Hastings Library Reopened This Morning.

The refurbished and 'revamped' Hastings Library in the Grade II listed, 140 year old, Brassey Institute, (see 1066 Online website) 13 Claremont TN34 1HE, reopened this morning. Consequently, I carried out a visit, seeing a few familiar faces in person, and many familiar faces on an interesting photographic multi-portrayal up on the wall to the right immediately on entering the building. See the East Sussex CC website.

There have been major repairs carried out on significant parts of the library, notably to the exterior, which had been neglected sadly over the years. The Children’s Library, which was based in Robertson Passage until recently, has now been integrated into the Brassey Institute, up on the First Floor, and a range of children’s activities including Code Clubs, Rhyme Time and Story Time are being organised.

Second Floor and PCs ++

As you can seed, the interior of the library has been completely refurbished with new furniture, many more computers, particularly up in the Learning Centre on the Second Floor, but also scattered around the building in wonderful wee booths, apparently many more books, and much improved toilet facilities. The public computers provide free access to the internet, training courses, online reference materials, and research programs for family history, and the Learning Services on the Second Floor will provide opportunities for people to improve literacy, numeracy and computer skills.

PC 'Booth'

There is a wide range of books to borrow on the Ground Floor, plus DVDs, newspapers and magazines to read, and more books can be found around the building, and reference books and other material is found on the Third Floor. Enquiry Points are on every floor. There is a small leaflet available Your new Hastings Library, which tells you where everything is situated, and which I recommend you pick up to help for your first visit, though on the stairs at each floor there are full lists of what you will find there.

Your new Hastings Library also tells us that on "every floor you will find: Wi-Fi, public computers, seating, study places, USB charging stations, and toilets."

The library continues to house A Dream of Fair Women artwork by Edward Armitage, and the Tressell Panel by Hazel Brook (above) is now up on the Second Floor, immediately on your left as you go through the glass doors; regarding Tressell see my earlier blog and the Hastings Museum & Art Gallery website.

As A Design For Life by the Manic Street Preachers tells us "Libraries gave us power" (video) through the provision of information, I cannot wait for my next visit as there is still so much for me to explore and plenty of books for me to borrow to read... 

Please feel free to visit the library very soon and join the library if not already a member, remember it is free and such an excellent resource should not be neglected!

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, made in Hastings!

Here's an atmospheric styled photograph of the cover of my copy of the Hastings edition of Robert Tressell's (used name Robert Noonan, born Croker) The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Tressell lived and worked in Hastings for nearly 10 years at the beginning of the 20th century, indeed, he wrote this book whilst living here, it was based on his work as a painter and decorator in Hastings and contemporary social conditions, and the town was renamed Mugsborough in the book, though, essentially this was Hastings.

Similar view taken yesterday

The Hastings edition is a complete unabridged version, and contains excellent photographs of both Noonan and his daughter Kathleen, and many intriguing images of contemporary Hastings from just over 100 years ago. It is still available from the Visitors Centre at Muriel Matters House, though numbers appear to be receding fast, and apparently can also be bought online for £2.99 + £2.25 p&p; go to the Famously Hastings website.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

OK, like most of us, I already had a copy in my possession of this excellent novel, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, written by Robert Noonan under the pseudonym Robert Tressell. Written over 100 years ago, whilst Noonan was working and living in Hastings and St Leonards, and first published after his death as his daughter, Kathleen, continued with the cause. My older copy is a reprint of the hardback that came out in 1955 containing his full manuscript, and was given to me by my mother over 30 years ago.

But, yesterday, as I was walking past Aquila House, Breeds Place, I noticed they were selling paperback copies of this "Hastings Edition" which was originally published in its centenary year, 2014. This is excellent value, just £2.99 for the full text, information about the author and his family, and relevant photographs of Hastings and St Leonards from over 100 years ago, a pleasure to peruse these old images of Noonan, his daughter, and local buildings, many of which you will recognise still. 

Have a guess which book I bought and have just started re-reading!