The Brixton Library (also known as the Brixton Tate Library) is a public library in the

London Borough of Lambeth Lambeth () is a London boroughs, London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as ''Lambehitha'' ("landing place for lambs") and in 1255 as ''Lambeth''. The geographical centre of London ...

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

South West London South West London may refer to several things related to London, England: *SW postcode area *South West (London sub region) (2008–2011), a regional planning designation *Western part of South London *South West (London Assembly constituency) (fro ...

. It was built in the 1890s by the sugar magnate

Sir Henry Tate Sir Henry Tate, 1st Baronet (11 March 18195 December 1899) was an English sugar merchant and philanthropist, noted for establishing the Tate Gallery in London. Life and career Born in White Coppice, a hamlet near Chorley, Lancashire, Tate was ...

and is a

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

building.

History

Brixton library was once part of common land called

Rush Common Rush Common is a linear protected open space and former common land in Brixton, London, England. It was enclosed in 1806 with the sections fronting public highways protected from development as proscribed land. Most of this land now forms private ...

. An Act of Parliament in 1806 "stipulated that 'no Buildings or Erections above the Surface of the Earth' should be erected upon Rush Common within 150 feet of the London to Croydon Turnpike Road (now Brixton Road and Hill)". In 1891–3, Sir Henry Tate built the library at a cost of £15,000, and it was opened by the Prince of Wales on 4 March 1893. Brixton library in 1905

According to the Survey of London (1956), "the architect was Sidney R.J. Smith, and the builders were F. and H.F. Higgs. A brass tablet in the entrance hall records that the garden in front of the library was given in 1905 by Amy, Lady Tate in fulfilment of a wish of her husband Sir Henry Tate". Dame Amy Tate had bought the land in front of the library in 1904 and created a public garden, with a bust of Tate at its centre which now stands in front of the library. The bust of Tate is a Grade II listed structure. The theatre next to the library was destroyed by bombing in 1940, allowing the nearby cinema to expand into its place. This cinema is now known as the

Ritzy cinema The Ritzy is a cinema in Brixton, London, England. It is a Grade II listed building. It is managed by Picturehouse Cinemas, who were bought by Cineworld in 2012. The cinema opened on 11 March 1911 as "the Electric Pavilion". It was built by E ...

, of which the bar and cafe now stand on the theatre's former site. The library has been Grade II listed since 1999.

Present day

Today the library houses a collection of books that include a reference encyclopaedias, as well as books in Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The building is wheelchair accessible and has computers and internet access for users. The library also offers free digital skills training and hosts live music performances and other events.

References

{{Coord, 51.46101, -0.11486, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title History of the London Borough of Lambeth Libraries in the London Borough of Lambeth