You found it!!! #LostCambridge hero John Pink spent *half a century* building up the Cambridge Central Library from 1854 till his death in the early 1900s. He got the first purpose-built free library built in 1884 round the back of the Guildhall and also the first branch library on Mill Rd in 1897 >

In those years there was an official CU fascist society.
“Cambridge undergraduates have punch-up with anti-war activists outside The Tivoli Cinema – November 1933” lostcambridge.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/c... #lostcambridge

One of the texts I picked out: #LostCambridge 1991. “Acceptance of the second rate has been a dominant factor in poor economic performance…and in a widespread failure to create tolerable urban standards leading to all manner of consequential social problems & divisiveness.” Sir Alan Muir Wood. 😳

The Wellcome Library digitised its archive of these #localgov reports. I wrote about Cambridge’s ones in #LostCambridge at lostcambridge.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/8...

#LostCambridge 1913. Sir Hiram Maxim gave a lecture and predicted that the threat of air raids destroying capital cities would prevent wars from starting. www.britishnewspaperarchive.com/image-viewer... A century later and pilotless military drones became the norm.

#LostCambridge 18 Feb 1939. "At this meeting the organised youth of the country will affirm its readiness to defend democracy with all the means in its power, and its readiness to fight Fascism. www.britishnewspaperarchive.com/image-viewer...

#LostCambridge 1965-69 Re #Localgov reorganisation and having boundaries that match local and sub-regional economies, the in-depth 'Redcliffe-Maud' proposals tried to do this. It still reads well today cambridgetownowl.com/2025/07/03/c... His report shd have been the starting point for new councils.