The Manchester Free Library opened on 5 September 1852 in Manchester , England. It was the first public library in England to be set up under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act 1850 , which allowed local authorities to impose a local tax of one penny to pay for the service. The terms of the act required that a poll of ratepayers had to be held before the local authority was allowed to spend money on public libraries, and at least two-thirds had to vote in favour. In Manchester's case only 40 of the more than 4000 eligible voters opposed.
7-705: The project was the initiative of John Potter , first Mayor of Manchester, and fellow members of the Portico Library , who started a fund to raise money for the purchase of books and a suitable building to house them. The founding committee included the Bishop of Manchester and the Rev. Thomas Rothwell Bently, the rector of St. Matthew's Church, Campfield. The library was housed in the House of Science in Campfield, close to
14-640: A new building at the corner of Deansgate and Liverpool Road, which is now home to the Spanish Instituto Cervantes . John Potter (Liberal politician) Sir John Potter (10 April 1815 – 25 October 1858) was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom. John was born in April 1815 at Polefield near Prestwich , Lancashire. He was the elder son of Sir Thomas Potter and his second wife, Esther née Bayley. His father
21-510: The Free Library was founded—an institution to which he made several donations. In politics he was stated to be an "Advanced Liberal" in favour of the widening of the electoral franchise. He was a member of the Portico Library and continued to be a member of Manchester Town Council until his death. He was the head of Potter, Morris & Company, a large firm of Manchester merchants. The greatest of his many contributions to Manchester
28-460: The present-day site of the Museum of Science and Industry 's Air and Space Hall. On its opening it had a stock of 18,028 books, purchased at a cost of £4156 (equivalent to £570,000 in 2023). So busy was it during its first week that a police officer was assigned to control the crowd around the borrowing desk. Edward Edwards was the first librarian. The Campfield library was replaced in 1882 by
35-497: Was given his father's aldermanic seat on Manchester Town Council and made a justice of the peace for the borough. He elected to serve as Mayor of Manchester in 1848, serving three terms until 1851. During the visit of Queen Victoria to Manchester he was invested as a knight bachelor on 10 October 1851. In the same year he was made deputy lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster . During his term of office,
42-519: Was involved in business and politics in the rapidly developing town of Manchester , and was named as the borough 's first mayor when it was granted a charter of incorporation . John grew up on the family estate at Buile Hill, Pendleton after its completion in 1827. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh . Potter took no part in public life until the death of his father in March 1845. He
49-465: Was the founding of its Free Library. Queen Victoria visited Manchester in 1851 and during the course of that visit she conferred on him the honour of a knighthood on 10 October 1851. At the 1857 general election , he was elected as one two members of parliament (MPs) for Manchester . However, he suffered from ill health from the time he entered parliament, and declared his intention to resign his seat. Sir John died in office on 25 October 1858 at
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