Long Eaton Library Revisited

Following on from my earlier posting on the subject, we return to the story of my bookish ancestor, Arthur Hooper.

Arthur, it turns out was my great-grandfather on my mother`s side of the family. He was apprenticed in the boot and shoe trade (manufacturing ? repair ? the details are unclear) in his native Worcester but moved to Long Eaton to set up his own business as a cobbler.

In that time and place, people were reluctant to throw away a good pair of boots if they could be repaired, and business prospered. Arthur became friendly with a number of local councillors and other civic-minded individuals, including his good friend Samuel Clegg. Arthur was to credit Samuel as the driving force behind the introduction of a free library in Long Eaton.

Here are a couple of  pictures of the library that I took on a recent visit to see my great-grandfather`s papers.  The frontage of the building is something of a photographer magnet, so you may like to look at the many images there are on the web.  Some are older and show a slightly different appearance.

I now have the text of two talks gven by my great-grandfather on the movement for free public libraries. Hopefully, I`ll be posting something about these in the not too distant future.  In the meantime, here`s a picture of the inside of the library as it appeared in my great-grandfather`s day.

More articles on libraries and library-related matters appear elsewhere on this blog and on http://angpav.blogspot.com/ , though you may have to search about a bit. Hopefully, I`ll be returning to the subject fairly soon.

Musical Interludes : The Holmes Brothers

In the interests of variety, I`ve decided to punctuate this blog with a number of short `musical interludes` .

Where better to start than with the news that one of my favourite live acts, The Holmes Brothers, have recently returned to recording and performing, after a substantial break caused by the health problems of one member.

Essentially a gospel-influenced blues band, the brothers have  eclectic musical  leanings  and live sets I`ve caught have featured covers of rock `n` roll classics, and tunes by the O Jays and Tom Waits in addition to their own material.

I have their CD Speaking in Tongues and I`d have to say that for me personally I feel they work better as a live act. However, that may just be the way I`m made.

Anyway, I`ve waffled on too much already. Visit these Holmes dudes at http://www.theholmesbrothers.com/ or see behind the scenes footage of recording sessions on You Tube.

Derbyshire Life and Wildlife

Three recent additions to our stock, each with a fairly obvious Derbyshire connection.

At 3839 and 3840 we have two  Ilkeston and District Local History Society publications ; `Ilkeston in the Thirties` (see previous posting) and  `Edwardian Ilkeston` - we are offering both at knock-down prices since you can still buy new copies direct from IDLHS.

At 3841 we have `Wildlife in Derbyshire` by author Jean Woolley and photographer Stuart Whitehead. Our copy is signed by the author on the title page.

For full details of these three and many other titles with a local slant, check our listings using the links provided. Thanks.

Ilkeston in the Thirties : Manners Road Mines Rescue Station

Pictured here are the rescue team based at the Mines Rescue Station, Manners Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire circa 1931.

The station existed from 1916 - 1988 when the building became a nursing home. 

Mines rescue workers werre understandably regarded as local heroes. One man who was based at Manners Road was Philip Healey (1928 - 2000), who worked there 1954 - 1971. A website, originally dedicated to Philip and other mines recue workers and run by his son, can be found at www.healeyhero.co.uk and has now developed into a site deicated to the history of coal mining in the Notts/Derbyshire area generally. Particularly interesting is www.healeyhero.co.uk/rescue/menu/station.htm#top .

This picture comes from `Ilkeston in the Thirties`, a publication produced by Ilkestion and District Local History Society. The booklet is still in print and new copies can be acquired from http://www.ilkestonhistory.org.uk/  . Our copy is at 3839 in our listings and costs £1.95 plus postage. As it is a light, thin booklet, postage should be relatively cheap.

As mentioned previously, we stock a number of titles relating to the history of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire are and to the history of coal mining - check out our listings using the links provided.

Voices for Libraries : Save our Libraries Day, 5 February 2011

I`ll return to the story of my great-grandfather and his role in the setting up of the first free library in Long Eaton at a later date.

In the meantime, many people will be aware that 5 February is Save our Libraries Day. Various plans have been made for the day in different areas, some more practical than others.

