Leytonstone Library

Opening in September 1934 as Leytonstone Branch Library, it replaced an earlier library at Park House, an early-C18 mansion which was converted with Carnegie funds in 1908 and demolished in 1934. The new library was strategically located in the main shopping area of Leytonstone, by now a burgeoning London suburb. In emerging suburbs libraries often occupied prominent corner sites, and at Leytonstone the entrance was positioned opposite the parish church, which helped to form a civic focus. Internally, the extensive provision of children’s facilities followed the most progressive library practice of the period whereby younger users were allocated dedicated spaces and librarians. The provision of a lecture theatre was also significant, providing a scaled-down version of the public halls that had become a standard part of town hall planning and extending the library’s educational potential.

The building’s entire ground floor was intended from the outset for retail use, a pioneering example of incorporating commercial lets as a means of cross-funding construction and running costs, a practice which became more widespread in post-war library design. This enabled a more substantial building than might have otherwise been possible. The ground floor was originally occupied by a large L-plan Woolworth’s store with entrances on the east and north sides, which operated until the demise of the retail giant in 2009; an electricity showroom on the north-east corner, and two further shop units to either side of the library entrance. Woolworth's, which began to open stores in shopping parades in the late 1920s, often negotiating a deal with the developer before the parade was built, was a desirable retailer for growing suburban locations, acting as an anchor store or a magnet for other businesses. The other main tenant - the municipal electricity showrooms - was an appropriate addition for a scheme concerned with municipal enterprise.