The first home of the Library, as stated on page 4, was parcel of the
dwelling house of Jerrom Goodwyne, the sword-bearer of the City. This
house was built over the south porch of the Church of the Black Friars,
now known as St. Andrew's Hall, which had been acquired by the City at
the Dissolution. It is clearly shewn in the frontispiece, which is a
reproduction of Daniel King's engraving of Black Friars' Hall, probably
executed about 1650. The Local Collection contains two copies of the
engraving which have different plate numbers: one, numbered 78, is from
the edition of Dugdale's "Monasticon" published in 1718, but the book
from which the other one, numbered 50, was taken, has not been traced.
Writing in 1857 Henry Harrod remarked that "If the view engraved by King
correctly represents this house, it was by no means an ornamental
feature; still it was as good as the far more pretentious structure which
has replaced it." {50b}
In regard to the building of this house Kirkpatrick gives an extract from
a record of 34th Henry VIII, showing that the city granted to John Kempe,
the chaplain, "in consideration that he, of his benevolence hath bestowed
about the buylding of a lodgyng with three chambers, over the porch of
the house, late the black friars, now the common hall of the city, and on
either side of the same porch, above sixty pounds;--that, therefore, the
said J. Kempe shall have the same lodgyng, with the office called the
_Chapleyn of the Chappell_, belonging to the said hall called, _St.
John's Chapel_, with all the oblacions; also, liberty of the garden and
yard called the prechyng-yard." {51}
The first of the few entries in the Minute Book regarding the library
rooms shows that the books were not too well protected from the elements,
for on 10th August, 1657, "Mr. Collinges gaue an acct of 1s. laid out for
coale and wood for the drying of ye bookes harmed by ye raine."
From the instructions, in Latin, to the Librarian which are set out in
the classified and alphabetical catalogue of 1658 we learn that the
library was arranged in two parts, East and West, and that the books were
classified. "On the East part the treasury of the books is double, major
and minor. The larger part is divided into ten classes folio. The
smaller has only four classes of books in 4to and 8vo. The numbering of
all classes must always be begun from the bottom. On the West part the
treasury of books is single, arranged in five larger classes. Here the
number must always be reckoned from the top."
In 1664 the development of the Library necessitated the enlargement of
the accommodation, and on 11th July "All the minrs. present agreed in a
petition to ye Mayr Sherriffs Aldn. &c in Court of Comon Councell for ye
addition of a roome to ye library, and ye better shelving of it. They
further desired Mr. George Cock and Mr. Beresford to present ye petition
to ye Comon Councell at their next assembly. Mr. Chamberlain hauing
first viewed ye roome & computed ye charge." On the 12th January 1673
the members decided to petition the Court for removing some wainscot
doors, and on March 9th it was recorded that by order of the Court of
Assembly "we haue also leaue to take downe ye waynscott Doores wch now
conceale the Bookes."
The Library was removed about 1801, when it was lent to the "Public
Library" (see p. 13), to a building formerly a Roman Catholic Chapel, in
what is now St. Andrew's Street, which afterwards became a portion of the
old Museum Building, now the offices of the Norwich Guardians. In 1835
the City Library, still on loan to the "Public Library," went with it to
its new building in the Market Place opposite the north door of the
Guildhall, on the site of its successor, the present Norfolk and Norwich
Subscription Library. The City Library returned to the direct control of
the Corporation in 1862, and was housed in the present Public Library
building then recently erected.
DONATIONS TO THE CITY LIBRARY, 1608-1737.
(_Extracted from the Vellum Book_.)
DATE. DONOR. VOLS.
1608 Pettus, Sir John, 15
Knt., Alderman of
Norwich
1608 Downing, Mrs. 3
Susannah, wife of
Alderman George
Downing
1609 Corye, Mr. Thomas, 10
Merchant
1609 Hirne, Sir Thomas, 12
Knt.
1609/10 Corbett, Thomas, Esq. 6
1609/10 Doyly, Henry, Esq. 2
1610 Doyly, Charles, Gent. 11
1610 Sedgwick, Robert, 12
Merchant
1610 Peade, Michael, 2
Notary Public and
Registrar to the
Archdeacon of Norwich
1610 Mingay, John, Gent. 2
1610 Pettus, Augustine, 4
Son and heir of the
said [Sir] John
[Pettus]
Howlett, Laurence, 1
S.T.B., Minister of
St. Andrew's
1611 Newhowse, Thomas, 4
A.M., & Minister of
God's Word
1611 Hannam, William, 3
Gent., A.M.
