Former Firswood Library
Location/Address
74 Great Stone Road, Stretford M32 8QS
Type
Description
A former library erected in 1936, providing a fair example of Art Deco style. The main part of the library comprises a single-storey block of nine bays by three bays, and is composed of bricks laid in stretcher bond with a flat roof behind a low parapet of stone. The entrance is set in the centre of the main facade, overlooking Great Stone Road, and is recessed slightly with a stone surround. There is also a string course of stone along the top of the facade, and a continuous line of stone is also use as the window lintels. A square-shaped, two-storey block to the rear, and partly overlapping the roof of the main buiding, is devoid of any architectural features.
The building is a key marker of the entrance to Longford Park at the north-east corner, and has been identified as a 'positive contributor' to the Longford Conservation Area.
Statement of Significance
Age
Firswood Library was built in 1936 and opened in a ceremony by Alderman A. Smith on 9th December.Architectural and Artistic Interest
The original design was Art Deco in style, with flanking gates to either side. It has a sleek modern appearance and reflect the popular styles of the time when Longford Park was in its heyday. It has a central doorway with flanking sets of four windows and a higher central block beyond. Gate posts either side are also part of the same scheme.Historic Interest
Often originally referred to as free libraries, free public libraries or institutes (the latter often named after a philanthropic benefactor), the impetus behind the early free library movement was the education and improvement of the working-classes, in which temperance played a part. It formed part of the liberal-driven body of reforming legislation which characterised much of the state agenda during the second half of the 19th century. The first purpose-built public library in England opened in 1857, but local adoption of the 1850 Public Libraries Act progressed slowly for much of the rest of the century, although the rate increased considerably in the late 1880s at the time of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. It subsequently accelerated with the advent of co-ordinated philanthropic endowment, the chief benefactor being Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American steel magnate. Construction continued at varying rates, albeit interrupted by the First World War, until 1939, with virtually all architectural styles being employed for buildings which ranged from the extremely modest to the ostentatious and grandiose.Landmark Status
This small 20th-century branch library acted as a marker of civic pride, just as much as the central libraries of the 19th century, albeit with a greater sense of architectural modesty. The library is a detached building, standing alone at the entrance at Longford Park, creating an important focus the area. The former Firswood Library is a key way marker in the surrounding area, demonstrating the entrances to the park.
Date Listed
16 May 2023
Last Updated
28 Dec 2021
Find Out More
Find out more about this Asset in Greater Manchester Local Heritage List:
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/greater-manchester/asset/7730
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/greater-manchester/asset/7730