Prince Consort's Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Consort's Library |
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| The Prince Consort's Library in 2014 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Type | Special library |
| Scope | Military |
| Established | 1860 |
| Location | Knollys Road, Aldershot Garrison, Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 51°15′17″N 0°46′21″W / 51.2546°N 0.7724°W |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Open to military personnel |
The Prince Consort's Library is a special library found in Aldershot Military Town in Hampshire, England. It was created by Prince Albert to help educate soldiers in the British Army. Today, it is the main military library for the Army. It provides information on current military topics, political subjects, and how different countries interact. This helps the Armed Forces with their missions, training, and learning. The building itself is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historic place.
A Library for Soldiers
The idea for the library came from Prince Albert. On June 1, 1859, his representative wrote to the Secretary of State for War. Prince Albert wanted to give 1,000 books to the officers at the Aldershot Army Camp. He also offered to build the library to keep these books.
Work on the library building started in September 1859. It officially opened in September 1860. Prince Albert donated the first 1,000 books from his own collection. He also paid for the building, its furniture, and even the trees and bushes around it. The total cost was about £4,183.
Royal Support for Learning
Prince Albert paid for the library's daily running costs until he passed away in 1861. After his death, Queen Victoria decided to continue supporting the library. She ordered that its upkeep be paid for from the Privy Purse. The Privy Purse was the Queen's personal money.
Queen Victoria also paid the salary of the first official Librarian. This was Sergeant Charles Gilmore, who worked there from 1861 to 1891. She even paid his pension when he retired.
By 1887, the library only had 2,160 books. To get more books, the Aldershot Military Society was started on December 23, 1887. Queen Victoria supported this new society. Members of the society paid a fee, and this money was used to buy more books. The Queen's Privy Purse still paid for the building's maintenance.
This arrangement continued until 1935. Then, the War Office (which was a government department for the army) took over. They became responsible for both buying books and maintaining the library building.
The Architect's Design
Captain Francis Fowke of the Royal Engineers designed the Prince Consort's Library. He was a very talented architect. He also designed another famous building, the Royal Albert Hall in London. In 1911, an extra part was added to the library. This new section included a Lecture Hall and a Reading Room.
