LIBRARIES IN ENGLAND TO 1850

This a complete listing of all libraries so far identified in England.

This is a large file!

The arrangement is by county, and within county by place and name.
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BEDFORDSHIRE

AMPTHILL bed Giberne's Circulating Library 1773 [Daniel Giberne]
Northampton Mercury, 27 December, 1773.
AMPTHILL bed Literary Society 1845?
Slater's National & Commercial Directory, 1850.
AMPTHILL bed Mechanics' Institution 1850
1851 Census.
BEDFORD bed Archaeological & Architectural Society 1847
Correspondence, registers, library cat., accounts, 1847-1987. Catalogue: Bedfordshire RO.
BEDFORD bed Assembly & Reading Room 1845?
Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854.
BEDFORD bed Barnes' Circulating Library 1805? [J. Barnes]
Northampton Mercury, 29 October, 1808. Succeeded by J. Bedford.
BEDFORD bed Bedford Reading Room 1825
J.H. Matthiason, Bedford, 1831, p. 169.
BEDFORD bed Bedford's Circulating Library 1809? [J. Bedford]
Northampton Mercury, 11 February, 1809. Catalogue: 1809.
BEDFORD bed Free Grammar School 1160
A.F. Leach, VCH, Bedfordshire, II, pp. 149-180. Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861. History 1925 BL 08364.g.26.
BEDFORD bed Grant's Circulating Library 1821 [W.P. Grant]
Northampton Mercury, 14 July, 1821. Catalogue: 1821.
BEDFORD bed Gray's Circulating Library 1829 [William Gray]
BBTI.
BEDFORD bed Independent Book Club 1820?
See R. Phillips, Personal Tour, 1829, pp. 17-18. 791.h.32.
BEDFORD bed Literary & Scientific Institute 1700
1851 Census. Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854. Catalogue: 1892 - 11900.bb.76. Minutes, reports, loans, rules &c. (Bedfordshire RO).
BEDFORD bed Merry's Circulating Library 1825? [C.B. Merry]
BEDFORD bed Old Library 1700 [Bedford General Library]
The deed of gift reprinted by Thomas Fisher in Gentleman's Magazine, 1817, ii, 135-36, 578. Originally kept in the Vestry of St John's Church. Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854. Bedford County Library. 550 survive.
BEDFORD bed Protestant Book Society 1790?
BEDFORD bed Reading Room & Library 1826
-1859. Minutes, catalogue (Befordshire RO).
BEDFORD bed Sharp's Circulating Library 1780? [George Sharpe]
BEDFORD bed Smart's Circulating Library 1753? [William Smart]
Northampton Mercury, 9 July, 1753.
BEDFORD bed Smith's Circulating Library 1791 [William Smith]
Northampton Mercury, 8 October, 1791. Succeeded by James Webb.
BEDFORD bed Town & County Library 1839
BBTI.
BEDFORD bed Webb's Circulating Library 1790? [James Webb]
1790?-1840? BBTI.
BEDFORD bed Webb's Circulating Library 1805 [James Webb]
Northampton Mercury, 9 November, 1805. Succeeded William Smith. Labels in Bedford RO; Franks; John Johnson. Catalogue: 1805. Label in Franks.
BEDFORD bed Wood's Circulating Library 1810? [John Wood]
Bill in Bedford RO.
BIGGLESWADE bed Free School 1557
A.F. Leach, VCH, Bedfordshire, II, pp. 149-180.
BIGGLESWADE bed Gardiner's Circulating Library 1839 [W.W. & C.T. Gardiner]
BBTI.
BIGGLESWADE bed Mechanics' Institution 1850
1851 Census.
BROMHAM bed Parochial Library 1740
Founded by Thomas Lord Trevor in 1740. N & Q, 1882,vi,258. Catalogue: 1961 - 2724.c.4. 860+ survive. Perkin's list.
CADDINGTON bed Caddington School 1666
Founded by Sir George Coppin. William Cowper was a pupil. VCH Bedfordshire. Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861.
CADDINGTON bed Parochial Library 1720?
All gone. Perkin's list.
CARDINGTON bed Parochial Library 1788
Bedford County Library. 157 survive. Perkin's list.
CRANFIELD bed Cranfield Book Society 1705?
SPCK Archives, 4 April, 1709.
CRANFIELD bed Parochial Library 1715
All gone.
DUNSTABLE bed Dunstable School 1200?
A.F. Leach, VCH, Bedfordshire, II, pp. 149-180.
DUNSTABLE bed Reading Room 1845?
1851 Census.
GREAT GRANSDEN bed Parochial Library 1793?
1 survives. Perkin's list.
HOUGHTON CONQUEST bed Free School 1632
A.F. Leach, VCH, Bedfordshire, II, pp. 149-180. Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861.
KEMPSTON bed Crowsley's Circulating Library 1839 [Samuel Crowsley]
BBTI.
LUTON bed Hill's Circulating Library 1825? [William Hill]
R. Phillips, Personal Tour, 1829, p. 7.
LUTON bed Parochial Library 1650?
Chained library. Perkin's list.
MEPPERSHALL bed Meppershall Book Club 1704?
Started by Rev. Thomas Salmon. E. McClure, Chapter in English Church History, 1888, pp. 271-2.
PODINGTON bed Parochial Library 1670?
Chained library. Perkin's list.
SHEFFORD bed Literary Institute 1845?
Slater's National & Commercial Directory, 1850.
SHEFFORD bed Stafford's Circulating Library 1839? [Charles Stafford]
BBTI.
STREATLEY bed Parochial Library 1729
A Bray library.
TURVEY bed National School Institute 1845?
Accounts & Papers. 1852-53. Education. 1854. Based on 1851 Census.
WOBURN bed Croft's Circulating Library 1839? [William Croft]
BBTI.
WOBURN bed Parochial Library 1670?
Chained library. Perkin's list.
YELDEN bed Parochial Library 1849
Founded by E.S. Buntin, the Vicar. 400 survive - Bedford County Library. Perkin's list.

BERKSHIRE
ABINGDON ber Belcher's School 1713
Founded by Richard Belcher. A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
ABINGDON ber Free Grammar School 1400?
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284. History[1830] - 8365.aa.11(1). Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861.
ABINGDON ber Harding's Circulating Library 1800? [John Harding]
Catalogue: 1804 - Bodley. Bankrupt 1806. Reading Mercury, 18 August, 1806.
ABINGDON ber King's Circulating Library 1810 [James King]
Jackson's Oxford Journal, 14 April, 1810.
ABINGDON ber Literary & Scientific Society 1844
1851 Census. Defunct in 1851.
ABINGDON ber Parochial Library 1618
Chained library. Reading University.
ABINGDON ber Parsons' Circulating Library 1840? [Richard Parsons]
Listed in Robson's Directory, 1842.
ABINGDON ber Payne's Circulating Library 1825? [John & Charles Payne]
Listed in Robson's Directory, 1842. Listed in Pigot's National Commercial Directory 1830. Reading Mercury, 14 November, 1825.
ABINGDON ber Radley College 1847
(Archives)
ABINGDON ber Reading & Library Society 1810?
1812 MS Catalogue: in Bodley (Top. Berks. e. 1.)
ABINGDON ber Reading Rooms 1845? [Richard Parsons]
Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854.
APPLETON ber Appleton School 1604
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
BINFIELD ber Binfield School 1652
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
BINFIELD ber Parochial Library 1670?
Chained library. Perkin's list.
BLEWBURY ber Blewbury School 1700
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
BLEWBURY ber Parochial Library 1670?
Chained library. 6 survive. Perkin's list.
BRADFIELD ber Parochial Library 1800?
Perkin's list.
BRAY ber Free School 1705
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
BUCKLAND ber Parochial Library 1660?
Reading University. 58 survive. Perkin's list.
CHADDLEWORTH ber Chaddleworth School 1719
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
CHILDREY ber Free School 1526
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
DENCHWORTH ber Parochial Library 1693
Catalogue: 1875. Ker p. 76. 150 (?) survive. Perkin's list. Built 1693 by Rev Ralph Kedden. N & Q, 1881,iv,304-05.
DIDCOT ber Parochial Library 1670?
Chained library. 9 survive. Perkin's list.
FARINGDON ber Knapp's Circulating Library 1840? [Richard Knapp]
Listed in Robson's Directory, 1842.
FARINGDON ber Knapp's Circulating Library 1814? [Richard Knapp]
Jackson's Oxford Journal, 16 July, 1814.
HARWELL ber Harwell School 1644
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
HUNGERFORD ber Free Grammar School 1653
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284. Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861.
HUNGERFORD ber Medical Reading Society 1825?
Taunton Courier, 3 November, 1830. Met in The Bear.
HUNGERFORD ber Parochial Library 1841
A Bray library.
HURLEY ber Parochial Library 1634
All gone.
LANGBOURNE ber Free School 1685
