Transparent walls

Glazed partitions and internal windows were frequently used to separate areas of the libraries whilst maintaining the potential for the librarians to have adequate surveillance. They also enabled the “borrowing” of light from one space to another.

As buildings have been adapted and modernised over the years, many of these screens have been removed. Nevertheless we have recorded 138 buildings where they are still evident.

Article transcribed from: RICHARDSON, W. (1895). Building world. London, Printed and published by Cassell & Company Limited. No. 585 – December 29, 1906. P. 203-4

DESIGN FOR A VESTIBULE SCREEN.

FIGS. 1 to 8 Show in design and detail a vestibule screen for the Hall of a large residence or a public building. the height of the screen is 9ft. 6 in. to the cornice ; the width, 13 ft. ; But the design can be applied at pleasure to narrower halls, or corridors, either by emitting panels or by slightly increasing or diminishing their widths. (For Figs. 4 to 8, see next page.)

            To obtain good design, the panels over the door must be of similar width to the side panels ; that is to say, the widths of all the panels shall be such as to give a convenient and proportionate doorway. For public buildings it may be necessary to have a doorway so wide as to require a pair of swing or folding doors, instead of the single door here shown. in that case the widths of the panel would have to be altered to suit the width of the doors. another point that has been carefully observed in the general arrangement is that of carrying all principle horizontal lines across the entire width of the screen. For instance, the edges off the bottom rails of the sashes and the lock rail of the door, are in one line, and the wide bottom rail of the door is broken by sunk mouldings, carried through at the same level as the edges of the plinth and Bottom rail of the frame. Inattention to this point of detail in designs of this class usually results in a broken outline, and a consequent loss of character in the design.

            The design is shown suitable for construction in yellow pine (to be finished in white enamel), or in oak, teak, or mahogany, french-polished. Leaded Lights of simple rectangular design, with parallel margins following the outline of the sash bars, and glazed in very pale tints of harmonious colours, will be found to produce a satisfactory effect. The frame of the screen is twice moulded and rebated on each exposed edge, and is of 4¹/₂-in. by 3-in. material, with 4¹/₂-in. by 4-in. Top and bottom rails, all framed together with double tenons (see Figs. 4 and 5). Where unseen the tenons pass through the rails or stiles, And are glued or double wedged in the usual manner. Joints in the frame, as at G and H (Fig. 1), are formed as shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 5, the tenons Us stopped short, glued, and screwed through the stile, the sinking for the screw head being bored with the centrebit and pelleted up after drawing up the joint. Round Steel nails are often used for the same purpose, and are sunk below the surface in the same way. Screwing into end grain is not considered good in general practice, but with a screw of good length and diameter the joint shown can be easily drawn tight. An alternative and a superior method is shown in sectional plan at J (Fig. 5), wear a parallel set screw, with a roundhead and square nut, is used, the not being housed into the rail from the upper edge, and the screw turned into it through the stile.

            Fig. 4. Shows the middle of the rail of the frame, with muntins entering above and below. Dove-tail tenons are used (see dotted lines). The mortices to receive the tenons are made long enough just to allow the dovetails to enter, the extended mortice being cut with a bevelled end and the joint glued and wedged with single wedges. A portion of the end grain of the wedge is visible unless it is placed within the rebate and covered with the sashes, which arrangement is only possible with the back tenon in the example shown. In polished hardwood, end grain like this is ought not to show, and the wedging would have to be omitted, unless the tenons could be placed entirely within the rebate. In such cases, the bottom and middle rail and the intervening muntins are glued and cramped together in the workshop, and the upper muntins are glued and forced home by wedging them down tight from the ceiling above. In all cases the joints throughout are fitted together, and the faces levelled and finished, in the workshop, although the whole frame may be too large to put together there permanently. 

            The sashes for the top panels are 2 in. thick, with 2 in. wide stiles, 2¹/₂-in. Top and bottom rails, and 1-in. bar filling; the moulds being stuck ⁵/₁₆-in. deep. The Joints are mortised and tenoned together wherever possible (see Figs. 6,7 and 8); the thickness of the tenons being exactly equal to, and placed on, the square edges of the sash members.

