Norwich Public Library

I was talking to Merton on Saturday at a family gathering and he showed me some pictures of the Norwich Public Library that was located on St Andrews Street.  He has memories of collecting and returning library books to this library, maybe you have some memories too.  It was the first non-subscription library – built in 1857. The 1850 Libraries Act allowed larger boroughs to add up to half a penny in the pound to the rates to pay for library facilities and staff. Norwich Council was first to adopt the Act and Norwich was first to construct its own Free Library which opened in 1857 at the corner of St Andrew’s (Broad) Street and Duke Street.  Towards the end of its life, the Free/Public Library was used as a shoe factory and in 1963 it was demolished to give way to the new Central Library in Bethel Street.  

Here are some pictures.  The last picture shows the Norwich Telephone Exchange that has been built on the site of the old Norwich Public Library which of course in medieval times was the site of the Duke of Norfolk’s Palace: