LIBRARIES

Tickhill's first library

The following item in the Parish Magazine of December 1889 may help to explain why Henry Shaw decided to bequeath money to build a library for the benefit of Tickhill's inhabitants. Library facilities in Tickhill in the late 19th Century were extremely limited: they were only available in the winter months with one hour each week to exchange books for those who paid subscriptions. The library was housed in the Infants' School in Tithes Lane. It would be intriguing to know the nature of the 'very handsome books' donated by Miss Alderson.

The Parish Church Library We are happy to inform our readers that through the kindness of Miss Alderson, to whom we already owe so much, a large addition of very handsome books has been made to the Library which -although in existence for some years -has been of late very little used, through lack of suitable volumes to fill it. It is intended to re-open the same in the Infant School on Sunday, the 8th December, at 3.30 in the afternoon, after which it will be continued on each Sunday during the winter months at the same hour, Miss E Alderson kindly officiating as Librarian. There will now be nearly 300 books in the Library, and printed catalogues, in which the number and title of each will be contained, can be had at the Library, price 1d each. Our readers will see from the Rules which are given below, that a fortnight will be allowed for reading each book, but as some contain a good deal of matter, the holders will be able to retain them for longer by bringing them in at the end of the fortnight and having them re-entered by the Librarian. In conclusion, we would earnestly request that great care be taken of the Books, and above all that they be kept clean.

Rules

1. The Labouring Class to pay 1d per month in advance, other Parishioners availing themselves of the library to pay 4d per month. One volume allowed at a time.
2. A Fine of 1d per week will be charged for each volume kept over a fortnight. No books to be lent out of the subscriber's family.
3. No leaves to be turned down in the Books.Subscribers losing or injuring Books must replace them or pay the cost.
4. Should any infectious disease break out in a subscriber's family, on no account must the Book in possession be returned or other applied for.
5. The Library will be open during the winter months.
6. The Books may be exchanged at the Infant School-room between 3.30 and 4.30 on Sunday Afternoons.

Endnote

An auctioneer's lucky find as reported in the Hull Daily Mail, Friday16 November 1906: 'Just before commencing the sale of the effects of the late Mr Henry Shaw of Tickhill on Thursday, Mr Dawson Jnr the auctioneer, happened to open a chest of drawers to examine it when he found in an old cigarette case £135/10/-in gold. The late Mr Shaw died worth about £100,000.'

Henry Shaw's bequest making possible the building of Tickhill's Public Librarywas stipulated in his will: 'I devise and bequeath all those two messuages, workshops, yard, garden, outbuildings and premises near to the Market Cross at Tickhill aforesaid recently purchased by me from Joseph Denton and his mortgagees and also the sum of £1,500 to the Tickhill Urban District Council upon trust to pull down the said messuages and buildings or such parts thereof as the said Urban Council may think necessary and to erect on the said premises or buildings to be used as a public library and reading room for the benefit of the inhabitants of Tickhill aforesaid. And I decree that the building so to be erected shall have a tower containing a clock with two faces thereon and that the work of building and providing the said library including the tower and clock should be completed within three years after my decease or as much sooner as possible'.