“Creating the Athenaeum”
In the first part of this history we touched on the Georgian tendency to form groups of like-minded individuals. Of course, people had always congregated in the alehouse, in the coffee house, and a more limited form in social groups based on these institutions, in Liverpool known as “Firesides” where the habitués of one tavern, who were linked by a shared interest, occupation or employment would meet to talk and carouse. In the Eighteenth Century, these assumed a more formal aspect in organisations such as the “Ugly Face Club”, the “Royal Bucks”, the “Mock Corporation of Sefton” and numerous others which provided recreational and alcoholic entertainment for their members, many of whom were drawn from the most important families of the town.
However, there were those who sought a more serious and formal class of association but in the climate of Liverpool found it difficult to generate enthusiasm. Newcastle on Tyne was in many ways a similar town to Liverpool with its concentration of commerce, notably the London coal trade. In 1793 a non-conformist minister, the Rev. William Turner, had set up a “conversation club” and library, soon to become known as the “Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society”.
Shortly after its foundation, though the date is not recorded, Edward Rogers ‘very highly and deservedly respected’ [Bickerton p57] Liverpool merchant was on Tyneside, attended the “Lit and Phil” society. Impressed by the visit, on his return to Liverpool he described his experience to the banker, Thomas Taylor, and they discussed the possibility of setting up a similar organisation in Liverpool. They were joined in the discussion by several of the leading cultural figures of the leading cultural, including Drs Rutter and Currie and, of course, William Roscoe. It was felt that there was no guarantee of success. This was despite the poor quality of the newsrooms provided in the hotels and inns, where access to newspapers was difficult and often the number of men competing for a paper was such that “they [the subscribers] could not avail themselves of privilege to which they alone were entitled”. The account by Dr Rutter goes on “We, however, never lost sight of the subject but mentioned it repeatedly to our friends” [Bickerton p57]. They were also dissatisfied with the library provision in the town and considered that a new library might be combined with a newsroom within one building,
As dissatisfaction grew the cabal decided to launch the idea to the public. After a meeting at the Theatre Tavern in Williamson Square on 22 November 1797 Rutter wrote a prospectus and 500 copies were circulated. Meanwhile, Taylor, with the assistance of Alderman George Case, found a site and commissioned the architect John Foster to design a building to provide a newsroom and Library, at least partially financially supported by the inclusion of several shops – an idea subsequently abandoned until the new building of 1928 was designed.
On 27 November a public meeting was held in the Council Rooms in Brunswick Street – the Town Hall being unavailable after the fire two years earlier – the room was crowded with many of the principal business and professional men of the town. Dr Currie took the chair and after overwhelming support was received an ad hoc committee was formed to further the scheme.
The first priority was to erect the building on a site which could be acquired in Church Street to house what was soon to be called The Athenaeum rather than the other proposed name The Liverpool Newsroom and Library. Foster’s amended design – the idea of the shops had been quickly aborted – proposed a three-story structure with extensive cellars, which were to provide staff accommodation and possibly be let to outside bodies for storage. The newsroom was located on the ground floor with a direct entrance from Church Street. The whole design was in a rather weak classical mode with a rusticated appearance on the ground floor. The Newsroom was completed by January 1799, though the Library did not open until May of 1800. On completion the workmen were rewarded by a gift of Gns 10 {£10.10s.od £10.50] to buy beer for a celebration. As the price of beer at the time was a penny a pint, it must have been quite an occasion.
George Case First President of the Athenaeum 1798 – 1801. This is one of the Hargreaves’ portraits of prominent Liverpool men from the Library collection. In the entrance hall to the left of the Presidents’ board is a newly adorned colourised painting of George Case, generously painted and donated by artist-in-residence Colin Langeveld. Regretfully a ‘picture of the picture’ could not be taken presently, but keep an eye out the next time you enter the Club.
Bibliography
Manuscript
The Minute Book of the Athenaeum 1797 1809 vol.
Printed works
Bickerton t 1910] A Historical Sketch of Dr. John Rutter Liverpool Medical and Chirugical Institute
Brazendale D Georgian Liverpool Lancaster 2007
Shaw Carrick N & Ashton E L The Athenaeum Liverpool 1797 -1997 Liverpool The Athenaeum
History of the Athenaeum 1798 -1898 Liverpool The Athenaeum 1898