W.E. Gladstone and nineteenth-century international law

6 March 2019

W.E. Gladstone and nineteenth-century international law

This month’s display in our History Room focuses around William Gladstone and nineteenth-century international law. This is a large topic and this blog aims to add some extra details that unfortunately wouldn’t fit into the cabinet! 

…
‘A pretty little woman, a flirt and a rattle’: Impressions of Mary Anne Disraeli

6 March 2019

‘A pretty little woman, a flirt and a rattle’: Impressions of Mary Anne Disraeli

The title quote is one by Benjamin Disraeli from a letter to his sister, describing a Mrs Wyndham Lewis that he met at a party in 1832.

…
Rev Malcolm MacColl and ‘the noblest man whom I ever knew’

5 July 2018

Rev Malcolm MacColl and ‘the noblest man whom I ever knew’

We, the team at Gladstone’s Library, often come across little things in the library and archives that offer intrigue; especially since some of us are still new here! The library is over 100 years old so there are bound to be secrets to explore! One such occasion, for me, was the inscription in the Theology Room (one of our Reading Rooms), and the declaration of ‘undying affection’ for our founder, William Ewart Gladstone…

…
Gladfest 2018 speakers choose their most inspirational books by women

14 June 2018

Gladfest 2018 speakers choose their most inspirational books by women

As 2018 is the centennial of (some) women gaining the right to vote, we’re celebrating at Gladfest this summer with a green, white and purple Suffragette-inspired colour palette!

…
Cal Flyn: Bilberry Woods / May

18 May 2018

Cal Flyn: Bilberry Woods / May

Over a long day confined to a desk a mind can wander great distances. But bodies need exercise too. To this end, every evening before dinner – or sometimes after – I’ve been stepping into the dappled light for a walk or a jog through the Bilberry Woods, on the edge of the Hawarden Estate.

…
24th April: Genocide Day, Armenia

24 April 2018

24th April: Genocide Day, Armenia

1.5 million Armenians were killed (1915 – 1923) by the Ottoman Turks in what was the first genocide of the 20th Century. This followed the Armenian massacres of 1894 – 1896 and the Armenian Holocaust at Adana in 1909.

…
It’s bloomin’ spring!

11 April 2018

It’s bloomin’ spring!

I’ve recently put together a display of books from our collection to illustrate the arrival of the new season – spring! This got me thinking about the meanings of the spring season itself.

…
Making the most of your visit to Gladstone’s Library

7 March 2018

Making the most of your visit to Gladstone’s Library

So, you’re visiting Gladstone’s Library for the first time, fantastic! What’s the plan?

We recommend arriving around 11am. Our on-site café and bistro Food for Thought is open to the public (10am – 5pm), and a nice hot cup of coffee is the perfect start to your day.

…
Sophia, a poem

1 February 2018

Sophia, a poem

Sophia (meaning ‘wisdom’ in Greek) was carved by sculpture and architectural stone carver Tom Waugh and has watched over the gardens at Gladstone’s Library since 2010. Her four stone benches – Cariad (Love), Heddwch (Peace), Gwirionedd (Truth), and Cyfiawnder (Justice) – invite the thinker to idle and contemplate a-while.

…
Hearth interview: Krishan Coupland

20 October 2017

Hearth interview: Krishan Coupland

Krishan Coupland is a writer, editor and digital nomad. His debut collection of (very) short fiction, When You Lived Inside the Walls, was published by Stonewood Press in 2017. Other poems and stories have been published in Ambit, Aesthetica, Litro and elsewhere. In his spare time Krishan runs and edits Neon Literary Magazine. 

…