1612/3 Garsett, Robert, Esq. 7
1613 Blowe, Joanna, widow 4
1613 Thurston, Hamond, 3
Merchant
1613 Peckover, Mathew, 3
late Sheriff of
Norwich
1614 Launey, Peter, 2
Minister of the
Walloon Church [in
Norwich]
Wells, William, 5
Theologiae
Baccalaureus
Throkmorton, 2
Bassingbourne
1614 Cropp, John, 4
Physician and Surgeon
Bird, Henry 1
1615 Ross, Richard, Gent., 1
late Sheriff of
Norwich
1614 Barbar, Gabriel, 11
Gent., in the name of
the Society of
Virginia
1616/7 Nutting, Edward, late 5
Sheriff of Norwich
1616/7 Batho, William, B.T. 1
1617 Anguish, John, Gent., 7
and Citizen
1617 Anguish, Edmund, 9
Gent.
1617 Catelyn, Thomas, Esq. 7
Corbett, Anne, widow 1
of Thomas Corbett,
Esq.
1618 Atkins, Thomas, 5 pounds and 7
Merchant, Norwich
1621 Scottowe, Augustine 17
Gallard, Robert, 1
formerly minister of
St. Andrew's
1625/6 Page, Francis 1
1628 City of Norwich 1
Remington, Nathaniel, 4
Alderman [of Norwich]
1631 Borage, John 7
1633 Chapman, Samuel, 2
Merchant
1633 Barret, Thomas, 2
Merchant
1634 Mingay, Antony, Gent. 11
Mingay, Mrs., Widow 7
1634 Freeman, John Map of Canaan
1634 Blosse, Prudence, 8
Widow, Relict of
Alderman T. Blosse
Chappell, John, 4
S.T.B., Minister of
St. Andrew's
1658 Payne, Joseph, 20 pounds and 1
Alderman [afterwards
Sir]
Thornback, John, 1
Minister of St.
Andrew's
Stinett, William, 7
S.T.B., Rector of St.
John Maddermarket
1658/9 Collinges, John, 1 pounds and 6
S.T.: Dr.
[1657] Whitefoote, John, 4
Rector of Heigham,
next Norwich
1659 Brooke, Thomasine, 29 {53a}
Widow & Relict of Wm.
Brooke, Gent.
[1659] Allen, Thomas 1
[1659/60] City of Norwich 6
1661 Payne, Sir Joseph, 16
Knt., late Mayor of
this City
Scottowe, Augustine, 7 {53b}
Merchant.
[1661] Smyth, John, Rector 1
of St. Michael
Coslany
[1661] Barret, Thomas 5 {53c}
1662 Norris, Francis, 14
Citizen and Alderman
[of Norwich]
[1664] Morley, Thomas, 2
Curate of St. Peter
Hungate
1664 Mann, John, Citizen 38
and Alderman [of
Norwich]
1665 Fromentell, Samuel, 1
Citizen
1666 Meene, Joshua, 3
formerly Curate of
St. Peter Per
Moutergate
1666 Browne, [Sir] Thomas, 9
Professor of Medicine
1668 and 1673 Oliver, William, 2
Bookseller
1673 Cock, George, Curate 18
of St. Peter of
Mancroft
1671-1676 Barnham, John, 5
Citizen
1673 Norris, Anthony, 3
Merchant of Norwich
[1674] Ellsworth, John, 2
Physician
[1674/5] Tenison, Thomas, 5
S.S.T.B. [afterwards
Archbishop of
Canterbury]
1674 Cock, Nathaniel, 33 {53d}
Merchant of London
1676 [Reynolds,] Edward, 24
[D.D.] Bishop of
Norwich
1678 Watson, John, Vicar 2
of Wroxham
1678 Clarke, Samuel, 1
Rector of Rainham
1681 Gardiner, Francis, 2
Citizen and Alderman
[of Norwich]
[1681] Nurce, William, Clerk 2
[1681/2] Prideaux, Humphrey, 1 pounds {54a} and 1
S.T.P., and
Prebendary
[afterwards Dean of
Norwich]
1691 Adamson, William, 2
Rector of St. John in
Maddermarket
1678 Brigges, Augustine, [10] {54b}
Citizen and Alderman
[of Norwich]
Wisse, Thomas,
Citizen and Alderman
[of Norwich] Church,
Bernard, Citizen and
Alderman [of Norwich]
1696 Penning, Benjamin, 1
A.M., and Rector of
St. Clement's,
Norwich
1692 Ireland, Richard, His Library
formerly Rector of
Beeston and sometime
also of St. Edmond's,
Norwich, where he was
born
1700 Adamson, William, 3 shelves of books
Rector of St. John's
Maddermarket
1704 Trimnell, Dr., 3
Archdeacon of
Norfolk, and
Prebendary of Norwich
[afterwards Bishop of
Norwich]
1704 Gardiner, Stephen, 1
Esq., Recorder of
this City
1706 Gurdon, Thornaugh, 2
Esq., [Letton]
1706 Resbury, Benjamin, 1
Rector of Cranworth
cum Letton
1706 Adams, Archibald 1
1706 Moore, John, [D.D.], 3
Lord Bishop of
Norwich
1706/7 Tanner, Thomas, D.D., 5
Chancellor of Norwich
[afterwards Bishop of
St. Asaph]
1706/7 Bacon, Waller, Esq. 1
1706/7 Beverley, Michael, 8
Esq., Citizen and
Alderman of Norwich
1707 Potts, Algernon, Esq. 1
[of Norwich]
1707 Nelson, Thomas, 3
Rector of Morston, in
Norfolk
1707 Cook, Sir William, 9
Bart.
