Introduction
The official opening of the Public Library & Museum in the Town Hall, Stanley, was Friday 2 May 1919.
Prior to the Town Hall being built, a Lending Library had been established in the Vestry of the Christ Church Cathedral. At the request of Governor Allardyce, the old Infant School was set aside for the purpose of accommodating both services, with the Public Library opening on 31 May 1909 and the Museum opening on 9 November 1909. There was huge amount of support for developing these institutions, with many residents becoming subscribers, and by March 1909 the Library had 1,500 books. In this early period the Museum was known as ‘Allardyce Museum’ in honour of Governor and Mrs Allardyce, whilst the Library was ‘Josephine Brandon Library’, in honour of Mrs Brandon who helped start the lending library, creating a catalogue of books and who was passionate about the service in the community.
In the early evening of 16 April 1944 at 6pm, a fire broke out in the Town Hall, spreading quickly across the East and South-East of the building. The inquiry into the fire deemed it an accident, probably caused by the cloth at the South side of stage catching fire with an unextinguished match or cigarette dropped by a member of the military concert party. The fire destroyed the entire collection of the Public Library and Museum.
A temporary Library was set up in June 1944 at the Kelvin Store, situated at the South East corner of crossing between John Street and Dean Street.
Following the fire and destruction of the old Town Hall, a revised Public Library & Museum Ordinance 1944 was approved and replaced the Ordinance from 1918. The library was included in the plans for the new Town Hall and eventually opened. In addition to the books provided by the British Council, local individuals also donated and gifted the Public Library a variety of books to build their collection. The Stanley Town Council also acted on behalf of the Library to purchase books from Britain and book sellers across the world.
For the museum, there were more challenges to the continuation of their service. Despite being allocated a room West to the Public Library in the Hall, no action was taken to actively use the room as a museum. Instead it was used as a parcel sorting room for a number of years. Museum items were temporary placed in the Secretariat Conference Room and surrounding passages in 1964. Willoughby Harry (Tommy) Thompson, the Colonial Secretary who had a strong passion for the history and heritage of the Islands, was anxious to keep the museum’s collection together and was not supportive of its temporary location in the Secretariat. In 1969 before he completed his term and left the Islands, he organised for the collection and exhibits to be moved to the old Spinners and Weavers’ room in the north side of the Gymnasium (the old bank). At that point in time, those wishing to have access to the records in the Museum had to request key from the Police Station and there continued to be a risk of fire.
The museum was later moved and housed in the FIC Offices, before opening in the Britannia House building in 1987 until it was closed on 4 April 2014 to begin preparations for its final move to its current location at the Old Dockyard.
The Library was moved from the Town Hall to its new location within the Falklands Islands Community School when it opened in 1992. The Post Office within the Town Hall was then upgraded and extended to take up the old premises of the Library in the Hall. With the completion of the building of the Falkland College in 2020, the Public Library moved from FICS. In November 2021, a plaque was unveiled officially naming it the Christie Community Library in memory of the Mr William and Mrs Merle Christie, commemorating their lives and service to the Falklands.
CUL-LIB-1-1. Library and museum committee.pdf1001.68 KB
CUL-LIB-1-2. Reports further sales of The Story of the Falkland Islands.pdf1.13 MB
CUL-LIB-1-4. Rules Public Library and Museum.pdf1.88 MB
CUL-LIB-1-5. Library and Museum to be opened to public on 2 May 1919.pdf695.22 KB
CUL-LIB-1-6. Transfer of pictures of Antarctic Explorer to Museum or Library.pdf753.83 KB
CUL-LIB-1-8. Formation of a lending library at Fox Bay West Falkland.pdf1.04 MB
CUL-LIB-1-9. Presentation of books to Public Library by Select Vestry Christ Church Cathedral.pdf1.09 MB
CUL-LIB-1-10. Presentation of copy of Victory over Blindness to Library.pdf656.94 KB
CUL-LIB-1-11. Asks permission to kill 2 silver Grebe for Falkland Museum.pdf799.34 KB
CUL-LIB-1-12. Dressing and mounting of 63 bird skins for the Public Museum Port Stanley.pdf5.15 MB
CUL-LIB-1-13. Submits manuscript of Library catalogue for printing.pdf22.23 MB
CUL-LIB-1-14. Appointment of Library and Museum attendant successor to Miss A E Felton.pdf2.2 MB
CUL-LIB-1-16. Museum care of specimens placed in charge of Government Naturalist.pdf542.72 KB
CUL-LIB-1-17. Grant to Library and Museum 1922.pdf1.44 MB
CUL-LIB-1-18. Library and Museum Committee Section 3 Ord No 4 of 1918.pdf6.06 MB
CUL-LIB-1-19. Museum whaling gun and shells presented to.pdf2.37 MB
CUL-LIB-1-20. Grant to Library and Museum 1924.pdf487.8 KB
CUL-LIB-1-21. Notifies forwarding of parcel of bird skins for mounting.pdf6.41 MB
CUL-LIB-1-22. Appointment of Library and Museum Committee 1925.pdf36.73 MB
CUL-LIB-1-23. Annual grant to funds of Public Library and Museum for the year 1925 1926.pdf1.59 MB
CUL-LIB-1-24. Miscellaneous matters in connection with public Library and Museum.pdf971.18 KB
CUL-LIB-1-25. Suggested scheme for schoolchildren to pay periodical visits to Museum.pdf1.36 MB
CUL-LIB-2-2. The Library and Museum ordinance 1944.pdf1.54 MB
CUL-LIB-2-3. Town Hall Fire Public Library.pdf24.57 MB
CUL-LIB-2-4. Appointment of Library and Museum Committee.pdf29.27 MB
CUL-LIB-2-5. Stanley Town Council Library.pdf5.16 MB
CUL-LIB-2-6. Stanley Town Council Library - 19 Oct 1960-17 Feb 1972 - Part I.pdf26.46 MB
CUL-LIB-2-6. Stanley Town Council Library - 19 Oct 1960-17 Feb 1972- Part II.pdf39.99 MB
CUL-LIB-2-7. Camp library scheme.pdf5.02 MB
CUL-LIB-2-8. Town Council Museum showcases.pdf896.54 KB
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