            At C and D (Fig. 6) tenons cannot be conveniently used, and the method adopted is to mitre the three members together and glue and screw, or brad (see Fig. 6) the two inclined bars together, through the back part of the bar and then dowel the vertical bar into the thick portion of the joint, by ⁵/₁₆-in. dowels (see Figs. 6 and 7). The Jointing of the bars of the door will be quite clear from Fig. 8.

            The panelled frames filling in the bottom part of the screen are 2 in. thick by 3 in. wide on face, with 1¹/₂-in. raised panels, having ¹/₄-in. raised diamond centres, with flat faces. In Fig. 3 their projection is shown by the dotted line. Several designs of planting mould are shown in the details. 

            When these frames and sashes are completed, and the frame has been made ready for them, they are all perfectly fitted into their respective rebates from behind. The sashes are fixed by screws through the rebates, and the panelled frames by screw brads; or, if they are in hardwood, by secret nailing or gluing only. 

            A plinth of the same pattern as that which is used round the Hall is carried across the face of the screen and fixed to the stiles, to the bottom rail and to the upright packings under each muntin provided. In polished work, the secret screwing would be employed. the ends of the plinth against the doorway are returned in the solid to the face of the doorpost. A plaster cornice is carried across both faces of the screen, on rough brackets. Part of one of these is shown in Fig. 3.

            The let it lights are secured by glazing screeds moulded similarly to the face mould of the sashes. the door is hung with three 4-in. cast brass butt hinges, and the doorposts require housing into the floor to make them perfectly rigid. 

F.E.  DRURY.               (d.29.11.1950)

List of open Carnegie libraries with glazed partitions identified in this project:

