Charles Dickens signed our Visitors Book! (Athenaeum, now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

"I guess it isn’t every day that you discover Charles Dickens’ signature on your visitors’ book. He opened the Glasgow Athenaeum (the predecessor of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in December 1847, and consequently ‘signed in’ on the 28th of that month.", explains Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Archives Officer, Stuart Harris Logan.

First, we were the Athenaeum, when Charles Dickens delivered the opening address and signed our visitors' book. (Except we called it a Strangers Book - times change!) Now we're the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We're no longer in the old Glasgow Athenaeum building, but have been in the new Renfrew Street building for 25 years. And Stuart Harris-Logan, our Archives Officer, found the Strangers Book, with Dickens' signature there for all to see. He's very happy to welcome any visitors to our archive facility to view this and other marvels - just email him (S.Harris-Logan@rcs.ac.uk).

Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

We only have one member of library staff who was interviewed in in the old Athenaeum building in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow.  Already known as RSAMD,  the institution moved to Renfrew Street in 1986, and three of us commenced work in the Whittaker Library's first year in the 'new building'.  Of course, we're now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, but we still have that historical link to Nelson Mandela Place.

Although it's our FORMER building that's in Nelson Mandela place, we do have a printed tune, a recorded tune, and a book of poetry associated with the great man who died yesterday.  It's nice to know we have some things mentioning his name.

• Wolf Soyinka, Nobel Prize winner for Literature - Mandela's Earth and Other Poems (1988)
• Scottish band, Give Way -  Full Steam Ahead (includes a tune 'Nelson Mandela's Welcome to Glasgow')
• Tom Richardson, Jigs, Reels and Fancy Feels, Vol.1 (includes tune, 'Hats off to Nelson Mandela'

You might also like the play collection, Beyond the Echo of Soweto (edited Geoffrey Davis, 1997)
 

Progress in Library-Land (Whittaker Library Moves with the Times)

We found a picture of the old library in our first building, Glasgow's Athenaeum.  Things have moved on a bit since then!

 Then .... and Now!

Charles Dickens 200th Birthday 7th February 2012

Tuesday 7th February is Dickens's 200th birthday!

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has a special link with Dickens - he gave an inaugural speech here, when we were starting out as The Glasgow Athenaeum.  Here's how it begins - contact our new Archives Officer, Stuart Harris-Logan, if you'd like to find out more:-

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Let me begin by endeavouring to convey to you the assurance that not even the warmth of your reception can possibly exceed, in simple earnestness, the cordiality of the feeling with which I come amongst you. This beautiful scene and your generous greeting would naturally awaken, under any circumstances, no common feeling within me; but when I connect them with the high purpose of this brilliant assembly when I regard it as an educational example and encouragement to the rest of Scotland when I regard it no less as a recognition on the part of everybody here of the right, indisputable and inalienable, of all those who are actively engaged in the work and business of life to elevate and improve themselves so far as in them lies, by all good means I feel as if I stand here to swear brotherhood to all the young men in Glasgow; and I may say to all the young women in Glasgow; being unfortunately in no position to take any tenderer vows upon myself and as if we were pledged from this time henceforth to make common cause together in one of the most laudable and worthy of human objects.

The address was given in the City Halls on the evening of 28 December 1847.  Here is a link to a coloured drawing of the event penned by William Simpson, which is now held by Glasgow Museums.

Search the Whittaker Library for materials about/by Charles Dickens: here.

Athenaeum Library

Before the RSAMD moved to Renfrew Street, we were in the old Athenaeum building, in Nelson Mandela Place / 179 Buchanan Street.

Before the Whittaker Library, we were just the Athenaeum Library.  And this is what we looked like:-

Athenaeum Library
(before RSAMD moved to Renfrew Street, Glasgow)

Lots more pictures of the Athenaeum here.