Cradle to Grave – Researching the Building’s History

Our visit to Newham’s Archives revealed a treasure trove of information about the early years of the library.  We began by searching through the photographic records, before diving into the wealth of material in folders which we’d requested from the archivist team prior to our visit.

It was here that we began to unravel the story of the library and the people who had once worked there.  We found an old programme for the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone in 1898.  The ceremony included a speech by the Chairman of the District Council thanking Mr Passmore Edwards for his philanthropic gift, as well as an explanation of the building design by the architect Silvanus Trevail.

The foundation stone was laid by Mr T McKinnon Wood who was awarded a silver trowel by Councillor Long for the purpose.

Other treasures included an handwritten report of the library’s first year of operation by the first librarian, W. Bridle, in 1899.

We also delighted in the dance cards for the librarian’s social evening in 1922, which offered the opportunity for suitors to seek partners for dances such as ‘The Hesitation Dip’, ‘The Saunter’ and ‘The Flirtation Waltz’. We couldn’t help wondering if that would be acceptable for librarians working in the borough now!

Our visit left us a good deal to sort through, but we’re excited to curate the material ready for our exhibition “Cradle to Grave – The Story of the Passmore Edward’s Building” during Newham Heritage Month.