1707 Eden, Henry, Fellow 4
of Trinity College,
Cambridge
1707 Laughton, John, 4
Trinity College,
Cambridge, and
Library Keeper to the
University
1707 Rudd, Edward, Fellow 3
of Trinity College,
Cambridge
Bradshaw, Samuel, 1
A.B., Trinity
College, Cambridge
Granger, Gilbert, 1
A.B., Trinity
College, Cambridge
Snow, Matthew, 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge
Chamberlain, William, 1
Fellow of Trinity
College, Cambridge
Bourchier, Ralph, 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge
Cotes, Roger, Fellow 3
of Trinity College,
Cambridge
Eusden, Lawrence, of 5
Trinity College,
Cambridge
Smith, Edward, of 3
Trinity College,
Cambridge
Fleming, David, A.B., 1
of Trinity College,
Cambridge
[1707/8] Ganning, Nathaniel, 1
Rector of
Reyme[r]ston, in
Norf.
1708 Doyly, Samuel, Fellow 1
of Trinity College,
Cambridge
Farewell, Mr. [of 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge]
Andrews, Mr., [of 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge]
Foulis, [J.] Mr. [of 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge]
Hill, Mr., Fellow of 1
Trinity College,
Cambridge
[1708] Lightwin, John, 2
President of Caius
College, Cambridge
1708 Gurdon, Brampton, 2
Fellow of Caius
College, Cambridge
Hawys, Roger, Fellow 1
of Caius College,
Cambridge
Crask, Dr., of 1
Cambridge
Dodd, Mr., Fellow of 1
Clare Hall
Worts, William, A.M., 1
of Cambridge
1709/10 Bedingfield, James, 1
als De Grey, Fellow
of Gonvil and Caius
College, Cambridge
1709/10 Prideaux, Humphrey, 1
D.D., and Dean of
Norwich
1712 [Trimnell], Charles, 3
Lord Bishop of
Norwich
1713/4 Peck, John, Esq., of 2
Bracondale
1714 Nelson, Thomas, Late His Library
Rector of Morston, in
Norfolk
1715 Herne, Clement, Esq., 2
of Heverland
[1715/6] Seaman, Thomas, Esq., 2
of Heigham
1716 Mackerell, Benjamin, 2
of the City of
Norwich, Gent.
[1716] Helwys, Nicholas, 1
Esq., Citizen and
Alderman of Norwich
1717 and 1718 Prideaux, Humphrey, 2
D.D., and Dean of
Norwich
1718 Clark, Thomas, Esq. 3
1719 Houghton, William 1
1721 Grayle, John, Rector 9
of Blickling
1725 Knyvett, John, of 1
this City, Esq.
1726 Tanner, Thomas, 100 {55a}
S.T.P., and
Chancellor of the
Diocese of Norwich
[afterwards Bishop of
St. Asaph]
1727 Reveley, Edward 4
1728 Kirkpatrick, John, His Library
Merchant and
Treasurer to the
Great Hospital in
this City
1729 Jermy, John, Esq. [?] {55b}
1730 Prideaux, Edmund, 60 {55c}
Esq.
1730 Wingfield, Robert, 13
Writing master
1731 Pagan, William 7
1731 Gurdon, Thornaugh, [2?] {55d}
[Letton]
King, Reuben, Primier 1
[_sic_] English
Schoolmaster in this
City
1731 Mackerell, Benjamin, 13
the present Library
Keeper
1733 Whaley, John 1
Bennet, Gilbert 2
1733 Jermy, John 40
1732 Ellis, Ben-Jos[eph], 2
Minister of St.
Andrew's in Norwich
1737 Jermy, John, Esq. 14
1737 Nash, Robert, Esq., 4
Chancellor of this
Diocese