Geograph - photograph every grid square

This was the Lord Street Working Men's Reading Room, built in 1851 to provide larger premises for a popular reading room which had been running in John Street, Botchergate since 1848. At one time there were 300 members, using the lending library and attending classes and discussion groups. The new building was made possible by donations of money and services from middle class benefactors, and rule changes soon followed, including a ban on controversial political and religious material. The working class members felt alienated and stopped coming - by 1863 the reading room was hardly used.
Information from J. Rose (see Google Books Link ) and A. Fraser Link (Archive Link ) .
Today the building is occupied by Border City Windows, the front door is on Lancaster Street with Lord Street to the right.