Dundee – Arthurstone Community Library	William Alexander (City Architect) & James Thomson	1905	5 Arthurstone Terrace	DD4 6RT
Ewart Library (Dumfries)	Alan B. Crombie	1904	Catherine St Dumfries	DG1 1JB
West Calder Library	William Baillie	1904	24-26 Main St	EH55 8DR
Ayr Carnegie Library	Campbell Douglas & Morrison	1893	12 Main Street	KA8 8EB
Dartford Central Library & Museum	Thomas Edward Tiffin (Town Surveyor)	1916	Market St	DA1 1EU
Burnley Library	George Hartley and Arthur Race (Borough Engineer)	1930	19-29 Parker Ln	BB11 2BD
Accrington Carnegie Public Library	William J. Newton (Borough Engineer)	1908	St James’ St	BB5 1NQ
Liverpool – Toxteth Library (Soth-end)	Thomas  Shelmerdine (Corporation Architect and Surveyor)	1902	Windsor St, Liverpool	L8 1XF
Milnrow Library	S. Butterworth & W.H. Duncan	1908	57 Newhey Rd	OL16 3NP
Sandwell – West Bromwich Central Library	Stephen James Holliday	1907	316 High St	B70 8DZ
Sandwell – Wednesbury Library	Crouch Butler and Savage	1908	Walsall St	WS10 9EH
Keighley Library	Arthur Ernest McKewan & James Arthur Swan	1904	North Street	BD21 3SH
Leeds – Morley Library	W.E. Putman (Borough Engineer)	1906	Commercial St,	LS27 8HZ
Cardiff – Cathays Library	Speir & Bevan	1907	Fairoak Road	CF24 4PW
Wallasey (Liscard) Central Library	R.B. MacColl & George Edward Tonge	1911	17 Earlston Rd	CH45 5DX
Manchester – Failsworth Library	Ernest Ogden & Percy Cartwright Hoy	1909	397 Oldham Rd	M35 0AE
Royton Library	S. Butterworth & W.H. Duncan	1907	Rochdale Rd	OL2 6QJ
Clackmannan	Ebenezer Simpson	1903	Main Street	FK10 4JA
Wombwell Library	Arthur  B. Linford	1907	Station Rd	S73 0BA
Belfast – Falls Road Library	Watt and Tullock	1908	49 Falls Rd	BT12 4PD
Lurgan Library	Henry William Edward Hobart	1906	1 Carnegie Street	BT66 6AS
Dundee – Coldside Library	James  Thomson & Frank Drummon Thomson	1908	150 Strathmartine Rd	DD3 7SE
Arbroath Academy and Public Library	James Black	1898	Hill Terrace	DD11 1AH
Dundee – Blackness Library	James  Thomson & Frank Drummon Thomson	1908	225 Perth Rd	DD2 1EJ
Falkirk Community Trust Library	Sir George Washington Browne	1902	Hope St	FK1 5AU
Stirling	Henry ‘Harry’ Ramsay Taylor	1904	Corn Exchange Road	FK8 2HX
Glasgow – Maryhill Library	James Robert Rhind	1905	1501 Maryhill Rd	G20 9AD
Glasgow – Possilpark Library	George Simpson	1913	127 Allander St	G22 5JJ
Glasgow – Woodside District Library	James Robert Rhind	1905	343 St George’s Rd	G3 6JQ
Glasgow – Parkhead Library	James Robert Rhind	1906	64 Tollcross Rd	G31 4XA
Glasgow – Langside Library	George Simpson	1915	Sinclair Drive	G42 9QE
Rutherglen	George Sinclair and John Ballantine	1907	Main Street	G73 2HB
Clydebank Library	Alexander McInnes Gardner & Robert Whyte	1913	Dumbarton Rd	G81 1XH
Burntisland Library	William Williamson (City Architect)	1907	102 High St	KY3 9AS
Hamilton	Alex Cullen, Lochhead & Brown	1914	102 Cadzow Street	ML3 6HH
Kelso Library	John More Dick Peddie & Sir George Washington Browne	1906	Bowmont Street	TD5 7JH
Jedburgh Library	John More Dick Peddie & Sir George Washington Browne	1900	Castlegate	TD8 6AS
Hawick Library	J. Nicholl Scott  and Alexander Lorne Campbell	1904	North Bridge Street	TD9 9QT
Aberdeen Central Library	Alexander Brown and George Watt	1892	Rosemount Viaduct	AB25 1GW
Glasgow – Partick Library	Office of Public Works	1926	305 Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow	G11 6AB
Cromarty Library (Hugh Miller Institute)	Alexander Ross & Robert John Macbeth	1904	51 Church St	IV11 8XA
Ilkeston Library	Hunter and Woodhouse	1904	Market Street	DE7 5RN
Leicester Central  Library	Edward Burgess	1905	Bishop Street	LE1 6AA
Loughborough Library	Barrowcliff & Allcock	1905	Granby St	LE11 3DZ
