Free Library Didsbury Manchester

THE DIDSBURY LIBRARY – A new branch library, the twenty-fourth established in the city, was opened on Saturday on an excellent central site in Didsbury. The ceremony was performed by Alderman Fletcher Moss. The building, which has been designed by the City Architect (Mr H Price) is in fifteenth century Gothic style, with tracery windows, and there are distributed over the building emblems of science, knowledge, literature, music and arts and crafts in stone. The cost, £5,000, has been borne by Mr Andrew Carnegie. The library opens with about 8,000 books, a large proportion of which have not been hitherto in circulation. [Manchester Guardian 17 May 1915 page 10]

Internally, electric lighting was provided to allow the readers free access to the shelves, browsing and reading areas. The walls were tiled to dado height, the floor cork carpeted and the oak furniture, fittings and partitions were provided by Armitage and Wolfe of John Dalton Street for £600.

Reference    Manchester City News 15 May 1915 (Official opening)
Reference    Manchester Guardian 17 May 1915 page 10