For a fuller version of the sad story of Tameside MBC disgraceful decision to close our library see
www.audenshaw.demon.co.uk
www.audenshaw.demon.co.uk
According to Alan Rose in his ‘The Heritage of Red Hall Methodist Church, Audenshaw, 1782-1982’, the first library of any kind was the Red Hall Sunday School one. It certainly went back to 1860, as in the early 1980’s a M.Ed dissertation was written by a P. Hermon entitled ‘Red Hall Methodist Sunday School library, 1860-1880’. This dissertation was essentially statistical, but included a copy of the library’s rules, and a copy of the 1879 catalogue. The Society has not seen the dissertation.
Alan Rose states of the 1879 catalogue that it showed about 700 books were then available, not all for children. The children’s titles tended to be of the ‘improving’ variety.
The library continued until the Sunday School moved into its new building in 1909, this building was a Sunday School only, not a day school as well. The library books were then sold off.
As regards to public libraries, the story can be traced back to 1913. The 1892 Public Libraries Act allowed all urban local authorities to run libraries, but they could please themselves. Audenshaw ‘adopted’ the Act in 1913, but instead of starting a library they made an agreement with the Ashton-under-Lyne council that Audenshaw residents be allowed to use Ashton’s libraries. This agreement lasted until 1926 when the Audenshaw Council surrendered its library powers to Lancashire County Council under the terms of the 1919 Public Libraries Act. Incidentally it was the first Urban District in the country to do such a thing.
Lancashire County Council wasted no time in setting up a library service for Audenshaw’s residents. A County Branch library was opened in the Y.M.C.A. premises on Denton Road in 1926. The lease was ended in 1936 and a library was opened off Guide Lane on Providence Road. These premises were used until the purpose built Denton Road branch was constructed at the end of the Thirties.
The library continued until the Sunday School moved into its new building in 1909, this building was a Sunday School only, not a day school as well. The library books were then sold off.
As regards to public libraries, the story can be traced back to 1913. The 1892 Public Libraries Act allowed all urban local authorities to run libraries, but they could please themselves. Audenshaw ‘adopted’ the Act in 1913, but instead of starting a library they made an agreement with the Ashton-
The YMCA Denton Road, the words Audenshaw Public Library are on the windows to the left of the door
There was a public library in Ryecroft Hall after the Hall was taken over by Audenshaw UDC in 1922. The library room of the Hall when a private residents was converted to a public library and this was run by Lancashire County Council with facilities for borrowing books from anywhere in the County. The library room in the Hall still has its original fittings but perhaps it goes un-noticed, the room is now a Local government office.
Lancashire built a new library at the Junction of Denton Road and Stamford Road which was opened on 29 June 1940 by Austin Hopkinson. The library was of the style of the thirties with rustic brick and iron window frames. The present Droylsden Library is bigger but similar in style.
Denton Road Library
opened by Lancashire LCC 1940
closed by Tameside MBC 1989
opened by Lancashire LCC 1940
closed by Tameside MBC 1989
A portion of land at Ryecroft at the junction of Manchester Road and Lumb Lane was transferred from Audenshaw UDC to Lancashire CC in 1938 so that the County Council could build a second Library in Audenshaw. Because of the war this new library was not opened until 5 October 1966 (by County Alderman L. Ball), following which the library within the hall was discontinued.
In 1974 Audenshaw UDC was incorporated into Tameside Metropolitan District Council following which the library provisions in Audenshaw started to decline.
The Library on Denton Road was closed by Tameside MBC in 1989 and the premises sold to Smith Knight and Fay. The company demolished the premises and used the space as a car park.
In May 2005 a report by the Council proposed that the library building and 1900 square metres of the public park be sold for commercial use to raise £185,000 for the improvement of the library services in the other Tameside towns.
In August 2005 Tameside MBC closed the Library on Manchester Road, in spite of petitions signed by over a thousand Audenshaw citizens and public protests in the library grounds. It is claimed that there was public consultation, but clearly no one in Audenshaw was consulted. It would appear to be of no consequence that Audenshaw citizens have to stop borrowing books or journey to Ashton, Denton or Droylsden.
The Library on Denton Road was closed by Tameside MBC in 1989 and the premises sold to Smith Knight and Fay. The company demolished the premises and used the space as a car park.
In May 2005 a report by the Council proposed that the library building and 1900 square metres of the public park be sold for commercial use to raise £185,000 for the improvement of the library services in the other Tameside towns.
In August 2005 Tameside MBC closed the Library on Manchester Road, in spite of petitions signed by over a thousand Audenshaw citizens and public protests in the library grounds. It is claimed that there was public consultation, but clearly no one in Audenshaw was consulted. It would appear to be of no consequence that Audenshaw citizens have to stop borrowing books or journey to Ashton, Denton or Droylsden.
Pictures of Ryecroft Park Library
opened by Lancashire LCC 1966
closed by Tameside MBC 2005
Click to enlarge
opened by Lancashire LCC 1966
closed by Tameside MBC 2005
Click to enlarge