I`m guessing most people are like me and tend to always plan a few weeks ahead, so may not now have much spare time available. That need not be a problem. If you Google the phrase `save our libraries 5 february` you will easily find an entry from CILIP (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals), suggesting ways to show support even if you have only a couple of minutes to spare.

As a suggestion of my own, one possibility you may be able to pursue is to reserve a book or books online and just drop into the library to collect it on the day. That shouldn`t eat into your day too much.

In my experience of these things, there`s always someone who starts wanting to change plans or introduce new ones, with little thought to the practicalities, usually with very little time to go. As Senegalese historian/author Cheikh Anta Diop once wisely commented "there is always someone trying to drown a fish" ! There`s really no need to make complications, just do what you can and don`t make a rod for your own back, that`s my advice.

Lastly, if you want to read more on the subject, you might like to see my articles `Voices for Libraries` (29 Sep 2010) , `Voices for Libraries #2` (9 Dec 2010) and/or `Voices for Libraries #3 : 5 February is Save our Libraries Day` (25 January 2011), all of which appear at http://angpav.blogspot.com/.


Of course, better men than me have addressed this subject ! One piece that seems to have been unjustly overlooked is Ian Clark`s `Libraries : The Foundation for a Democratic Society` (22 Sep 2010), which can be found at www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/wordpress . If you only read one article on this issue, make it this one !

GEORGE MELLOR - LOOK BACK AT LOSCOE - HAPPY WALKING - 1997

George Mellor (1917 - 2010) was the son of a coal miner from Loscoe in Derbyshire and seems to have lived in the Heanor/Loscoe area all his life, apart from six years military service stationed in Somalia during World War Two.

He worked as a teacher and on his retirement showed himself to be an accomplished amateur artist, poet and local historian. 

This is the story of his childhood, illustrated with his own sketches and with many digressions into the history of Derbyshire.

This has now become a scarce title, but we`ve kept the price within reason given the current climate. 

We have many titles in stock on the history of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire area, and also a number of titles on coal-mining, including books by Robin Page Arnot, Keith Staley and Ann Goddard. Hopefully we have something to suit every pocket and every level of interest.

We have one copy of Mr Mellor`s book, which will be number 3809 in our listings and should appear online within the next twelve hours.

Long Eaton Library and a Local Historian`s Legacy

From cowboys and detectives we naturally move on to consider the life of a librarian.

Actually, this is by the way of being a personal request for information.

There is a tradition in our family that an ancestor of my mother`s was instrumental in the setting up of the first ever library at Long Eaton, a small manufacturing town on the Notts / Derbyshire border, in 1906.

 As a youngster I recall being shown a booklet on the history of the library, possibly a booklet commemorating the opening,  including a picture of the person in question. Unfortunately, when the relatives who owned the booklet died, having lived to a very great age, it couldn`t be found.

I believe my exalted ancester may have been Arthur Hooper, librarian at Long Eaton until 1938 and author of a book, possibly called The History of Long Eaton and District, which was published in 1954. He is credited with the quote "there is no castle, great house, battlefield or even moorland to give colour to the story" of Long Eaton.  It is true that the area has a long history (it is mentioned in the Doomsday book as the village of Aitone), but not a colourful one, though it is interesting in terms of the development of industry in the region and the story of the  attendant canals and railways.

I will be making my own enquiries as best I can, but if anyone has any information about Arthur, I`d be very glad to hear from you.

I don`t know if it helps, but I recall that I had two great aunts, Jessie and Edie (Edith), who lived in Long Eaton all their lives, so I presume if Arthur was related to me he was possibly their father or grandfather. They lived to be very old and were possibly involved in the Methodist Church and with good causes generally. I recall them sharing a council flat in later years, and my recollection is that they were unassuming and approachable but with a certain resilience common to many of my female relatives. I well remember my mother pointedly asking Jessie why she gave money to Help the Aged when she had little enough money to spare on herself. "I like to help the old people" she declared airily. She was 88 at the time.

Lastly, if anyone`s interested in issues affecting libraries today, you might like to see my articles Voices for Libraries (29 Sep 2010) and Voices for Libraries # 2 (9 Dec 2010) , both at http://angpav.blogspot.com/.