Free Library Moss Side

MANCHESTER - The Free Library for Moss Side is to be erected at the corner of Bradshaw Street and Moss Lane East, adjoining the present Council Offices. The building will consist of basement and two stories above ground. The basement will be available for classrooms and small meetings. The ground floor will be devoted to the Reference and Lending Libraries and Newsroom. The upper story will consist of a large room (which can be divided when necessary) suitable for lectures, meetings, concerts, etc. The Lending Library is intended to form the main part of the Institution, and the aim will be to make it a collection of the best authors in every department of English literature.  [Builders Journal 13 May 1896 page 222]

MOSS SIDE - The foundation stone of a Free Public Library, to be erected by the Urban District Council, was recently laid. The site is at the corner of Bradshaw Street and Moss Lane East and adjoins the Council Offices. The building, which has been designed by Mr. Acton, the Council’s surveyor, is to cost about £2,500. It is to consist of a basement and two stories above ground. The basement will be available for Classrooms and small meetings. The ground floor will be devoted to the reference and lending libraries and news room. The upper story will consist of a large room (which can be divided when necessary) suitable for lectures, meetings, concerts and exhibitions. [Builders Journal 16 September 1896 page 95]

FREE LIBRARY MOSS SIDE LANCASHIRE - The public free Library and news-room which has been erected by the Free Libraries Committee of the Moss Side District Council was opened recently by the Marquis of Lorne MP. The building has been erected from designs by Mr Acton, the Surveyor to the District Council, the cost being about £3,000. It includes a large public room, which may be used for meetings, concerts etc; a library and news room and in the basement, classrooms in which some of the technical instruction classes held under the District Council may be carried on. [Builder 22 May 1897 page 465]

The handsome public free library and newsroom which has been erected by the Free Libraries Committee of the Moss side District Council was opened on Saturday afternoon by the Marquis of Lorne MP. ...  On the election of the first Urban District Council the question of a free library was introduced to the notice of the new local authority by Mt J Williams, a member of the council, and was received with general favour. The Council possessed a plot of land at the junction of Moss Lane East and Bradshaw Street, which they handed over to the Free Libraries Committee free of charge so that no encroachment on the library rate was made for the provision of a site. The building, which is in every way suitable for its purpose, while at the same time it adds a pleasant architectural feature to the district, has been erected from designs prepared by Mr Acton, the Surveyor to the District Council, the cost being about £3,000. It includes a large public room, which may be used for meetings, concerts etc; a library and news room, and in the basement, classrooms in which some of the technical instruction classes held under the District Council may be carried on. [Manchester Guardian Manchester Guardian 10 May 1897 page 12]

The library building was erected in 1896, from plans and designs by Mr. W. R. Acton, then Surveyor to the District Council. The cost of the building, £3,683, was defrayed by loan, the land for the site being presented by the Council. The building, containing reference, lending library and newsroom, a basement available for classrooms and small meetings, and an upper storey suitable for public meetings, lectures and concerts, was opened by the Duke of Argyll, on May 8th, 1897. [Handbook of Manchester Free Public Libraries  page 95]

Following the amalgamation of the Urban District of Moss Side with Manchester in 1904, the public library became the property of the Manchester Libraries Committee, and operated as the Moss Side branch.

Reference    Manchester Guardian Thursday 16 January 1896 Page 6 - Local Government Inquiry
Reference    Manchester Guardian Saturday 2 May 1896 Page 3 – contracts
Reference    Builders Journal 13 May 1896 page 222
Reference    Builders’ Journal 16 September 1896 page 95
Reference    Builder 22 May 1897 page 465
Reference    Manchester Guardian 10 May 1897 page 12
Reference    W R Credland: Handbook of Manchester Free Public Libraries page 95