Lincoln Central Library	Sir Reginald Theodore Blomfield	1914	Free School Ln	LN2 1EZ
Long Eaton Library	Child, Gorman and Ross	1906	Tamworth Rd	NG10 1JG
King’s Lynn Library	Herbert John Green	1905	London Rd	PE30 5EZ
Mile End Central Library (Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives) Stepney	James Knight originally 1862, Extension by MW Jameson, Borough Surveyor	1906	277 Bancroft Rd	E1 4DQ
Lea Bridge Library	William Jacques	1906	Lea Bridge Road	E10 7HU
Cubitt Town Library	Charles Harold Norton	1905	52 Strattondale St	E14 3HG
Bethnal Green Library	James Tolley	1922	Cambridge Heath Rd	E2 0HL
Cheshunt Library	J. Myrtle Smith	1907	Turners Hill	EN8 8LB
Islington West Library	Arthur Beresford Pite	1907	107 Bridgeman Rd	N1 1BD
Islington South Library	Sir Mervyn Edwin Macartney	1921	115-117 Essex Rd,	N1 2SL
Stoke Newington Library	H.H. Bridgman & Goss (originally 1892)	1904	184 Stoke Newington Church	N16 0JS
Highgate Library (Hampstead)	William Nisbet Blair (Borough Engineer)	1906	Chester Road	N19 5DH
Islington North Library	Henry Thomas Hare	1906	Manor Gardens	N7 6JX
West Greenwich Library	Herbert Winkler Wills and John Anderson	1907	High Road	SE10 8NN
Plumstead Public Library	Frank Sumner (Borough Surveyor)	1904	High Street	SE18 1JL
Lambeth Herne Hill  Carnegie Library	H. Wakeford & Sons	1906	Herne Hill Road	SE24 0AG
Torridon Library (Hither Green – Corbett Community Library)	Henry Hopton	1907	Torridon Rd	SE6 1RQ
Eltham Central Library (Woolwich)	Maurice Bingham Adams	1906	Archery Road	SE9 1HA
Twickenham Library	Howard Goadby	1907	Garfield Rd	TW1 3JT
Teddington Library	Henry Arthur Cheers	1906	Waldegrave Rd	TW11 8NY
Hammersmith Library	Henry Thomas Hare	1905	Shepherds Bush Road	W6 7AT
Annfield Plain Library	Edward Cratney	1908	North Rd	DH9 8EZ
Middlesbrough Central Library	Sir Thomas Edwin Cooper	1912	Centre Square, Middlesbrough	TS1 2AY
Rawtenstall Library	Crouch Butler & Savage	1906	Haslingden Rd	BB4 6QU
Bolton – Farnworth Library	W.J. Lomax	1911	Market St	BL4 7PG
Cleator Moor Library	E.M. Martindale	1906	Market St	CA25 5AP
Blackpool Central Library	Alex Cullen, Lochhead & Brown	1911	Queen St	FY1 1PX
Barrow in Furness Library	Alderman John Charles	1922	Ramsden Square	LA14 1LL
Kendal library	T.F. Pennington	1909	Stricklandgate	LA9 4PY
Manchester – Didsbury Library	Henry Price (City Architect)	1915	692 Wilmslow Rd	M20 2DN
Eccles Gateway	Edward Potts (Potts Son & Hennings)	1907	28 Barton Ln	M30 0TU
Heywood Library	North & Robin	1906	Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw M C Way	OL10 1LL
Ashton in Makerfield Library	J. B. & W. Thornley	1906	Wigan Rd	WN4 9BH
Folkestone Library	Brightwen Binyon	1910	2 Grace Hill	CT20 1HD
Fratton Carnegie Library (Portsmouth)	George Rake & Arthur Edward Cogswell	1906	Fratton Rd	PO1 5EZ
Caversham Free Public Library (one of 2 branches for Reading)	W.G. Lewton	1907	Church St	RG4 8AU
Bideford Library and Museum	A.J. Dunn	1906	New Road	EX39 2HR
Bridgwater Library	Ernest Godfrey Page	1906	Binford Pl	TA6 3LF
Merthyr Tydfil – Treharris Library	William Dowdeswell	1909	Perrott Street	CF46 5ET
Merthyr Tydfil Central Library	Johnson Richards and Rees	1936	High Street	CF47 8AF
Merthyr Tydfil – Dowlais Library	E. A. Johnson	1907	Church Street	CF48 3HS
Cardiff – Canton Library	Edwin Montgomery Bruce Vaughan	1907	Library Street	CF5 1QD
Penarth Library	Harry Snell	1905	Stanwell Road	CF64 2YT
Llandudno Library	George Alfred Humphreys	1910	Mostyn Street	LL30 2RP
Pontypool Library	Speir & Bevan	1908	Hanbury Road	NP4 6JL
Abergavenny Library	B.J. Francis	1906	Baker Street	NP7 5BD
Taibach Port Talbot Margam Community Library	John Cox (District Surveyor)	1916	5 Commercial Rd	SA13 1LN
Birmingham – Kings Heath (Moseley) Library	Arthur Gilbey Latham	1906	2 High St	B14 7SW
