St. Bride’s Foundation, William Blades Library

Bride Lane, Fleet Street, City of London

St Bride’s Library is the “world’s foremost printing and graphic arts library”, with an astounding collection of early printed books, typefaces, rare newspapers and an archive on covering the history of printing. It is part of the St Bride’s Foundation, which was set up in 1883. Today the Foundation runs the Bridewell Theatre, library, and holds lectures, educational visits and printing demonstrations. The nucleus of the library is the collection of printer William Blades, an authority on William Caxton. The library opened in 1895, and the William Blades collection was given its own room, set within a special concrete room with iron doors to protect it from fire. Elegant bookcases with gothic trefoil carving were built for the room. Over the years these have suffered knocks and slight damage, particularly to the trefoil decoration. The Foundation are going to restore the William Blades Library and repair the bookcases, which is estimated to cost £34,000. Board member Jonathan Gestetner, who has family ties to the printing trade, has pledged £2,000 towards the restoration work. The Trust has also offered matching funds to bring the total grant to £4,000.