Brixton Library

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Brixton Library
Tate Library, Brixton - geograph.org.uk - 472859.jpg
Brixton Tate Library, Brixton Oval
Brixton Library
LocationBrixton Oval, Brixton, London, SW2, United Kingdom
Type Public library
Established1892(133 years ago) (1892)
Branches1
Collection
Items collectedBooks, public records
Other information
Website https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/libraries-0/brixton-tate-library

The Brixton Library (also known as the Brixton Tate Library) is a public library in the London Borough of Lambeth in Brixton, South West London. It was built in the 1890s by the sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate and is a Grade II listed building.

Contents

History

Rush Common, Brixton, around 1892 Rush Common, Brixton.jpg
Rush Common, Brixton, around 1892

Brixton library was once part of common land called Rush Common. An Act of Parliament in 1806 "stipulated that 'no Buildings or Erections above the Surface of the Earth' should be erected upon Rush Common within 150 feet of the London to Croydon Turnpike Road (now Brixton Road and Hill)". [1] In 1891–3, Sir Henry Tate built the library at a cost of £15,000, and it was opened by the Prince of Wales on 4 March 1893.

Brixton library in 1905 Brixton library in 1905.jpg
Brixton library in 1905

According to the Survey of London (1956), "the architect was Sidney R.J. Smith, and the builders were F. and H.F. Higgs. A brass tablet in the entrance hall records that the garden in front of the library was given in 1905 by Amy, Lady Tate in fulfilment of a wish of her husband Sir Henry Tate". [1]

Dame Amy Tate had bought the land in front of the library in 1904 and created a public garden, with a bust of Tate at its centre which now stands in front of the library. [2] The bust of Tate is a Grade II listed structure. [3]

The theatre next to the library was destroyed by bombing in 1940, allowing the nearby cinema to expand into its place. This cinema is now known as the Ritzy cinema, of which the bar and cafe now stand on the theatre's former site. [4] The library has been Grade II listed since 1999. [5]

Present day

Today the library houses a collection of books that include reference encyclopaedias, as well as books in Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. [4] The building is wheelchair accessible and has computers and internet access for users. [6]

The library also offers free digital skills training [7] and hosts live music performances [8] and other events. [9] In 2024 the library hosted an exhibition of Sir Frank Bowling's work. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brixton</span> District in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London

Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century as communications with central London improved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clapham</span> District of London

Clapham is a district in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streatham</span> District of south London, England

Streatham is a district in south London, England. Centred 5 miles (8 km) south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulse Hill</span> Human settlement in England

Tulse Hill is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in South London that sits on Brockwell Park. It is approximately five miles from Charing Cross and is bordered by Brixton, Dulwich, Herne Hill, Streatham and West Norwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Lambeth</span> London borough in the United Kingdom

Lambeth is a London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as Lambehitha and in 1255 as Lambeth. The geographical centre of London is at Frazier Street near Lambeth North tube station, though nearby Charing Cross on the other side of the Thames in the City of Westminster is traditionally considered the centre of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Norwood</span> Suburb of London

West Norwood is a largely residential area of south London within the London Borough of Lambeth, located 5.4 miles (8.7 km) south south-east of Charing Cross. The centre of West Norwood sits in a bowl surrounded by hillsides on its east, west and south sides. From many parts of the area, distant views can be seen, of places such as the City of London, Canary Wharf and Crystal Palace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herne Hill</span> Suburb of London

Herne Hill is a district in south London, approximately four miles from Charing Cross and bordered by Brixton, Camberwell, Dulwich, and Tulse Hill. It sits to the north and east of Brockwell Park and straddles the boundary between the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. There is a road of the same name in the area, as well as a railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockwell Park</span> Park in south London, England, UK

Brockwell Park is a 50.8 hectare park located south of Brixton, in Herne Hill and Tulse Hill in south London. It is bordered by the roads Brixton Water Lane, Norwood Road, Tulse Hill and Dulwich Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streatham (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1918-2024

Streatham was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brixton Road</span> Street in Lambeth, London

