Warley Branch Library

1868/0/10055 THIMBLEMILL ROAD 26-MAR-03 Warley Branch Library

II

Library. 1937, by the Smethwick Borough Engineer Roland Fletcher and the architect Chester Button. Monk bond with stack bonding to plinth; flat concrete roof. U-shaped plan, the Adult Lending Library being contained in a single-storey oval which projects forward from the concave face of a 2-storey curved block with stair tower to its rear elevation. Moderne style. Single-storey projecting range has bevelled concrete strings and stepped brick edges to horizontal strip of steel casement windows, with five carved relief panels symbolising the Arts and Sciences placed above the broad panels which divide each window. The 2-storey block has stack-bonded course below parapet, distinguished by a regular rhythm of projecting bricks; similar horizontal strip with two steel casements set in the concave face above the single-storey projection; on the blank elevation facing Thimblemill Road is an ovoid flat hood to the main entrance, the brickwork being stepped in on the sides to a pair of double-leaf doors (with glazed central panel) and the date 1937 set into waved decoration of wrought-ironwork to overlight. On the reverse elevation, facing Beakes Road, there are two similar horizontal strips each having three casement windows. Similar fenestration to rear, which has stair tower breaking above parapet with diagonally-set vertical window. Brass and wrought-iron door and window furniture.

INTERIOR: plaster cornicing; stylised capital to columns supporting ceiling. Fan-shaped panel over counter in Adult Lending Library, with coloured glass outer panels; counter also faces Junior Library to rear; similar cornicing to stair hall, which has dogleg stair to first-floor offices.

A fine example of inter-war Moderne style, ingeniously planned by its designers in consultation with the librarian Mr HP Marshall.