Lewes Borough Council: minutes of the Fitzroy Memorial Free Public Library committee...

Known as Fitzroy Memorial Free Public Library Committee until November 1926, then as Library Committee from December 1926 to June 1935 and then as Library and Museum Committee. In 1862 the Fitzroy Library, on the corner of Friars Walk and the High Street, was designed by Gilbert Scott as a memorial to the Borough's former MP, Henry Fitzroy. However, there was no endowment with which to maintain the library, and the Library Society, who had outgrown their Albion Street premises, were granted a 21 year lease on 13 February 1863 of the Fitzroy Library at a peppercorn rent on condition that the public be allowed the use of the reading rooms and books (DL/D 145/3/5). The Society continued to administer the library until 1897 when they announced that they did not intend to continue after that year. Lewes Borough Council, who had adopted the Public Libraries Acts in 1897, accepted the transfer of the assets of the Society by the remaining shareholders on 1 January 1898 (DL/D 145/3/6). In 1956 the premises were sold to B I U Estates Limited and it is now (2000) a private residence. In 1955 the library had moved to the premises, on the corner of Albion Street and Little East Street, which were used by the Borough Museum (since its move from premises in the Market Tower in 1933). The building was designed as a School of Art by Henry Card, the County Surveyor, in 1874 and the lamps on the steps were wrought in 1897 for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (C Brent Historic Lewes and its buildings (1995)). The School of Science and Art had closed in 1934. The Borough Council retained its library powers until local government reorganisation in 1974 when they passed to East Sussex County Council.

<p>Fitzroy Library: for title deeds, [1693]-1956 see DL/D 145/3; for accounts, 1905-1911 see DL/D 204/2; for London notice books, 1861-1871 see R/L 11/3/3-6; for catalogues, 1858-1912 see R/L 11/4/4-9; for subscriptions, 1861-1897 see R/L 11/6/6-9; for Town Clerk's file concerning the sale of then premises, 1955-1970 see R/L 15/4; for ledgers, 1898-1967 see DL/C 46/1-10; for a photograph of the library, c1868 see C Brent and W Rector Victorian Lewes (1980) number 98. Albion Street Library: for title deeds, [1732]-1874 see T11776; for regulations, 1957 see DL/D 143/22; for Town Clerk's files concerning the library, 1955-1974 see R/L 15/1-4; for registered files, 1957-1973 see DL/D 11/1-5. Lewes Borough Museum: for papers concerning Lewes Museum, including the closure of the School of Science and Art and the re-use in 1934 of its buildings for the museum, 1921-1957 see DL/D 144/14; for documents formerly in the Museum, 1791-1905 see R/L 25/1-8; for ledgers, 1925-1967 see DL/C 46/3-10.</p>

Known as Fitzroy Memorial Free Public Library Committee until November 1926, then as Library Committee from December 1926 to June 1935 and then as Library and Museum Committee. In 1862 the Fitzroy Library, on the corner of Friars Walk and the High Street, was designed by Gilbert Scott as a memorial to the Borough's former MP, Henry Fitzroy. However, there was no endowment with which to maintain the library, and the Library Society, who had outgrown their Albion Street premises, were granted a 21 year lease on 13 February 1863 of the Fitzroy Library at a peppercorn rent on condition that the public be allowed the use of the reading rooms and books (BLE/C 2/5/5). The Society continued to administer the library until 1897 when they announced that they did not intend to continue after that year. Lewes Borough Council, who had adopted the Public Libraries Acts in 1897, accepted the transfer of the assets of the Society by the remaining shareholders on 1 January 1898 (BLE/C 2/5/6). In 1956 the premises were sold to B I U Estates Limited and it is now (2000) a private residence. In 1955 the library had moved to the premises, on the corner of Albion Street and Little East Street, which were used by the Borough Museum (since its move from premises in the Market Tower in 1933). The building was designed as a School of Art by Henry Card, the County Surveyor, in 1874 and the lamps on the steps were wrought in 1897 for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (C Brent Historic Lewes and its buildings (1995)). The School of Science and Art had closed in 1934. The Borough Council retained its library powers until local government reorganisation in 1974 when they passed to East Sussex County Council.