Blog

1. 

   The ‘Godly English Books’ of the Gorton Chest

   The chained library in our reading room, also known as the “Gorton Chest”, is one of the most popular features on our visitor tours. But it is also an important...

   28th February 2019 • Read more

2. 

   From Historical Fact to Contemporary Fiction

   We recently enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University on their CPD course ‘From Historical Fact to Contemporary Fiction’, taught by author Livi Michael. We are pleased to present...

   28th February 2019 • Read more

3. 

   What’s it like to volunteer here?

   We’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our friendly team. If you enjoy meeting people from all walks of life, and share our passion for providing an excellent welcome...

   31st January 2019 • Read more

4. 

   ‘Opening Up Chetham’s Library’ awarded DCMS Wolfson grant

   We are delighted to have been awarded a grant of £25,500 from the DCMS Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund for our project ‘Opening Up Chetham’s Library’. The Museums and...

   17th January 2019 • Read more

5. 

   Weird and wonderful: Edwardian Christmas cards

   It’s at this time of year, when the annual festivities are almost upon us, that Library staff are inspired to consult the collections in search of something that captures the...

   7th December 2018 • Read more

6. 

   Belle Vue Miniature Railway – a beloved attraction remembered

   We’re grateful once more to Jon Cocks, our Special Correspondent Belle Vue ‘insider’ for taking time and trouble to write – and to illustrate with his original photos (no reuse...

   15th November 2018 • Read more

7. 

   Robert Rose, the Bard of Colour

   For a brief period in the nineteenth century Manchester’s leading literary watering hole was the Sun Inn, a timber-framed building located opposite the entrance to Chetham’s on Long Millgate. In...

   19th October 2018 • Read more

8. 

   An unusual acquisition

   Every so often the Library is compelled to acquire a book or a manuscript because it is so unusual and quite unlike anything else that we have. This large broadside,...

   5th October 2018 • Read more

9. 

   Accidental heroes – getting in on the act

   We’re in the midst of the digital portion of one of our current projects, putting swathes of material from our Salford and district collections online. With the help and support...

   27th September 2018 • Read more

10. 

    The Pringle Collection

    Our volunteer Paul Carpenter writes about the collection of the late Ian Pringle: The Library is always making new acquisitions. One of the latest and certainly the largest this year,...

    2nd August 2018 • Read more