ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <title>Horsham Library - Hidden Horsham</title> <meta name="keywords" content="Horsham Library, Hidden Horsham, Francis Frith, Horsham photos"> <meta name="description" content="Horsham Library. Photos on Hidden Horsham reveal architectural and structural detail that the eye normally misses."> <link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://www.hiddenhorsham.co.uk/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="Stylesheet" href="/styles/style.css" type="text/css"> </HEAD> <BODY> <A NAME="TOP"></A> <TABLE class="wideness" border=0><TR><TD> <A HREF="/index.htm"> <IMG SRC="/images/topbanner.jpg" alt="click to go to the home page" border=0> </A> </TD> </TR> <TR><TD><iframe class=head scrolling="no" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="/menu/menuhh.htm"></iframe></TD></TR> <TR> <TD> <TABLE ALIGN="right" border=0> <TR> <TD class=strip></TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="120"> <IFRAME class=menu SCROLLING="no" FRAMEBORDER="0" MARGINHEIGHT="0" MARGINWIDTH="0" SRC="/menu/menu.htm"></IFRAME> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <H2>Hidden Horsham - The Libraries</H2> <TABLE class=thumbs align=right><TR><TD> <A HREF="/images/hh/full/89.jpg" target="_blank"> <IMG class=edge SRC="/images/hh/page/89.jpg" alt="Hidden Horsham, Horsham Library" width=296 height=169 border=0></A> </TD></TR> <TR><TD><P class=c> Horsham Library<BR> Undergoing repairs to a<BR>leaky roof in Summer 2008</P> </TD></TR> </TABLE> <P>Horsham's first public library was established in 1830. It was known as the Book and Tract Society and founded by the Reverend Robert Ashdown. In time it was renamed the Horsham Free Christian Church Public Lending Library and was based at the <A HREF="/41/unitarian.htm">Unitarian Church's</A> schoolroom in Worthing Road. This library had declined by 1939 despite having 4000-4500 books. In 1945, after the war, these books were passed to the County Library Service and housed in the town's official library in St Mark's Church Hall</P> <TABLE border=0> <TR><TD colspan=3><P class=c><H3>Horsham Libraries' Timeline</H3></P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1804 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Travelling library at <A HREF="/90/collyers.htm">Collyers School</A></P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1811 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Library Society opened</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1820 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Library Society opened</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1829 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Horsham Mechanics' Institution opened</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1830 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Book and Tract Society at the Unitarian Church</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1842 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Horsham Library Society founded</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1844 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Horsham Library Society closed</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1847 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Literary and Scientific Institution established</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1860 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Horsham Mechanics' Institution closed</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1925 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> <A HREF="/35/townhall.htm">Town Hall</A> library opened</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1928 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Carfax branch opened</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1934 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> St Mark's Church Hall</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1939 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Unitarian Library closed</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1945 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Unitarian Library books give to town library</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1957 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> New building by the <A HREF="/71/blackjug.htm">Black Jug</A></P></TD></TR> <TR><TD><P>1989 </P></TD><TD><P> - </P></TD><TD><P> Current library building opened</P></TD></TR> </TABLE> <P>The first publicly funded library was was established in the <A HREF="/35/townhall.htm">Town Hall</A> in 1925 but by 1928 it had a branch in the Carfax. It remained there until 1934 when it was again relocated to the church hall mentioned above. In 1957 the county built its first purpose-built library on the site of the fire station, near to the <A HREF="/71/blackjug.htm">Black Jug</A></P> <P>West Sussex County Council has four pictures of this library, click on the text below to open each image:<BR> <A HREF="http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/archives/images/23052.jpg" target="_blank">outside from the left</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/archives/images/23054.jpg" target="_blank">reception counter</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/archives/images/23051.jpg" target="_blank">outside from the right</A><BR> <A HREF="http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/archives/images/23053.jpg" target="_blank">and an inside view of the books</A></P> <P>In 1989 the current library building in Lower Tanbridge Way, adjacent to <A HREF="/78/theforum.htm">The Forum</A> was opened. It is described as the busiest library in West Sussex and shares the building with the Citizens Advice Bureau and a doctors surgery</P> <TABLE BORDER=0 class=thumbs> <TR> <TD><A HREF="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=RH12+1PJ&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr" target="_blank" class="opac" ><IMG SRC="/images/hh/thumbs/89a.jpg" alt="google maps view in 2008" border=0 width=150 height=150></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=51.062094~-0.332756&style=h&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=1915478&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&where1=RH12%201PJ&encType=1" target="_blank" class="opac" ><IMG SRC="/images/hh/thumbs/89b.jpg" alt="aerial view local.live in 2008" border=0 width=150 height=150></TD> <TD><A HREF="/images/hh/full/89c.jpg" target="_blank" class="opac" ><IMG SRC="/images/hh/thumbs/89c.jpg" alt="The viewed from the Forum" border=0 width=150 height=150></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P>Libraries for private organisations existed in Horsham as early as 1804. William Albery described a travelling library operated by 'two maiden ladies', Miss Hunts who leased a room at <A HREF="/90/collyers.htm">Collyers School</A>. Between 1811 and c1820 a library society was available.</P> <P>Horsham Library Society ran between 1842 and 1844, starting with 85 members and a salaried librarian. The books being kept in the chantry chapel attached to St Mary's church porch. The committee running the library were required to be 'bone fide' members of the Church of England</P> <P>From 1829 until at least 1860 the Horsham Mechanics' Institution had a library of about 350 books. The Literary and Scientific Insitution was established in 1847, by 1851 it recorded as having 200 books and, in 1860, over 1600. It was still in operation in the 1870s</P> <TABLE BORDER=0 class=info > <TR><TD width=19%><P>Fact File</P></TD><TD width=27%><P>Location: <A HREF="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=RH12+1PJ&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16" target="_blank">RH12 1PJ</A></P></TD><TD width=27%><P> Build Date: 1989</P></TD><TD width=27%><P> Listed: no</P></TD></TR> <TR><TD width=19%><P>Feature Published: </P></TD><TD width=27%><P>Nov 2008</P></TD><TD width=27%><P> Last Updated: </P></TD><TD width=27%><P> Dec 2010</P></TD></TR> </TABLE> <BR> <TABLE BORDER=0 class=info > <TR><TD><P>External Links:</P> <P>WSCC: <A HREF="http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/libraries-and-archives/libraries/your-local-library/find-your-local-library/horsham/" target="_blank">Horsham Library</A></P> <P><A HREF="http://www.horshamcab.org.uk/" target="_blank">Horsham Citizens Advice Bureau</A></P> </TD></TR> </TABLE> <H3><A HREF="/88/nairn.htm" class=opac><IMG SRC="/images/back.gif" alt="click for the previous image" border=0></A><A HREF="/90/collyers.htm" class=opac><IMG SRC="/images/fwd.gif" alt="click for the next image" border=0></A></H3> <HR> <P>Contributions, comments and suggestions are welcomed. 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