Tuesday 26 January 2016

Our World Tuesday: Central Library, now and then #CityDailyPhoto



The wonderful Central Library in deep winter sun below as it is now. As it was then, above, on a vintage postcard. For culture lovers everywhere. Designed by E. Vincent Harris and constructed between 1930 and 1934. Our World Tuesday.

8 comments:

  1. It looks like the old library of Dublin. Must be a common form for libraries then in those times.

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  2. Outside the building looks little changed though I doubt the inside is like that

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  3. I spent many a happy hour supposedly studying here after school in the 60s.

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  4. Hi Chrissy,

    What a great old photo of the library.

    :o)

    Cheers

    PM

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  5. Look at the Town Hall - soot black.

    So was the Central Library when I first knew it in the mid 60s.

    Nearly all central Manchester's buildings were totally black.

    In the mid to late 60s smokeless zones came in and coal fires were banned. We got a gas fire instead.

    The effect on central Manchester, and other UK industrial cities, was amazing.

    All the buildings were sandblasted and they were revealed in all their original glory.


    Your postcard photo shows the library before it had a chance to get soot black, so it was probably taken in the 30s or 40s soon after it was built.

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  6. Goodness that was an interesting comment above, I hadn't for a moment thought the Town Hall was black from soot! The library does look so much cleaner these days, it's a wonderful piece of architecture, better without all the tram wires also, although the trams did have a certain charm. Beautiful old b&w Chrissy, but the clean white against the blue sky is pretty fab!

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