Everyone loves an old library and tucked away modestly in the corner of St James’s Square is a building that must surely qualify as a hidden gem.
It’s the London Library and was founded on the initiative of Thomas Carlyle in 1841, who was dissatisfied with some of the policies at the British Museum Library.
Carlyle was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher and sometimes known as the “sage of Chelsea” His writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the Victorian era so was a powerful voice of the period.
He had become frustrated by the facilities available at the British Museum Library, where amongst other things, he was often unable to find a seat, obliging him to perch on ladders, leading him to complain that the enforced close confinement with his fellow readers gave him a “museum headache”!
The Library has had to overcome a few obstacles along the way, the worst being in 1957 when the Library was threatened with closure when it received an unanticipated demand from Westminster City Council for business rates despite being registered as a tax-free charity.
Some notable big hitters mobilised to help, with the author TS Eliot in an address to members proclaimed “whatever social changes come about, the disappearance of the London Library would be a disaster to civilisation’
Even Winston Churchill got involved by writing a letter commenting that “The closing of this most worthy institution would be a tragedy”.
Eventually a combination of financial donations and an auction of books and manuscripts saved the day and today membership is open to all, on payment of an annual subscription, with life and corporate memberships also available. As of December 2023, the Library had around 7,500 members.