THE MANCHESTER FREE LIBRARY AND ITS FOUNDER

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD.

The first ‘Free Library’ established under the Act of 1850 was that of the then Borough, now the City, of Manchester. Had there been no Libraries Act there would have been, even for wealthy Manchester, no Free Library really worthy of the name or of the town. None the less, however, is the merit, both of plan and of actual formation, due to an individual townsman.

In the new and splendid building, the sight of which will by-and-bye almost repay, to a lover of architecture, the trouble of a journey into Lancashire, by presenting to his view the best model of a Town Hall to be found throughout the empire, the visitor will see a series of portraits which figure, in epitome, the municipal history of Manchester. That history is brief, but notable.

Manchester was in name a village, until the present century was considerably advanced. It had no municipal corporation for many years after the official recognition that it had really become a town. Until the end of 1838 it was still under the government of police commissioners.

In each of the first half-dozen of those full-length portraits of Mayors which decorate the Council Chamber, it will be noticed that the artist has introduced into his picture–in one fashion or other–an inscription, recording some public deed or public benefaction of the person who is represented.