Lewes Branch Library, Albion Street

<span class="wrapper"><p>Lewes Library Society: for records of the Society consisting of minute books, 1787-1861, notice books, 1804-1846, London notice books, 1838-1871, catalogues, 1841-1912, accounts, 1786-1864, subscriptions and contributions, 1789-1897, other records, 1804-1861 see R/L 11/1-7; for lease of 47 High Street, 1814 see HIL 7/1/1; for fire insurance policy, 1831 see HIL 9/2.</p> <p>Fitzroy Library: for title deeds, [1693]-1956 see BLE/C 2/5/1-9; for annual reports, 1898-1908 see BLE/A 2/26-27; for minutes of the Library Committee, 1897-1961 see BLE/A 3/39-42; for accounts, 1905-1911 see BLE/A 3/86; 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, 1955-197 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.</p> <p>Albion Street Library: for regulations, 1957 see BLE/C 3/23; 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.</p> <p>Lewes Borough Museum: for minutes of the Museum Committee, 1927-1948 see BLE/A 58b-c and for the Library and Museum Committee see BLE/A 3/43; 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 BLE/C 4/13; 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> <p>Lewes School of Science and Art: for minutes of the Management Committee, 1867-1882 and 1903-1923, registers of pupils, 1868-1921 see R/C 4/11; for minutes of the management committee, 1882-1902 and 1924-1932 see BLE/ED 1/1-2; for minutes and reports on grant, 1906-1908 see C/C 82/24; for prospectus, c1880 see BLE/A 6/5, for 1884-1885 see XH 19 and for 1917-1918 see C/E 21/20; for accounts of the Jubilee Improvement Fund at Lewes School of Science and Art, 1890 see BLE/A 6/13; 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 BLE/C 4/13; for correspondence and papers concerning the closure of the school, 1926-1934, and a list of biological specimens, 1861 see R/L 26/1-5.</p></span>

There were three distinct phases in the history of public libraries in Lewes: the Library Society, 1785-1862, the Fitzroy Library, 1862-1955 and the Albion Street Library from 1955.

The Lewes Library Society was founded in 1785 and the articles of agreement were adopted on 5 January 1786. The meetings were initially held at the houses of members, but in March 1788 the Society leased a room in the house of their President, Joseph Ridge. In 1807 the Society moved its library from the home of Natty Adams to that of John Baxter. On 22 June 1814 the Society moved to 47 High Street (now 45-46) where they rented the first floor from Messrs Thomas Woolgar of Lewes, gent, James Moore of Lewes, surgeon, Samuel Snashall of Lewes, gent and William Verrall of Southover, brewer (HIL 7/1/1).

The Society moved to 3 Albion Street on 12 January 1831, which they leased from James Paine, when the printed books were insured for £500 (HIL 9/2). From 1858 the society also leased the house next door from John Latter Parson (R/L 11/7/4).

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.