Highfield and Upperthorpe … musings on a joint history unearthed

It was during a walk through the Community Garden adjoining Upperthorpe Branch Library in Sheffield recently that I was musing on how libraries connect us to others and to our shared history.

The community garden project at Upperthorpe is currently undergoing a refurbishment, staff and volunteers working together to unearth the weeds and brambles to create a resource the whole community can benefit from.

Like so many activities at Zest who now run the library, the gardening sessions are turned into a community activity, with tea, coffee and biscuits on hand for all those helping out, connecting people.

The quote from quote from Thomas Carlyle at the start of this article is engraved above the entrance to Highfield Branch library in Sheffield.

Highfield was built along with it’s near-identical twin building at Upperthorpe in 1876, the Upperthorpe branch being the oldest of the two by a matter of weeks having opened on the 8th May 1876, followed by Highfield Branch library on 1st August the same year.

Upperthorpe, whilst lacking the inspirational author quote that it’s sister building at Highfield has above the door, does contain figures on the building depicting a workman with an axe and a factory girl which are meant to show how much people can learn from a public library.

Both buildings have led interesting lives featuring both loss and gain - Upperthorpe gained an adjoining public baths in 1895, but lost it’s council library service and staff as part of council budget cuts back in 2014.

Highfield has retained the council library staff for the time being. With both buildings celebrating their sesquicentenary* (150th birthdays) next year, it is interesting to note how both buildings have fared during their respective histories, and the histories and opportunities that people at both libraries continue to unearth at Upperthorpe and Highfield libraries each day, both continuing to be valued hugely by their respective communities.

To quote Ray Bradbury “Without libraries, what have we? We have no past and no future”.

*A word previously not known to me, unearthed at Highfield Branch library!