Passmore Edwards Library
PASSMORE EDWARDS LIBRARY, PLASHET GROVE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1261973
- Date first listed:
- 16-May-1994
- List Entry Name:
- Passmore Edwards Library
- Statutory Address:
- PASSMORE EDWARDS LIBRARY, PLASHET GROVE
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1261973
- Date first listed:
- 16-May-1994
- List Entry Name:
- Passmore Edwards Library
- Statutory Address 1:
- PASSMORE EDWARDS LIBRARY, PLASHET GROVE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- PASSMORE EDWARDS LIBRARY, PLASHET GROVE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Newham (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 41945 84280
Details
The following building shall be added:
TQ 48 SW PLASHET GROVE (north side) 251-/4/10004 Passmore Edwards Library (former)
II
Public library, now registry office. 1898-9 by Silvanus Trevail. Red brick with stone dressings, slate roof with three-stage cupola bearing clock. Two storeys, with gabled attic over entrance bay. Three bays, the outer bays with five-light mullion and transom windows under parapets sporting trefoil headed panels. Central entrance composed like a Diocletian window, pair of blue marble Ionic columns carrying arch, spandrels with bas-reliefs of seated figures with scroll and book. Aprons of first-floor windows inscribed in raised letters 'PASSMORE EDWARDS PUBLIC LIBRARY'. Gabled two-storey returns with windows at first and attic storey. Lower rear section contains reading room (low projecting bay on east side originally contained the ladies' bay). Interior contains a hammerbeam roof to rear reading room. The first and attic storeys originally housed the chief librarian. Opened by Herbert Gladstone, MP, 30 November 1899. Largely paid for by John Passmore Edwards, philanthropist and proprietor of the Building News, who promoted libraries in the poorer parts of London. This is an uncommonly richly decorated example of his patronage in a suburban area. Source: Building News, 11 November 1898.
Listing NGR: TQ4194584280
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 436215
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Buildings News in 11 November, (1898)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 15-Jun-2026 at 08:07:05.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.