Glen TK2
Pendleton Library origins
Benjamin Goulson was born in Lincolnshire in the 1790's. He moved to Manchester and married in the early 1800's. Following a family tradition he became a surgeon and along with numerous news articles he frequently made lively contributions to debates published in The Lancet. Benjamin also became involved with chemistry research for medicinal & industrial applications. He was awarded at least one Patent for "" certain improvements in the manufacture of farina and sugar from vegetable productions.", in 1829.
He was also instrumental in the formation of Pendleton Free Library and Society For The Cultivation Of Useful Knowledge. Having first raised the idea in 1828 the Society was formed in 1829, Benjamin being one of the committee members.
The new library building was erected in a street adjacent to where Benjamin lived on Broad Street. The library building is now long gone as are all the residential buildings and most of Broad Street itself, the main A6 now occupies the railway lines and street together with a roundabout forming a major junction. Most of the streets have vanished though the church still remains.
A recent BBC tv programme covered the subject of mill owners and the working class population in nearby Salford during the 1840's. Some mill owners recognised the value in giving their workers access to open spaces and parkland along with education and access to books. The Public Libraries Act was brought about in part as a result. Note, that in respect of reading and reference material that Benjamin Goulson and his contemporaries in Pendleton were ahead of their time.
Pendleton Library origins
Benjamin Goulson was born in Lincolnshire in the 1790's. He moved to Manchester and married in the early 1800's. Following a family tradition he became a surgeon and along with numerous news articles he frequently made lively contributions to debates published in The Lancet. Benjamin also became involved with chemistry research for medicinal & industrial applications. He was awarded at least one Patent for "" certain improvements in the manufacture of farina and sugar from vegetable productions.", in 1829.
He was also instrumental in the formation of Pendleton Free Library and Society For The Cultivation Of Useful Knowledge. Having first raised the idea in 1828 the Society was formed in 1829, Benjamin being one of the committee members.
The new library building was erected in a street adjacent to where Benjamin lived on Broad Street. The library building is now long gone as are all the residential buildings and most of Broad Street itself, the main A6 now occupies the railway lines and street together with a roundabout forming a major junction. Most of the streets have vanished though the church still remains.
A recent BBC tv programme covered the subject of mill owners and the working class population in nearby Salford during the 1840's. Some mill owners recognised the value in giving their workers access to open spaces and parkland along with education and access to books. The Public Libraries Act was brought about in part as a result. Note, that in respect of reading and reference material that Benjamin Goulson and his contemporaries in Pendleton were ahead of their time.