1# The Bournemouth Library

Bournemouth Library

The main town centre library in The Triangle opened to the public on 24^th April 2002 on the site of an NCP car park.  For many years prior to that the plot had been occupied by Robson & Son, whose well-stocked store included grocery, provisions, fruiterers, poulterers and hardware of all kinds.

Built under the government’s Private Finance Initiative, construction work began on the new library in November 2000 by Henry Jones, part of the large Kier Group. The two floors of the library have dedicated zones for children and teenagers on Floor 1, whilst specialist music and local heritage resources are on Floor 2.

In 2003 the library won the Prime Minister’s “Better Public Building” Award.

Bournemouth’s first public library opened in temporary premises at Cumnor Terrace at the beginning of 1895, just off Old Christchurch Road. The first permanent library in the town opened in Winton in 1907 and after a number of refurbishments, still provides an excellent service for that neighbourhood. The former Central Library, now part of Bournemouth & Poole College, opened at The Lansdowne in 1913.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

# 25 Bournemouth - IMAX

See video of the virtual demolishment of this hated building during the Arts by the Sea Festival in
2012

http://youtu.be/18rgkMq0AF4

20# Bournemouth - The Royal Bath Hotel

Royal Bath Hotel

The foundation stone for Bournemouth’s very first hotel was laid in 1837. Built from designs by Christchurch architect Benjamin Ferrey, it was officially opened by Sir George Tapps Gervis on 28^th June 1838, the very day of Queen Victoria’s Coronation.

The Bath Hotel, as it was originally known, was THE place to be if one was staying in the newly developing seaside settlement of Bournemouth.

In December 1876 an hotelier from Glasgow, Merton Russell-Cotes, bought the hotel. Two new wings were added, designed by Christopher Crabb Creeke. It was reopened by the Lord Mayor of London as the Royal Bath Hotel on 11^th August 1880, the same date that Bournemouth’s second pier was opened.

A new wing was added in 1887, with further additions in 1913. During the Second World War, between July 1941 and September 1946, the hotel was requisitioned for use by the Royal Canadian Air Force as officer’s accommodation. A third of the hotel was engulfed by fire in January 1979, taking over a year for renovation work to be completed.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

# 19 Bournemouth - The Lansdowne

The Lansdowne - Lansdowne Hotel on the right and Queen Hotel on the left.

1865

Day Collection. Bath Road showing corner of Holdenhurst Road and Christchurch Road. The house "Lansdowne House" stood on site of present Metropole. On the right of Bath Road stands the Imperial Hotel and on the left the Queens and St. Mark's Church. The roads were not properly made up, there was no drainage, therefore no gutters etc.

 

18# Bournemouth - Railway Station

 

 

Bournemouth Railway Station

http://bit.ly/Z60TnJ Link to sounds

Three stations have served the centre of Bournemouth. The solitary surviving one, with its attractive overall roof, dates from 20^th July 1885. This sees a regular service of fast and frequent electric trains to Weymouth, Southampton and London Waterloo. Also diesel trains run further afield to Birmingham and Manchester. The wide gap between the  platforms was originally occupied by two through lines, but these were lifted in 1967 when electric trains replaced the earlier steam-powered ones.

The very first station in the town was situated on the other side of Holdenhurst Road, on a site now occupied by blocks of student accommodation. It was a small one-platform affair, at the end of a winding single track branch line from Ringwood and Christchurch. The station opened on 14^th March 1870, closing to passengers when the current station opened on the other side of the road.

On the opposite side of the town a station opened on the Queens Road on 15^th June 1874. This was the terminus for many visitors from the Midlands and North of England. Known as Bournemouth West, this officially closed from 4^th October 1965, though the last trains actually ran on 5^th September of that year.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries

#17 Bournemouth - Site of Bournemouth Rowing Club

Rowing Regatta 1956

Westover Rowing Club

The Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club traces its history back to 1865, but celebrated its centenary in 1977. Confused? Well the club is the child of many parents: one of its antecedents was a drinking club formed in a cave at the foot of Richmond Hill in the early days of the town, and one of its members Alderman W. H. Ridout afterwards became president of its successor, the Bournemouth Bicycle Club, founded in the Belle Vue Hotel (now sire of the Pavilion); its members set on their penny farthings every Whit Monday from the Pembroke Commercial Hotel on Poole Hill.

The Bicycle Club amalgamated with the Bournemouth Amateur Rowing Club, which had been founded in 1871, to form the Westover Club in 1877. It occupied premises on the West Beach seafront, which had leased the land from the Meyrick Estate in 1865. The Rowing Club element lapsed in 1911 and was reformed in 1924. The club celebrated its centenary as a Rowing Club in 1865 and as the Westover Club in 1977.

The club has remained proud of its heritage as Bournemouth’s oldest non-political club; speaking in 1953, the president Mr Montague said that its members liked to play bridge or snooker, read, sip lemonade, or go onto the balcony for a snooze. The more active members also rowed. In recent years the club has relocated to joint sites in Meyrick Park and at Hengistbury Head, and the old club house being demolished in 2012.

Michael Stead, Heritage Team, Bournemouth Libraries

# 16 Bournemouth - West Cliff Lift

West Cliff Lift

http://bit.ly/Zmb32J   Link to audio commentary

The West Cliff Lift opened four months after its East Cliff counterpart on 1^st August 1908. It is slightly shorter in length at 145ft (44m) and doesn’t rise quite as high to only 102ft (31m) as that on the East Cliff, but the track gauge is identical at 5ft 6in (1676mm). However, the original cars were slightly bigger and could accommodate 16 passengers, four more than at the East Cliff.

After closure for the duration of World War 2, in 1962 the original cars were replaced by new Council-built ones. The tracks were renewed in 1986 with the rails set on pre-cast concrete units replacing the original timber baulks.

Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries