Northfield Library

 

Northfield Library was opened in 1906. The land was provided by the Cadbury family and the building constructed with funds of £750 (equivalent to £78,845 in 2025) donated by Andrew Carnegie. The foundation stone was laid by Alderman T. R. Bayliss.

Burnt down on February 12th, 1914. The building was burned to the ground in an arson attack widely attributed to militant suffragettes (WSPU) campaigning for women's voting rights. 

Key Details of the Incident:

• The Attack: The culprits left a copy of The Suffragette newspaper on the site with the words "Give Women the Vote" written on it, alongside a book by Christabel Pankhurst and a note that read, "To start your new library".
• Damage: Around 1,500 books were destroyed, and the damages cost nearly £2,000.
• The Library: Originally built in 1906 with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and land donated by George Cadbury, it was the first open-access lending library in Birmingham.
• Rebuilding: The library committee quickly rebuilt the facility in the same design that very year.