Westhoughton Carnegie Library celebrates 120 years with cake

With a musical backdrop from the Wingates Band, Westhoughton’s Carnegie Library turned 120 on March 24, with local residents, councillors, and Bolton Mayor David Chadwick on hand to celebrate.

The incredible birthday cake was baked to look like a selection of books balanced on top of a recreation of the Westhoughton town hall façade.

The Wingates Band (Image: Gillian Wroe)

Westhoughton Mayor Gillian Wroe said: “It was an honour to attend the 120th birthday of our library, alongside my Mayoress, Cllr Deirdre McGeown and the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr David and Mrs Val Chadwick.

“Cllr Chadwick and I have often attended the same functions but this occasion was the first time that we’ve performed a duty together – the cutting of the stunning birthday cake.

“We were treated to a performance by the wonderful Wingates Band.

“Please do go and look at the exhibitions.

Westhoughton Mayor Gillian Wroe at the birthday clebrations (Image: Gillian Wroe)

“Thank you to the library staff and the Westhoughton Local History Group for a very enjoyable day.”

Opened on March 24 1906, the Carnegie Library is named after Andrew Carnegie, a rich American industrialist and philanthropist from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The son of a weaver from Dumfermline, Scotland, at the age of 12 he emigrated with his family to America.

Westhoughton local history board at the celebrations (Image: Gillian Wroe)

He made his money in steel and later in life became one of the world’s eminent philanthropists, donating huge amounts of money to build libraries all over the world.

Westhoughton was fortunate to be one of the recipients of his generosity.

Bolton Mayor David Chadwick, who cut the cake with Cllr Wroe, is himself a councillor for Westhoughton South.

In a surprising turn of events, the Westhoughton Local History Group (WLHG) recently discovered the long-lost ceremonial key that was given to George Grundy – chairman of the Westhoughton Urban District Council – when he opened the Westhoughton Carnegie Library on 24 March 1906.

The WLHG has returned the key to the library, where it is on permanent display in the museum space on the upper floor of the building to help mark the 120-year commemorations.

Westhoughton Library is one of more than 3,000 public libraries built across the English speaking world thanks, wholly or partly, to the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie.