Cobbett Road Library: a personal journey

As a young mum in the 1970s, recently moved to Southampton, two places in Bitterne Park soon came to feature regularly in my daily life - one was the Church Hall in Lacon Close (now long gone, but at that time home to a thriving Toddlers’ Club), the other was Cobbett Road Library. We (husband, myself, small son) came upon the library by chance, and were delighted to find such a treasure trove (of books, resources and friendly faces) so close to home

One particular family memory (from the early 80s) is of a visit from children’s author and illustrator John Ryan, who gave an informal talk as he sketched away at an easel - what a treat, especially for our younger son, who was a huge fan of Captain Pugwash at the time! As our family grew and their interests changed, there was always plenty to draw us to Cobbett, not least the summer holiday book trails (happy memories of two boys and their little sister coming home with armfuls of books), then the children’s library packed on a September Saturday morning, when the young readers received their certificates and medals for completing the trail.

Fast forward a few years, and I’ve become a teacher at a special school. A walk to Cobbett came to feature on our timetable, not just as an opportunity for my class to practise valuable life skills, but for the sheer enjoyment of the range of reading material on offer - there really was something for everyone (and some of us did have very specific interests). Most importantly, all this could happen in a calm and safe environment, the library staff always welcoming and supportive.

A few years more, and I’m a grandma, introducing another little girl to the delights of Cobbett. We usually went on a Friday morning, when we had fun as part of the Cobbles Toddler Group (always great excitement when the box of percussion instruments appeared!), and browsed contentedly among the books afterwards. I discovered the delights of ‘Room on the Broom’, and other Julia Donaldson favourites.

With the easing of work and family commitments, we were able as a couple to devote a bit more time to the library, initially by attending the Friday evening talks (what a great range of speakers, they seemed to cover everything from fungi to family history), and then giving more active support by joining the Friends group. I started volunteering as a library gardener, trying to carry on the good work undertaken by two inspirational ladies who had done so much already. We even entered Southampton in Bloom, and, thanks to a successful grant application, were able to transform the drab paved area at the back of the building into a flourishing courtyard garden.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the various challenges Cobbett has faced in the twenty first century, it still seems to me the heart of our local community, a place people of all ages have come to know and love, whether to sing along in Rhyme Time, unleash their creativity in Drama, or relax in Tai Chi. We’ve enjoyed Christmas Fayres and Macmillan Tea Parties, Art exhibitions and (under patient instruction) Regency dancing. Those talks and presentations have continued too; children’s author Ali Sparkes and naturalist Chris Packham (both hugely supportive of Cobbett) have entertained and inspired us in recent years.

Thanks to everyone who has helped to make Cobbett such a success during its long life. In 2019 we celebrated the Library’s eightieth birthday - here’s to the next ten years!