Having mentioned Thomas Sheppard in the previous blog I initially wondered if any of his publications would be listed here. Foolish idea as Thomas was only 9 years old when this ‘Catalogue’ was printed; he left the elementary school four years later, all his qualifications and credits being gained in manhood. Staying on this theme a moment, the Wikipedia info. on Thomas is relatively short but very informative and with good further research sources, particularly an article by M.R.D. Seaward published in the journal Humberside Geologist in 2008 entitled ‘The Amazing Mr Sheppard’; it is a cataloguing of all his writings, positions held , qualifications awarded etc. Thomas Sheppard died in 1945, just four years after an enemy bombing raid, and resultant fire, destroyed most of the municipal museum and its exhibits.
The Municipal Library Catalogue of 1885 cost 50p. from the ‘no longer needed’ shelf at Hull History Centre. The central coat of arms shows the three crowns/coronets in the shield and the outer words read ‘Bibliotheca Municipali, Kingston Super Hull’. The list includes some familiar titles, e.g. Poulson, George History and Antiquities of the Seigniory of Holderness, 2vols, 1840-’41, Frost, Charles Notices of Town and Port of Hull, 1827. Also, Sheahan, J.J. History of the Town and Port of Kingston-upon-Hull.
The Catalogue is up to date for its time listing 24 story books by Sir Walter Scott (The Waverley Novels).
Equally interesting as the list are the terms and conditions of lending as listed on the first three pages. In fact it lists nine such rules, of which here are just three:
‘All works borrowed must be returned within seven days’
‘Each renewal may be for three days’
‘Only one work shall be lent to the same person at the same time’.
On page one it implies that books are being lent to ‘Members of the Corporation’, while on page two on page two it refers to ‘Every person borrowing a book …’.
Even without television, and given that the borrower (always referred to as ‘he’) had to earn a living, getting through any one of these in a week was good going.
No cost is mentioned except if the book was damaged or lost.