Memories of Sheffield libraries

[ValH]

We are interested in memories of Sheffield libraries between about 1920 and 1970 (and have already found some on this forum). The libraries might be public, based in schools, or private (like the Boots lending libraries). You might have worked in a library, or visited to borrow books, study etc. This is all for a project called Reading Sheffield, which started with interviews of about 60 Sheffield residents about why and what they read. You can visit our interviewees and read/subscribe to our blog at www.readingsheffield.co.uk. Your memories, which we won’t publish without your permission, could help us fill out our picture of reading in Sheffield in the mid-20th century.

[abbeyedges]

My first experience of a library was as a child and using the one on the Lowedges estate. It was in the centre of a shopping parade. It was used as a temporary facility until a new one was built at Greenhill shops. I used this for many years. I remember always wanting to take out books produced by either Antelope or Reindeer publishers although I cannot recall what the stories were about. Later I became interested in football autobiographies.

[rohsgran]

I used to go to Firth Park Library late 30s early 40s. I would read anything I could get my hands on. I went one morning to borrow a book, read it and took it back the same afternoon to exchange for another, but the librarian wouldn't let me as she said I hadn't read the one I was taking back.

[lakerman]

When I worked at Brown Bayley's on Leeds road, Attercliffe in the late 1960's and early 1970's, I used Attercliffe library all the time. I remember on one occasion I wanted to reserve a book called "Sir you *******". Feeling a little awkward at asking for the book, I whispered the title and author to the librarian. Unknown to me the librarian was a little bit hard of hearing and asked me to repeat the title again. I raised my voice a little and repeated the request, again she asked me to repeat the title of the book. I did so in a slightly higher voice ( but still quite low). She suddenly realised what I had said and almost shouted back at me " Sir you *******" yes we do have it but it is out at the moment so do you want to reserve it?. The library was quite busy at the time and everyone turned round to see who was ordering a book with such a title.

[soft ayperth]

I used three libraries as study areas when I was a student at Sheffield university. The reading room at the main library on Surrey Street was a great venue as it provided desk space and peace and quiet, which were not always available at home. I also used the Manor Top library for the same purpose, as well as the Woodhouse library. The Surrey St library was also a spot where street folk and those in low income boarding houses used to hang out during the colder months. It was warm in there and they were no problem.

[andingmen]

I grew up as a child on Gatefield Road, off Abbeydale Road in the fifties/early sixties. In the row of shops between the bottom of Gatefield Road and Marden Road, there was a newsagents - I believe it was called Yeadon's. On one side of the shop, they had a small private lending library which my parents used to use regularly. I usually had the task of running errands to fetch my dad his 10 Park Drive (none of this underage stuff in those days) and my mum her quarter of liquorice torpedoes.. Sometimes, I'd take their books back, The shop always seemed very dark and miserable to me. If I'm remembering correctly, they called it the Abbeydale Lending Library. The reason I know this is because, many years later, while clearing out one of my older brother's belongings, I found a borrowed book with that name stamped inside. The shop owners had been long gone by then, so the family guilt feeling was significantly less! After they shut, I graduated to the much grander Highfields library - "Just William" books being my staple reading for several years after.

[ValH]

Thank you all so much for these memories so far! Just the sort of thing we are looking for. Unless anyone objects, I will gather them together (I'll probably give it a little more time first, to see if anyone else joins in) and put them on our blog at http://www.readingsheffield.co.uk/blog. I'll keep them all anon.

 

Thanks again.

[bazjea]

I remember Hillsborough Junior Library in the late 40s

They had a reading club.Which I seem to remember was run outside

normal opening hours. The perk of this was that you could get first chance

of reading any new books that had arrived. Which was a rare event at that

time. The downside was you could only read them in the library, not allowed

to take them home.

[hillsbro]

I remember Hillsborough Junior Library in the late 40s. They had a reading club. Which I seem to remember was run outside

normal opening hours...

Yes, in the 1950s it was on Wednesday evenings - I think it was called the "Reader's Circle".

...I wanted to reserve a book called "Sir you *******"...

If you still haven't read the book it's available via Amazon.

[TWhits]

Whilst at St Mary's School, Walkley, in the mid 1960s, we used to gather in pairs just after lunch with the oldest at the front (add the year group of each child in the pair), and then be walked along South Road, past all the shops, until we reached Walkley Library on the end. We then had to replace our library books from the children's section. Sometimes it was difficult to choose a new one in the time. I remember liking: the Cherrys (by William Matthew Scott), the Adventure Series (by Enid Blyton); Secret Seven (by Enid Blyton); Famous Five (by Enid Blyton); Jennings (by Anthony Buckeridge); Just William (by Richmal Crompton), Biggles (by W. E. Johns) and probably many more.

 

At least one time we spent longer in the library (I think it was also over several weeks) and researched a topic. I chose (or was given) "History of Railways" as I thought at that time that my great great great grandfather (who was called Rockett) drove Stephenson's Rocket when it won the Rainhill Trials. I remember taking great care to colour in a picture that I had drawn of the Rocket.