DO YOU remember Boots Booklovers Library in Stroud?
Boots the chemist once had subscription libraries within their stores.
Founded by Florence Boots in 1899, they were extremely popular and in their heyday they had more than a million subscribers.
Stroud was home to a branch of Boots library, situated in Russell Street.
In my book Lipsticks and Library Books, former staff share entertaining anecdotes of wealthy, eccentric subscribers and strict spinster librarians.
It tells the story of a privileged elite in a world that existed really not so long ago but which seems very distant from today.
A reader’s letter in January of last year recalls a bit of a scrum amongst several over-enthusiastic subscribers at Stroud library in 1959, all keen to get their hands on a copy of Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee.
Boots Booklovers library in Stroud probably closed in the early 1960s.
Jackie Winter
Dorset
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article