Thomas Booth, co-founder Burnley Mechanics Institute.

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iBase ID

277704

Reference identifier

EBU20190122008

Title

Thomas Booth, co-founder Burnley Mechanics Institute.

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Thomas Booth

General notes

Thomas Booth, b 1801, was cashier /book-keeper at Marsland's foundry, and one of "a few poor men" responsible for starting a working men's book club , which became the Mechanics Library, with Booth as its first librarian from 1834 to 1838. From this modest start, the library eventually led to the foundation of the Mechanics Institute in 1855 and eventually Burnley Technical Institute. The story of the Mechanics is told in the History section of the Burnley Mechanics which is now Burnley's main theatre and arts centre. Thomas Booth was also heavily involved with Ebenezer Baptist Church and Sunday School .
On 14.3.1868 (p.2), the Burnley Gazette reported that Thomas Booth had attempted sucide by cutting his throat having been "in a depressed state of mind for some time past" and although he was not expected to survive, his death is recorded as taking place between July and September of that year, with the burial taking place on 2nd September 1868. (Burnley Cemetery)

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

3.5 x 5.2

Year of image

1860?

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Locator

Web link

Burnley Mechanics' website has a potted history