematicks, or indeed of any science but Divinity.” Large donations from the Rev. Thomas Nelson, John Kirkpatrick, and others greatly increased the usefulness of the Library, and accordingly Mackerell, in his preface to the 1732 Catalogue, considered that “this Library is far from being meanly provided with Books (I wish I could say in all Faculties) .” ”

“ The Library contains two editions of the works (1683 and 1716) of Isaac Barrow, whom Charles II. described as “the best scholar in England.” Other eminent writers of this period represented in the Library are Thomas Fuller, Richard Baxter, William Chillingworth, Henry Hammond, who has been called “the Father of English Biblical Criticism,” Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln, John Gauden, Bishop of Worcester, and Bishop Pearson, a Norfolk man, whose famous “Exposition of the Creed” (the Library has a copy of the 3rd edition, 1669) , is a masterpiece of the doctrinal exposition of the time. ”

“ A few examples may be noted. In the early Tudor period panel stamps with heraldic or pictorial designs were frequently used by English and foreign binders practising their craft in England. A number of English binders adorned their books with a pair of large heraldic panel stamps, the different binders making slight variations in the designs. A fairly good example of a binding stamped with two such panels is that of a copy of “Anticella cum quamplurimis tractatibus superadditis,” (Venice, 1507) in the Library, which has had its original covers repaired and laid down again. ”

“ The Lending Library consists of about 18,000 volumes in all departments of knowledge, from which some 6,000 adults and juveniles borrow about 110,000 volumes annually. The Reading Room and News Room contain a careful selection of the leading newspapers, and a large variety of the best periodicals. The Reference Library contains about 24,000 volumes, including sets of the publications of several learned societies, and is being brought up to date by the purchase of recent standard works of reference. ”

“ Although he compiled the second edition of the catalogue during his extended tenure of office, his services were either not appreciated, or the members thought that the rule regarding the period of office should not be indefinitely ignored, for on December 6th, 1731, the following memorandum was made: “It was then Order’d by the psons whose Names are above written that Peter Scott wait upon Mr. Mackerell, Library Keeper, and desire him to meet them the next Library day; they intending to proceed to the Election of a new one The time for such Election being long since lapsed.” ”

“ The sixteenth century was a dark age in the history of British libraries, the iconoclasts of the Reformation ruthlessly destroying innumerable priceless treasures both of books and bindings. John Bale, Bishop of Ossory, who was educated at a Carmelite Convent in Norwich, and became vicar of Swaffham, Norfolk, in 1551, wrote scathingly of the literary condition of England in the middle of the sixteenth century, and referred specifically to Norwich: “O cyties of Englande, whose glory standeth more in bellye chere, than in the serch p. ”

“ As a matter of fact the compilers of the old catalogues mention several works without being able to say by whom they were presented, and as many of these were printed in the 16th century it is not impossible that some of them constituted a primary stock. On the other hand many books whose donors are unknown were issued after the library was inaugurated, so of these it is certain that they were presented later. ”

“ Edmund Prideaux, the son of Dean Prideaux, in 1730 “gave to this Library more than Threescore Books which are all of them inserted in the Catalogue with his Name before each Book.” In the 1732 Catalogue only 49 volumes are shown to have been given by him.
The last entry in the Vellum Book records a gift from Robert Nash, Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich, of a copy of “A Defence of Natural and Revealed Religion: being an abridgment of the Sermons preached at the Lecture founded by the Hon. R. Boyle,” 4 vols. ”

“ While time has caused many of the works to decrease in value and practical interest, it has greatly enhanced the value of the few manuscripts and the considerable number of early printed books in the Library. The following are the most interesting and valuable manuscripts, some of which are on loan at the Castle Museum for exhibition. ”

“ The report draws attention to an increase in the hours of the lending library, which hitherto had been 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., to 11 a.m. till 9 p.m. every week-day except Thursday.
The establishment of a juvenile department as a means of stimulating interest in the Library was one of the first suggestions made by Mr. Easter after his appointment, and although the Committee did not entertain it then he did not abandon it, and the subject was raised in the press and in Committee in 1885. ”

“ After retiring from the profession of schoolmaster he devoted much of his time to historical and archæological research, and subsequently published the fruits of part of his work in local newspapers, several brochures, and his monumental “History of the Borough of King’s Lynn,” 2 vols., 1907. Mr. Hillen made considerable use of the Local Collection, and his wife’s bequest was no doubt partly in recognition of the services it had rendered. ”

“ Andrew’s Street, in order to promote the objects of the Library, and by the April meeting lectures had been given by the Rev. A. B. Power (twice) , the Rev. A. Reed, the Rev. J. Compton, the Rev. J. Gould, Mr. J. Fox (twice) , Mr. J. H. Tillett, and Professor Edward Taylor, of Gresham College. Charges were made for admission, in aid of the funds of the library, and the net proceeds amounted to about £10, the attendances having been “better than usual at lectures in Norwich.” ”

“ Manser, Esqrs are to consult a good workeman about ye making of a Case of Deale for ye skeleton of a Man given to the City Librarie & to report ye charge.” [25b] Kirkpatrick quotes this and remarks: “But it seems it was not made, for there is no skeleton in the library now.” [25c] Since the days of Rameses II., whose Egyptian Library bore the inscription “Dispensary of the Soul,” libraries have often been properly so regarded, as their contents are undoubtedly remedial agents of vigour and virtue, but it is not clear why a p. 26library should be regarded as a repository for man’s mortal frame. ”

“ For a long period lectures have been regarded as an important part of the educational or “extension” work of organised public libraries throughout the country, but in the case of Norwich lectures were instituted as a means of promoting the extension of the Library itself. As soon as the first stone of the building was laid the Committee in January, 1855, authorised the Secretary to make arrangements for a course of lectures at the Bazaar, St. ”

“ The works of Dutch scholars of the first half of the seventeenth century, when Dutch scholarship was the ripest in Europe, are represented by five works of G. J. Vossius (a German by birth) , including his valuable “Historia Pelagiana” (Leyden, 1618) , three works of Daniel Heinsius, and five works of Hugo Grotius, the great Dutch jurist and theologian. ”

“ In the following year Thomas Corye, merchant, gave Luther’s Works in 7 vols. and three volumes of Ludwig Lavater’s Commentaries, (Zurich) ; Sir Thomas Hirne, the Mayor, gave ten volumes of Calvin’s works, and a polyglot Bible—Biblia Sacra, Hebraice, Græce, et Latine (1599) , 2 vols.; Thomas Corbett gave St. Augustine’s Works (Basel, 1569) ; and Henry Doyly gave St. Bernard’s Works (Paris, 1586) .
The three chief benefactors to the Library were Richard Ireland, who at the time of his death was rector of Beeston, Norfolk ”

“ To find wit, in poetry; in philosophy, profoundness; in mathematics, acuteness; in history, wonder of events; in oratory, sweet eloquence; in divinity, supernatural light and holy devotion; as so many rich metals in their proper mines, whom would it not ravish with delight!”—Joseph Hall, Bishop of Norwich, 1641-7.
p. iiiPREFACE.
This book was prepared by instruction of the Norwich Public Library Committee, and it is now published as a souvenir of the sixtieth anniversary of the opening of the present Public Library, which will take place on March 16th, 1917. ”