Half a century ago, Downend Library in South Gloucestershire was opened. Today, the 50th anniversary of the library was celebrated by users of the library and past and present staff. Councillor Janet Biggin, the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, welcomed guests and there was music from the Westerly Showband. I was among the guests invited to the event, held in Downend Library this morning, as I was the first person to take out a book from the new library 50 years ago. The title of the children's book I had chosen was 'Jennings as usual' by Anthony Buckeridge. A photographer from the Evening Post took a picture of me receiving it from a member of the library staff and the photograph appeared in this Bristol newspaper later that day. I still read children's fiction and among my favourite authors are the ones whose books I enjoyed reading from the library in my youth. So you can imagine how surprised and pleased I was today, when the librarian at Downend Library presented me with a copy of the very same book which I had taken out of the library all those years ago. Another photographer was at hand to record the occasion. I am going to enjoy and treasure this addition to my bookshelves and relive a bit of my past as I read it. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com

Congratulations for being the first to take out a book at Downend Cemetery. Now we want to see the photos... Three cheers!!! Edna - Ottawa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Josephine Jeremiah" <jojeremiah@dsl.pipex.com> To: <bristol_and_somerset@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 5:56 PM Subject: [B&S] 50th Anniversary of Downend Library celebrated today Half a century ago, Downend Library in South Gloucestershire was opened. Today, the 50th anniversary of the library was celebrated by users of the library and past and present staff. Councillor Janet Biggin, the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, welcomed guests and there was music from the Westerly Showband. I was among the guests invited to the event, held in Downend Library this morning, as I was the first person to take out a book from the new library 50 years ago. The title of the children's book I had chosen was 'Jennings as usual' by Anthony Buckeridge. A photographer from the Evening Post took a picture of me receiving it from a member of the library staff and the photograph appeared in this Bristol newspaper later that day. I still read children's fiction and among my favourite authors are the ones whose books I enjoyed reading from the library in my youth. So you can imagine how surprised and pleased I was today, when the librarian at Downend Library presented me with a copy of the very same book which I had taken out of the library all those years ago. Another photographer was at hand to record the occasion. I am going to enjoy and treasure this addition to my bookshelves and relive a bit of my past as I read it. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com

What an appropriate momento of the occasion. I'm sure you'll treasure it and how great that they found you again! Every time I hear "The Old Clockmaker" by Charles Williams - I'm taken back to Children's Hour and "Jennings at School" which was always so exciting and one of my favourite serials on that programme. Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Josephine Jeremiah" <jojeremiah@dsl.pipex.com> To: <bristol_and_somerset@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 10:56 PM Subject: [B&S] 50th Anniversary of Downend Library celebrated today > Half a century ago, Downend Library in South Gloucestershire was opened. > Today, the 50th anniversary of the library was celebrated by users of the > library and past and present staff. Councillor Janet Biggin, the Chair of > South Gloucestershire Council, welcomed guests and there was music from > the Westerly Showband. > > I was among the guests invited to the event, held in Downend Library this > morning, as I was the first person to take out a book from the new library > 50 years ago. The title of the children's book I had chosen was 'Jennings > as usual' by Anthony Buckeridge. A photographer from the Evening Post took > a picture of me receiving it from a member of the library staff and the > photograph appeared in this Bristol newspaper later that day. > > I still read children's fiction and among my favourite authors are the > ones whose books I enjoyed reading from the library in my youth. So you > can imagine how surprised and pleased I was today, when the librarian at > Downend Library presented me with a copy of the very same book which I had > taken out of the library all those years ago. Another photographer was at > hand to record the occasion. > > I am going to enjoy and treasure this addition to my bookshelves and > relive a bit of my past as I read it. > > Josephine > > -- > Josephine Jeremiah > www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BRISTOL_AND_SOMERSET-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

On Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:52:20 +0100, Pat Hase <pat@pathase.demon.co.uk> wrote: > What an appropriate momento of the occasion. I'm sure you'll treasure it > and how great that they found you again! > Every time I hear "The Old Clockmaker" by Charles Williams - I'm taken > back to Children's Hour and "Jennings at School" which was always so > exciting and one of my favourite serials on that programme. Yes, half a century ago, the television serial about Jennings at school was one of one of my favourites, too. In 1960, I was given 'Jennings Little Hut' as a school prize for cursive handwriting, so reading more Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge became my aim. The day before Downend Library opened in 1960, people were allowed into the library to have a look at what was on the shelves. I spotted the book, 'Jennings as usual', during this time for browsing, so on the day of opening I went straight in, picked it off the shelf and took it to the counter. Then an Evening Post photographer recorded, for posterity, the library's first book being issued to me. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com