Willesden Green Library (Copy3)

Nestled upon the bustling intersection of where the High Road meets Brondesbury Park, you may be mistaken for thinking that Willesden Green Library sits just slightly back from the main junction, tucked behind an odd little house from the Victorian era. However, you’d be missing the most pivotal element of the library in Willesden Green!

The historic two-storey building - composed of bright red brick and monochrome mock Tudor detailing as well as a romantic round turret - is what remains of the original library, first opened here in 1894.

Described as the “flagship on the High Road” in the Pevsner Architectural Guides, several of the original library’s decorative features were inspired by the English Arts and Crafts movement, including the round turret, shell-hooded doorway, and mock Tudor detailing. During the late-Victorian era, these were popular external additions that served as an architectural form of rebellion against the progress of the industrial revolution.

Meanwhile, the embellished sections located just beneath the roofline are a prime example of pargeting – a decorative technique that traditionally uses a combination of sand and lime, bound with hair, to create extra ornamentation on the outer surfaces of buildings. Pargeting originated in the 16th century and famously provided an outstanding exterior display at Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace near Cheam, Surrey.

The original proposals for Willesden Green Library stemmed from local discussions on adopting the Public Libraries Act of 1850, which gave local boroughs the right to establish free libraries for their respective communities. In the 1891 poll of Willesden ratepayers, an overwhelming majority voted in favour of a new library. A n architectural competition took place to design the library soon after, and the winning design by Messrs Newman & Newman was constructed and completed by Messrs Sabey & Son of Islington in 1894. The library held just under 5,000 books ( many of which had been donated by local residents), and finally opened to the public with a celebratory musical evening on 18th July 1894.

21-year-old Frank Chennell served as Willesden Green’s first librarian and lived in a small flat on the first floor of the building. The library quickly became a focal point for the community; books were loaned out during the day, and the Reading Room, located at the front of the building, hosted an array of talks and concerts in the evenings.

In his work as librarian, Frank Chennell was responsible for collecting and cataloguing local records. Many of these continue to be used as important reference material at Brent Archives. The fact that we have such a clear picture of how Willesden Green has transformed over the centuries is in n o small part thanks to the dedication of the town’s first librarian, Frank Chennell.

An important factor in the town’s transformation was the arrival of the railway and opening of Willesden Green station in 1879. By the turn of the century, Willesden Green had become one of the fastest growing suburbs in London. As the population grew, so too did the demands on the small library and its services, lending some 70,000 books a year.

By April 1907, the library was given a boost with two wing extensions added courtesy of a £3,000 donation from Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. He was k nown for his philanthropic work around the world, which included building Carnegie Hall in New York City and various libraries and universities across the UK and the U. S.

Over the following 76 years, the library continued to serve the growing population from these modest premises, with little more than a few minor extensions after the Second World War and cosmetic improvements to lights and shelving. Even after 1968, when Willesden joined Wembley to form the London Borough of Brent, the library remained largely unchanged.

However, it was becoming clear that a more dramatic transformation was required to address the venue’s long-term problem of overcrowding. In 1983, the local Council announced plans to demolish the existing library’s wings, including the Carnegie extensions, and replace these with a public square combined with a larger library and community centre.

A saving of £100,000 could potentially be made if the entire original library was swept away in favour of a modern replacement. This decision was not popular with local residents, who went on to campaign with Councillor Len Snow and successfully overturned the Council’s decision.

Five years and five million pounds later in 1989, the new Willesden Green Library Centre was opened, and the original Victorian library building had survived to see another day.

The Library Centre continued to adapt to meet the needs of the community; in the 1990s the Belle Vue Cinema became a part of the library complex , followed by a museum and exhibition gallery on the first floor, courtesy of a £1.3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2005.

In 2010, the Council were faced with an unexpected repair bill of £700,000, when a survey uncovered major problems with the Library Centre. Given the cost of these repairs, the Council’s proposed solution was a partnership with a private developer to include a new Library, at ‘net zero capital cost to the Council’. These new proposals, however, in volved demolishing the original 1894 structure.

Once again, this iconic heritage building was the subject of controversy, at the forefront of the battle between modernisation and preservation. Amongst those in the latter camp, petitioning against the demolition of the 1894 building and aiming to retain some open space, were the Willesden Local Historical Society, Keep Willesden Green, and Willesden Green Town Team.

Over 4,000 locals voiced their discontent, arguing that demolishing the 1894 portion of the library – now a locally listed building - was violating both the district-wide and national planning policy. Two years after the original planning application, and much to the delight of locals, the plan for the library was changed to include the original Victorian building.

In June 2013, developers began work, simultaneously constructing the new Cultural Centre as well as flats in Newman Close – aptly named after the architects of the 1894 library.

The renamed ‘Library at Willesden Green’ finally opened its doors to the public in the summer of 2015, complete with IT learning area, art gallery, café, community exhibition space, performance space, and the Brent Museum and Archives, all located within the same complex.

The latest build, designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, has attracted numerous awards for its design, including the WAF Civic and Community Award (2016), the Brick Awards for Best Public Building (2016), the RIBA London Region Award (2017), and the Civic Trust Award (2017).

The design is centred around a triangular atrium, with dramatic lighting installations that emphasize the angular connections between the three floors and interconnecting staircases. The library is bright and airy thanks to generous windows and skylights that flood the building with natural daylight. The colourful mural running along the side of the entrance foyer has been created by London born artist Morag Myerscough, whilst outside, the brickwork takes cues from the original library building and other Victorian buildings nearby on the High Road.

“Our approach to the scheme was to reinstate the historic form of the original 1894 library that consisted of two street-facing wings parallel to the main frontages and placing the entrance to the building at the apex of the site. In addition to repairing the relationship between the building and the street, this strategy allowed us to return to use the remaining fragment of the old library, creating a generous double-height public room.”

T he new library arrangement very much has an element of ‘same but different’ to it. The expansion to the rear of the library is far larger than anyone would have considered in Victorian times but the purpose of educating and enriching the Willesden Green community remains the same.

M any of the items comprising the Brent Museum and Archives collection inside the library were originally collected by the first librarian, Frank Chennell, highlighting the ongoing goal of preserving local history .

A number of event and exhibition spaces provide the local community with opportunities to enjoy art, cultural events, and live performances, much like those held for the grand opening ceremony of 18th July 1894 with its ‘Programme of Music’. (Read about event spaces in – Art/Culture/Music section Library article) T he original, turreted library from the Victorian era, having survived a double threat of demolition, remains proudly in place for Willesden Green residents to enjoy and cherish.

To mark this, in July 2019, the Library enthusiastically celebrated its 125th anniversary. Many of the locals in attendance had fought to protect and preserve the library’s architectural history. Brent Museums and Archives hosted a selection of activities for the local community to enjoy, including family crafts, face-painting, music, and a detailed talk on the library’s heritage. Reaching this milestone anniversary served as testament to the importance of Willesden Green library to the community and how, with innovation, buildings can both preserve their heritage and adapt to meet the changing needs of the population they serve.

July 17, 2019 - Kilburn Times online, “Celebration as Willesden Green Library marks its 125th anniversary”

Elayne Coakes, executive officer of the Willesden Green Town Team, said: "There was a concerted campaign from many local residents to save the old library. It was something that really mattered to the community. [...] It is now recognised by architects as an excellent design, but without community pressure it, would not have happened. It was disappointing that the existing area of community space to the front was not retained, but by saving the large tree and providing seating, the side area has become an area for our community edible and sustainable garden to flourish alongside."

(Read more about preservation and conservation in …. Architecture section.