From The Improved Bath Guide 1825
Public Libraries
In treating of the public establishments of Bath, it would be unpardonable to overlook so essential a source of rational pleasure and gratification as the Circulating Libraries. Their conveniences are perhaps unequalled ; most of them being furnished with commodious reading rooms, apart from the respective shops. The very moderate terms of subscription are the means of diffusing every branch of science and literature, and of promoting social intercourse among our residents and visitors.
Subscribers have the privilege of using a choice and valuable collection of books at their own lodgings, and of perusing the Monthly Reviews, Magazines, the London, Bath, and other provincial, with some of the Irish and Scotch Newspapers, at the Library.
Alphabetical list of the Librarians.
| Mr. Collings | Seville Row |
| Mr. Duffield | Milsom Street |
| Mr. Ford | Bond Street |
| Mr. Godwin | Milsom Street |
| Mr. Griffiths | Argyle Street |
| Mr. Joseph | Milsom Street |
| Mrs. Meyler | Abbey Churchyard |
| Mr. Pearce | Argyle Street. |
| Messrs. Rattle & Brine | Brock Street |
| Mr. Simms | George Street |
| Mr. Upham | The Walks |
The Bookselling and Stationery business is in every instance annexed to the above establishments.
Bath Newspapers
The Bath Journal, published on Sunday evening, by Messrs. Keene, Kingsmead Street.
The Bath and Cheltenham Gazette, published on Tuesday evening, by Messrs. Wood, Cunningham, and Smith, Union Street.
The Bath Chronicle, published on Wednesday evening, by Mr. Cruttwell, near St. James’s Church.
The Bath Herald, published on Friday evening, by Mrs. Meyler, adjoining the Great Pump Room.
Small parcels are conveyed by the newsmen belonging to the above establishments, to most of the towns, villages, and gentlemen’s seats, at reasonable distances, in the counties of Somerset, Wilts, and Gloucester,
Literary Institution
During the years 1819 and 1820, the attention of many of the inhabitants of this city was turned towards the establishment of an Institution as nearly on the plan of those of London, Bristol, and Liverpool, as the different character and situation of Bath would allow.
The Lower Assembly Rooms having been consumed by fire at the close of the year 1820, an opportunity was offered, by the liberality of Earl Manvers, the proprietor of the ground, of accomplishing this desirable object ; and a prospectus was published and circulated, a trust deed executed, and a subscription raised, which in the course of a few months enabled the trustees to carry into effect the objects of the subscribers. The result has been the erection of a simple but elegant edifice in the place of the ruins of the former building, which previously deformed that part of the city, of which nothing has been retained except the beautiful Doric portico added by Wilkins in 1810 ; to which the remainder of the new building strictly conforms. It contains an entrance hall, gallery or lecture-room, library, reading-room, two rooms for collections and philosophical apparatus, a laboratory, dwelling-rooms for the housekeeper, and a range of vaults of great magnitude and convenience.
The nature and objects of the Institution are thus explained by the trustees in their prospectus :
“It is intended to provide a place of resort, not merely for the studious, but for the inhabitants of Bath generally, as well as for its visitors ; to supply it with a library of reference, and the means of information in every branch of science and literature ; to provide a suitable apartment in which lectures may be given on all subjects which can assist in the instruction of youth, or revive in the minds of the old the studies and pursuits of years gone by ; where communications on subjects connected with the various departments of science may be received, and the experiments and opinions examined, and, if expedient, made public ; where public meetings for useful purposes may conveniently be held, and works of art exhibited to excite or demonstrate the progress of the student or professor.”
Two most important advantages are secured fco the subsribers, the want of which has wrecked too many similar establishments in other places : they are as follow :
1. That no part of the money subscribed is sunk in building, no uncertain expense incurred ; but the whole of the subscriptions will be expended in tangible and convertible property in which the subscriber will have a permanent and assignable interest.
2. That, by securing a regular annual income from the original subscribers, with a fluctuating addition from visitors, the evil which has hung over and affected the progress of similar institutions is averted from this, since it carries with its formation the means of permanent support. When to these are added the high patronage it enjoys, and the number of scientific and literary characters associated as its subscribers, the most beneficial results may with reason be confidently anticipated.
The price of a share is twenty guineas, together with the payment of two guineas annually. Those who reside at a greater distance than twenty miles from Bath are considered as visitors, and will be admitted to participate in the advantages of the establishment by an annual payment of two guineas.