Birmingham – Erdington Library	John P. Osborne	1907	Orphanage Rd	B24 9HP
Birmingham – Stirchley Library	John P. Osborne	1907	Bournville Lane	B30 2JT
Sandwell – Cradley Heath Library (Rowley Regis)	Herbert Winkler Wills and John Anderson	1909	Upper High St	B64 5JU
Sandwell – Dudley Library	George H. Wenyon	1909	St James’s Rd	DY1 1HR
Northamptonshire Central Library	Herbert Norman	1910	Abington Street	NN1 2BA
Kettering Library	J. Goddard, A.H. Paget & W.A. Catlow	1904	Sheep Street	NN16 0AY
Malvern Library	Henry Arthur Crouch	1906	Graham Rd	WR14 2HU
Gainsborough Library	H.G. Gamble	1905	Cobden Street	DN21 2NG
Ilkley Library	William Bakewell	1907	Station Rd	LS29 8HA
Walkley Library	William Frederick Hemsoll & Henry Leslie Paterson	1905	403 South Rd	S6 3TD
Batley Library	Walter Hanstock & Son	1907	14 Market P	WF17 5DA
York Central Library	Brierley and Rutherford	1927	Library Square, Museum Street	YO1 7DS
Walthamstow Central Library	J.Williams Dunford	1909	High Street	E17 7JN
Sunderland – Kayll Road West Branch Library	Hugh Taylor Decimus Hedley	1909	42 Kayll road	SR4 7TW
Darwen Library and Theatre	Fred Harrison & Charles Spencer Haywood	1908	Knott St	BB3 3BU
Ramsgate Library	Stanley Davenport Adshead	1904	4 Guildford Lawn, Ramsgate	CT11 9AY
Wolverhampton Library	Henry Thomas Hare	1902	Snow Hill, City centre	WV1 3AX
Nottingham – Basford Branch Library Nottingham Journal – Tuesday 24 August 1915	Ernest R. Sutton & Sons	1926	Vernon Rd	NG6 0AR
Nottingham – Radford Lenton Library	T.Wallis Gordon (City Engineer)	1926	Lenton Blvd	NG7 2BY
Custom House Library	John G. Morley (Borough Engineer)	1905	Prince Regent Ln	E16 3JJ
Sydenham  Library	Albert L. Guy	1904	Sydenham Rd	SE26 5SE
Crofton Park Library Library and Re-Use centre	Albert L. Guy	1905	375 Brockley Rd	SE4 2AG
Hanwell Library	T. Gibbs Thomas	1905	Cherington Rd	W7 3HL
Sunderland – Hendon Carnegie Library	Edward Cratney	1908	67 Toward Rd	SR2 8JG
Whitehaven Library	Greig, Fairbairn & Macniven	1906	41 Catherine St	CA28 7QT
Liverpool – Old Swan Library	Thomas  Shelmerdine (Corporation Architect and Surveyor)	1913	Prescot Road	L13 5XG
New Mills Library	Richard Bassnett Preston	1910	New Mills, High Peak	SK22 4AR
Thatto Heath Library	Arthur W. Bradley (Borough Engineer)	1915	Thatto Heath Rd	WA10 3QX
Newton-le-Willows Library (Newton in Makerfield)(Earlestown)	J. Myrtle Smith	1909	262 Crow Ln E	WA12 9TX
Fraserburgh Library	William Stephen Fergusson Wilson	1905	King Edward St	AB43 9PN
Dumbarton Library	William Reid	1910	Strathleven Pl	G82 1BD
Lossiemouth Library	A & W Reid & Wittet	1904	Town Hall Lane	IV31 6AA
Littlehampton Library	Harry Howard	1906	Maltravers Rd	BN17 5NA
Sandown Library	James Newman	1905	119 High St	PO36 8AF
Bournemouth – Springbourne Public Library	Harry E. Hawker & Victor Mitchell	1909	297A Holdenhurst Rd	BH8 8BX
Colwyn Bay Library	JM Porter and Mr Hunter	1905	5 Woodland Road West	LL29 7DH
Birmingham – Kings Norton Library	Benjamin Bower	1906	Pershore Rd	B30 3EU
Sandwell – Langley Green Library (Oldbury & Langley)	Abel Round	1909	Barrs St	B68 8QT
Coventry – Stoke Library	J.E. Swindlehurst (City Engineer and Surveyor)	1913	Kingsway	CV2 4EA
Coventry – Earlsdon Library	J.E. Swindlehurst (City Engineer and Surveyor)	1913	Earlsdon Avenue	CV5 6FZ
Coventry – Foleshill Library	J.E. Swindlehurst (City Engineer and Surveyor)	1913	Broad Street	CV6 5BG
Rushden Library	William Beresford Madin (Town Surveyor)	1905	Newton Road	NN10 0PT
Irchester Library	Edward Sharman & Archer	1909	33-35 High St	NN29 7AA
Skipton Library	J. W. Broughton & J. Hartley	1910	High St	BD23 1JX
Leeds – Bramley Library	George Herbert Foggitt & J. Addison	1927	Hough Ln	LS13 3ND