Library and Public Hall King Street Irlams o-th- Height

A public library and reading room has been provided by the Salford Corporation for Irlam’s o’ th’ Height at a cost of £6,000. The building stands on what is known as the Heywood estate in the midst of new cottage property, and in other portions of this old residential village beyond Pendleton there is similar evidence of growth and extension of the population. [Manchester City News 6 April 1901 Page 5 Col 3]

The new building is on the Heywood estate and has a frontage to King Street. The site was given by the late Sir Percival Heywood together with a contribution of £2,000 and in fulfilment of a condition under which the gift was made, a fine assembly room has been added to the building. The library contains a general reading room for men, a small room for ladies, lavatories, the lending department which starts with a collection of 3,000 books and the meeting hall which will seat an audience of 340 persons. The building is of brick with stone dressings and the light paint, glazed brick dados and dark polished woodwork give it a bright cheerful appearance. The library is, in fact, for its size a model of its kind and it has been provided for a total cost of £6,000 exclusive, of course, of the value of the land. At the back a bowling green is to be formed and shrubs and flowers are to be planted along the other three sides of the building. [Manchester City News 6 April 1901 Page 2 Column 6 -]

The Library was opened by the Mayor of Salford on Saturday 29 March 1901. Captain Heywood was on active service in South Africa and did not attend the ceremony.

Reference    Manchester City News 6 April 1901 Page 2 Column 6 - official opening
Reference    Manchester City News 6 April 1901 Page 5 Column 3