Stoke Old Library

What a great building this next one is. The now for sale public free library in Stoke. The initial foundations were laid in 1877 and the building was opened over a year later in 1878 by one of the famous Minton family, who also donated the land on which the building is built. 

The building itself is quite a beauty with 2 main distinctive features. 

The first is the round portal windows that can be seen all around the first and ground floor. Thanks for those must go to the designer of the building Charles Lynan. 

The second and more interesting main feature of this building is the descriptive mosaic describing as follows: – 

“The Free Libraries Acts was adopted in 1875 
Christopher Dickinson, Mayor 
The Foundation Stoke of this Building was laid 
the 10th Day of December 1877 by the Right Honorable 
Lord Wrottesley Lord Lieutenant of the County. 
The Site was given by Colin Minton Campbell 
M.P. for North Staffordshire. 
The Museum, founded by by Robert Garner, FRCS, FLS 
and the Library, were opened for the free use of 
the Burgesses, Nov 7th 1879.  
Thomas William Minton. Mayor” 

Not the most inspiring of texts but a very beautiful mosaic none the less.