This year the Devon County Library Service is celebrating it’s centenary. In October 1924, the Tiverton Gazette had a small piece on the Rural Library centres which were to be established. Services were to be offered, amongst others, in Lapford, Morchard Bishop, Bow, Whimple, Witheridge, Chittlehampton, Washfield, Sampford Peverell, Kentisbeare, Hemyock, Sandford and Newton St Cyres.

Between 1870 and 1924 there had been 7 publicly funded libraries in Devon towns but they served less than 50% of the population and only 2% of the surface area of the county. The development of these rural services must have been very welcome. The village centres were often staffed by volunteers. The number of centres grew enormously until just before the Second World War when there were 472 across the county.

Tiverton was one of the towns which opened a Library to commemorate the lives of those who died in the First World War. The town’s War Memorial Library was opened in 1929.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This bibliography was published to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. At that time, all the books listed could be borrowed from the county library collection. It was a very comprehensive listing, the section headings included individual lines and branches, pictorial albums, engine sheds, rolling stock as well timetables and rule books.

 

 

Circulating Libraries started in the 1740s. By the mid to late 19th century W H Smith and Mudies were the largest commercial libraries and were rivals in the business. The advert for Maslands from the Tiverton Directory of 1900 shows that their library was linked to Mudies. It’s interesting that in this photo, shared before on our website, shows that, in Tiverton, Smiths and Maslands had a very close physical presence!

Written by Museum volunteer Sue B