Schools Inquiry Commission, 1867-68.
MAIDENHEAD ber Literary, Scientific & Mechanics' Institution 1844
1851 Census. Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854.
MAIDENHEAD ber Meggy's Circulating Library 1840? [W. Meggy]
Label in John Johnson.
MAIDENHEAD ber Spoore's School 1686
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284.
MAIDENHEAD ber Wetton's Circulating Library 1811? [George W. Wetton]
-1822? Listed in Pigot's National Commercial Directory 1830. Succeeded by W. Meggy. Label in John Johnson. BL has imprints 1811-22.
MAIDENHEAD ber Wyvill's Circulating Library 1812? [R. Wyvill]
Reading Mercury, 8 August, 1814.
NEWBURY ber Andrews' Circulating Library 1820? [Jane Andrews]
BBTI. Berkshire Chronicle, 29 January, 1825.
NEWBURY ber Free Grammar School 1466?
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284. Crockford's Scholastic Directory for 1861.
NEWBURY ber Fuller's Circulating Library 1788 [Benjamin Fuller]
Rules in BL copy of The Ramble of Philo, 1788, vol. 2. 1154.g.9. BL has imprints for 1796-99.
NEWBURY ber Harold's Circulating Library 1800 [Ann Harold]
Reading Mercury, 17 February, 1800.
NEWBURY ber Lewis' Circulating Library 1825? [Francis Lewis]
Listed in Pigot's National Commercial Directory 1830. Founded by John Lewis in 1795.
NEWBURY ber Lewis' Circulating Library 1820? [Winifred Lewis]
Listed in Robson's Directory, 1842. Widow of John Lewis. BL has imprint for 1841 - 701.c.38(4).
NEWBURY ber Lewis' Circulating Library 1795 [John Lewis]
Reading Mercury, 1 June, 1795. Succeeded by his widow, Winifred.
NEWBURY ber Literary & Scientific Society 1843
- 1904. 1851 Census. Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854. (Berkshire RO).
NEWBURY ber Mayo's Circulating Library 1805? [Mrs A. Mayo]
Reading Mercury, 23 April, 1810. Died in 1822.
NEWBURY ber Newbury Book Club 1800?
Berkshire RO D/ENm2 C5.
NEWBURY ber Parochial Library 1695
Bray library. Perkin's list.
NEWBURY ber Roe's Circulating Library 1840? [William Roe]
Listed in Robson's Directory, 1842.
NEWBURY ber Willis & Fuller's Circulating Library 1787 [John Willis & Benjamin Fuller]
Reading Mercury, 3 September, 1787.
RADLEY ber Radley College 1847
A.F. Leach, VCH, Berkshire, II, pp. 245-284. (Archives)
READING ber Athenaeum 1842
Listed in Kelly's Directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, 1854. Minutes, accounts, &c. (Berkshire RO).
READING ber Beasley's Circulating Library 1826 [Ebenezer Beasley]
Berkshire Chronicle, 27 May, 1826. Succeeded - Mattacks. Succeeded by Richard Parsons in 1830.
READING ber Berkshire Athenaeum Club 1776
-1995. Minutes, accounts &c. (Berkshire RO).
READING ber Berkshire County Club 1776
-1887. Minutes, accounts &c. (Berkshire RO).
READING ber Binfield's Musical Circulating Library 1819? [- Binfield]
Reading Mercury, 12 April, 1819.
READING ber Blackman's Circulating Library 1772 [Samuel Blackman]
Died 1774. Succeeded by Mrs Waugh, sister of John Waugh, then her husband George.