Brixton Road is a road in the London Borough of Lambeth, leading from the Oval at Kennington to Brixton, where it forms the high street and then forks into Effra Road and Brixton Hill at St Matthew's church at the junction with Acre Lane and Coldharbour Lane. Brixton Market is located in Electric Avenue near Brixton Underground station and in a network of covered arcades adjacent to the two railway viaducts. The market arcades were declared listed buildings in 2009 following controversial proposals by Lambeth Council to replace them with a large US-style mall. The former "Brixton Oval" is at the southern end with Lambeth Town Hall, the Ritzy Cinema, the Brixton Tate Library and St Matthew's church. The space was renamed Windrush Square in 2010, in honour of the area's early Caribbean migrants and the HMT Empire Windrush, which in 1948 brought 492 passengers from Jamaica to London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritzy Cinema</span> Cinema in Brixton, London, England

The Ritzy is a cinema in Brixton, London, England. It is a Grade II listed building. It is managed by Picturehouse Cinemas, who were bought by Cineworld in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambeth London Borough Council</span> Local authority in Greater London, England

Lambeth London Borough Council, which styles itself Lambeth Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Lambeth in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of the 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2006. The council meets at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton and has its main offices at the nearby Civic Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Matthew's Church, Brixton</span> Church

St Matthew's Church is a Church of England church in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade II* listed building which occupies a prominent position at the junction of Brixton Road, Brixton Hill and Effra Road. The church was constructed following the Church Building Act 1818 and was consecrated in 1824.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Septimus Warwick</span> British architect

Septimus Warwick (1881-1953) was a British architect who started his career as a designer of town halls in a partnership with H. Austen Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windrush Square</span> Public space in Brixton, South London, England

Windrush Square is an open public space in the centre of Brixton, South London, occupying an area in front of the Brixton Tate Library. After changing its name to Tate Gardens, it was again retitled and given its current moniker in 1998. The square was renamed to recognise the important contribution of the African Caribbean community to the area, marking the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush. It was the Windrush that in 1948 brought to the United Kingdom from Jamaica the largest group thus far of post-war West Indian migrants, 236 of whom had no abode on arrival and were temporarily housed in the deep-level air raid shelter in Clapham Common. Some 1.7 mile away, at the western end of Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, was the nearest employment exchange to the shelter. Many of these migrants eventually found accommodation in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myatt's Fields South Estate</span> Housing estate in south London

Myatt's Fields South is a social housing estate located between Brixton Road and Camberwell New Road in South London. It is on land that once formed part of the Lambeth Wick estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnegie Library, Herne Hill</span> Public library in South London, England

The Carnegie Library is a public library in the London Borough of Lambeth in Herne Hill, South London. The library opened in 1906. It closed as a public lending library in 2016 as a result of cuts to funding, reopening in 2018 with a reduced librarian service.

Rush Common is a linear protected open space and former common land in Brixton, London, England. It was enclosed in 1806 with the sections fronting public highways protected from development as proscribed land. Most of this land now forms private gardens, forecourts and portions of Brixton Hill are a public park managed by Lambeth Council. There have been several encroachments on the protected land, including small sections of St Matthew's Estate and part of St Matthew's Church. Lambeth Council holds enforcement powers to prevent the building of permanent structures on the proscribed land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleaver Square</span> Garden square in London

Cleaver Square is an 18th-century garden square in the London Borough of Lambeth, dating from 1789. It is notable for having been the first garden square in South London.

References

  1. 1 2 "Brixton: Rush Common | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  2. "History of Tate Library – The Brixton Society" . Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  3. England, Historic. "Bust of Sir Henry Tate, outside Tate Library, Brixton Oval, Non Civil Parish - 1434203 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 Urban, Mike (16 March 2015). "Brixton History: over 120 years of the Brixton Tate Library and Gardens in photos". Brixton Buzz news, features and listings for Brixton, London. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. England, Historic. "TATE LIBRARY, Lambeth - 1387287 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  6. Sixteenfeet_ (1 June 2015). "Brixton Library". Herne Hill. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  7. Urban, Mike (28 September 2017). "Learn internet and computer skills for free: Digital Champions at Brixton Library, Thursday, Fridays and Sundays". Brixton Buzz news, features and listings for Brixton, London. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  8. Urban, Mike (6 February 2018). "In photos: languid looms performs live at the Brixton Library, Sat 3rd Feb 2018". Brixton Buzz news, features and listings for Brixton, London. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  9. "Black History Month at Brixton Library". Brixton Blog. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  10. "Sir Frank Bowling, OBE RA: Selected Prints | Lambeth Council". www.lambeth.gov.uk. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.

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