Yesterday, I popped into the beautiful, hidden gem that is Ipswich Institute Reading Room on Tavern Street, Ipswich. It is a glorious oasis of calm and inspiration in the centre of town. I was delighted to meet Jo Rooks, manager, and she bought a copy of ASMAB to add to their collection of local history. We are so lucky to have this wonderful resource in the centre of our town. Ipswich Institute Reading Room was founded in 1824 – just nine years after the Battle of Waterloo! Dr. George Birkbeck’s Mechanics’ Institution was dedicated to making knowledge available to the ‘artisans’ of Ipswich and encouraging their general and vocational education. More information can be found here: https://ipswichinstitute.org.uk/about-us/
Berners Hall in Woolverstone was also designated as a Reading Room for the educational advancement of labourers on the estate.
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