24 



OUR COLUMNS. 



June 20, 1891. 



declared as formally established from July 1, 1830, and its objects were stated to be 

 " the formation of a librar}^ of the best books in every department of literature." It was 

 decided to admit four classes of members, viz., compounders for fifteen, seven, and four 

 years, who were resjDCctively to pay ten, five, and three guineas, and annual subscribers 

 of one guinea. A Committee of 13 members and a secretary and treasurer were appointed. 



But as yet the Society had a name but no local habitation. At the first Committee 

 meeting, held on July 20 at Mr. I. Elger's house, a proposal was made and idtiraately 

 carried to engage two rooms over a butcher's shop (Mr. Thos. Kingston's) in St. Mary's-street 

 for six months at the rate of £25 per annum, and that a Library table, a dozen Windsor 

 chairs, and some shelves be provided. It may be worth while to place on record here the 

 names of the members of the first Committee and the officers of the Institution. Cojn- 

 mittee : Capt. Trollope, R.N., Capt. Home, Rev. T. S. Grimshawe, Rev. S.. Hillyard, Rev. 

 C. R. Muston, Rev. H. Tattam, Rev. J. Donne, Rev. E. J. Lockwood, Mr. J. f . Dawson, 

 Mr. I. Elger, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Blower, and 'Mv. Walker ; Hon. Secretary, Rev. Edniond 

 Riland Williamson ; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. J ohn Green ; Librarian, with a salary of six 

 guineas per annum, Mr. John Mayle. 



THE FIRST YEAH. 



The minute book aiffords an interesting and vivid picture of the rapid growth of the 

 infant Society even during the first year of its existence, and an admirable example of 

 what may be accomplished in a short time by the energy and public spirit of a few 

 individuals intent on forming a good Library. Provided at the outset with a considerable 

 sum, resulting from the compoimders' contributions, the Committee expended nearly £200 

 in books alone during the first twelve months. These books were selected with great 

 care and judgment, and though many of them have since been either lost or alienated, no 

 small portion of them are still numbered among our literary treasures. Gifts, too, poured 

 in from many quarters, not consisting, as is often the case, of the refuse of private libraries, 

 but of valuable works ; so that at the end of the first year the Society possessed nearly a 

 thousand volumes of standard literature, some of the books being of great rarity and value. 

 Another noteworthy and pleasing feature in connection with the early history of the 

 Institution was the establishment, by the voluntary presentation of specimens, of the 

 nucleus of a museum, which (notwithstanding the admixture of some rubbish) ultimately 

 grew into a collection which only needed systematic and classified arrangement to have 

 been of great educational value. The specimens given, geological, mineralogical, concho- 

 logical, ornithological, and entomological, came from all parts of the world, and were to 

 only a very limited extent of local interest. As they w^ere, in many instances, either 

 unnamed or named unscientifically, the result was very confusing and disappointing. 



Early in the year 1831, the Committee, thinking that the Old Bedford Library would be 

 more useful if it were transferred from St. Paul's Church to their rooms, requested the Vicar 

 to oj^en a communication wuth the Bishop of Lincoln and the Archdeacon of Bedford with 

 a view to its removal thither, the upshot of Avhich was that both these functionaries and 

 the Mayor of Bedford (all the Trustees being long since dead) took upon themselves the 

 responsibility of sanctioning this course; consequently, on March 1, 1831, the Committee 

 reported that "this vast accession of valuable works" had been made to the Library. 



The new Institution at the close of the first year of its existence, having struggled 

 successfully with the difficulties incidental to its inauguration, might be regarded as firmly 

 established. It included 117 annual subscribers and about 28 compounders, many of whom 

 were active in presenting books and specimens, and in inducing their friends far and wide 



