PUBLIC BUILDINGS. MECHANICS' INSTITUTR The first meeting for the establishment of the present Mechanics' Institute (a previous one having had a brief existence) was held in the year 1847, in the Friends' School-room, at that time situated in the Back-way, at the upper end of Great Gates. A few friends of progress wishing to improve the intellectual condition of the town, met together in that place, and drew up a code of rules, and each lent a few volumes of books until the requisite funds were subscribed for the purchase of a few cheap and popular works as a nucleus for a permanent library. Shortly after that time a room was taken in the Market Place, which waa used for about seven years aa a reading room and library, and in which lectures were given by several members of the com- • ^ ^ mittee and other Mends. In the year 1855 the present site — on which previously stood the School of Industry — ^was purchased from the Governors of Bishop Barrington's Charity, principally through the instrumentality of the late William Hepple, Esq., who was for many years President of the Institute, and who took a great interest in its welfare. The building, including fittings for the reading room and library, cost about £500. The late Joseph Pease, Esq., subscribed £100 towards the purchasa This building being thought inconvenient, and unequal to the increasing requirements of the Institute, the committee determined upon rebuilding it, and accordingly, in 1865, plans for the present structure were prepared, and in the month of June of the following year it was completed and opened for the use of the members. The Institute during its existence has held two Polytechnic Exhibitions — ^the first in the large room connected with the building, in the year 1860 ; the last in the Town Hall, in the year 1864, both of which were highly successful in a pecuniary point of view, as well as a great treat to the general public. It has also done much for the encouragement of Penny Eeadings, and has fre- quently had classes in the winter season for the study of the various elementary branches of science, &c. It numbers at the present time about 200 members, and has a library of 12,000* volumes in every department of history, science, and literature. The reading room is supplied with the principal periodicals of the day, and a number of daily and weekly newspapers. The following is a Ust of officers for the present year : — President : John Proud, Esq. Vice-Presi- dents : Matthew Bichley and James Eeid. Treasurer : William Armstrong. Secretary : John Adams. Librarian : John Edmondson. Committee : John DowHng, John Murrey, G. K Briggs, George Taylor, William Jackson, Joseph Joplin, Christopher Preshous, R D. Middleton, and Matthias Hammond. TOWN HALL. V The Town Hall was built in the year 1861, by a Joint Stock Company, caUed " The Bishop Auckland Town Hall and Market Company, Limited." In the memorandum of association the object for which the company was established is set forth as follows : — Firsdy. The purchaamg, rentmg, and holding of lands of any tenure in the parish of St. Andrew's Auckland, in the county of Durhson. — Secondly. The purchasing, renting, or otherwise acquiring the estate, right, and interest, or any part tiiereof respectiyely, of any person or persons, or body or bodies corporate, in or to the rents, tolls, and dues, or
- The facilities for obtaininff the loan of flood books in Bishop Auckland at the present day forms a striking contrast with those
offered when the anthor was a boy. The omy public libraries in the town at that time belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Society and Mr. P. Fair. The former consisted principally of Methodist Magazines and a few volumes of travel and missionazy enterprise^ and the latter works of fiction. These were lent oat to read at a charge of one penny per volume, on condition that they were returned at the expiration of a certain number of days. A book club was also established by a few of the gentry, who held their meetings in Mr. Fair'ji ahop^ and who sold their stock at the end of each year. Digitized by Google
