The Carnegie Library Opens in Lytham St Annes

The Carnegie Library in Lytham St Annes is a landmark of civic pride and philanthropy, opened in 1906 as the town’s first public library. The foundation stone was laid in August 1904, and the building officially opened on 10 January 1906. The site on Clifton Drive South was donated by the St Annes-on-the-Sea Land and Building Company, while the construction was funded by a £3,500 grant from Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American industrialist and benefactor of public libraries.

The project was initiated by Councillor L. S. Stott, Chairman of the St Annes-on-the-Sea Urban District Council, who personally corresponded with Carnegie. After several proposed sites were considered, local architect John Dent Harker was appointed to design the building, with Samuel Wilson of St Annes selected as contractor. Despite some construction delays noted in council minutes, the library was completed and opened by Councillor George Walters Spring, J.P., on 10 January 1906.

The St Annes Express, reporting on the opening, described the library as “convenient and effective in arrangements and presenting an imposing appearance,” noting its Victorian Renaissance style, octagonal hall, clerestory windows, and domed roof. A niche by the entrance held a bust of Sir Walter Scott, symbolising the library’s commitment to literature and learning. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner later praised the building as “every inch the early 20th-century Carnegie Library — Baroque in red brick and buff terracotta, with a domed tower and light, airy interior.”

The library quickly became popular with local residents. Its first annual report in 1907 recorded 1,500 registered borrowers and 48,468 books issued, most of which were fiction, prompting local commentary on the need for more “serious” literature such as poetry, travel, and philosophy.

Following steady growth, an extension was approved in 1930 to meet increased demand. Built by John Heap & Sons of St Annes with steelwork by John Booth & Sons of Bolton, the new wing opened on 25 September 1932, along with a reorganised lending department.

Originally run by the St Annes-on-the-Sea Urban District Council, the library’s administration passed to the Municipal Borough of Lytham St Annes in 1922, and later to Lancashire County Council in 1974, when it became the District Central Library for the Fylde.

Over a century after its opening, the Carnegie Library remains one of St Annes’ most distinctive civic buildings — a testament to the enduring legacy of Andrew Carnegie’s vision for free public access to knowledge.