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friendsoftheharris · 7 years ago

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Memories of a #Preston Children’s Librarian in the 1950s

@harrisfriends member, and Harris volunteer, Ann Thompson remembers her time working @harrispreston in the late 1950s:

“The Second World War influenced family life in many ways, not least economically, in the dearth and poor quality of toys, games and books. As the eldest of three children, born and brought up in Preston, I was already a bookworm before I started school, reading everything I could lay hands on. Birthday and Christmas presents provided plenty of reading matter; I read and re-read my books until they fell apart!

Our parents were hard-working but not wealthy and my Father, largely self-educated, knew the importance of the public library service. When I was six years old, he took me by bus one Saturday and we entered the magnificent Harris building. Awestruck, I crept after him, through the entrance hall, round the rotunda and into the Children’s Library. Wonderland! Mahogany shelves filled with books lined the walls, there were tables and chairs to sit at and a smiling librarian, who organised my application form then allowed me to choose two books to take home. I did not need the allotted two weeks to read them; I returned the next Saturday for two more and that became my weekly routine until I moved to the Park School at eleven years old. I soon announced to my family, friends and the library staff that I wanted to work there when I was old enough and that remained my aim as I studied hard throughout schooldays.

Over time, I explored the other parts of the Harris, often with my maternal grandmother, who likened some of the ceramics and glass treasures to items in her sideboard cupboard, and occasionally took me up the majestic staircase to admire the Pedder dolls’ house which fascinated me (still on display in Discover Preston). One of my uncles made a smaller version for me but it never remotely resembled the one in the Harris, although I treasure it still.

The Headmistress of The Park School, Miss Shanks, often invited local employers to talk to Fifth Year students about potential careers. When Miss Jane Downton, the Borough Librarian, came into school, she was already aware of my ambition so she and Miss Shanks gave me lots of advice about my future. Unfortunately, their opinions differed and I chose to take A-Levels, then enter the library service directly, instead of going to university, and I studied part time for my professional qualifications.

What a privilege it was, to enter the Harris building every working day, to become familiar with the various departments, including the Reference Library, via the spiral staircase from the staff room! In my lunch hour, I often explored the Art Gallery and the Museum, too, with their ever-changing exhibitions. I felt very proud to announce my place of work to former school friends and many of them visited me during their vacations, as “The Harris” was a central hub.

After basic training at Ribbleton Branch Library and in the workroom and accessions department, I became the junior assistant in the Children’s Library, - my dream had come true! Mrs Gillespie resigned soon after I started and Miss Waite, her successor, became my great encourager, allowing me to help her with Wednesday afternoon Story Hours, when up to 50 schoolchildren visited from 4.00 till 5.00 p.m. “The Children’s Library Magazine”, illustrated and edited by the staff and published, in-house, each term, carried book reviews and occasional letters from famous authors, but it was mostly a vehicle for the literary efforts of Preston schoolchildren.

The department was transformed each autumn for the “Annual Book Exhibition”, which attracted many well-known literary figures and publishers, not just the official “opener”. We created huge displays for the walls, based on different themes, to draw attention to the many new books available in the library. This continued throughout the year, on a smaller scale, thus giving me opportunities to try my artistic skills, too.

Here’s Ann in more recent times!

One year, I was on duty at lunchtime, before the official party arrived at 2.00 p.m. I had been ordered to allow no-one in unless for children’s library books, which were sectioned off in one corner. A very tall, distinguished gentleman approached and asked for permission to view the exhibition immediately, as a special favour. When I demurred, he confessed that he had been invited to give the official opening address and, in a conspiratorial way, begged for a secret preview. I had been charmed by the publisher, Rupert Hart Davis, himself, so, of course, I allowed him in!

After the happiest four years of my life, family circumstances forced me to resign and, for several years after that, I could not bear to enter the Harris building at all. I married and my husband and I shared a love of good books which influenced our son from an early age. Once again, Saturday afternoons included a trip to the local branch library, where Peter, even as a two year old, would sit at the small book troughs to choose his own bedtime stories. In due course, I helped him to discover the delights of the Harris Library, Museum and Art Gallery.

In 2017, it would appear that a personal long-held dream may be coming true, as discussions take place concerning the feasibility of amalgamating the Art Gallery, Museum and Library services. Surely, this will benefit all three and add greatly to the public’s usage and appreciation of the magnificent building known affectionately as “The Harris”.

Ann Thompson

#Harris library #1950s #Preston history #Children's library

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