A Short History of Steeple Claydon

The Library

• The Chaloners estate was sold to the Verneys in, 1705. The late Sir Harry Verney ‘found the school in ruins. It was repaired in 1808.
• He bought the adjoining property from Mr. Grace, and built the schoolmaster’s residence.
• In 1865 Lady Dunsany, aunt to his (Sir Edmund’s) mother. Eliza Lady added an additional classroom to the single room of which Chaloners school had hitherto consisted.
• Sir Edmund and Lady Verney proposed that the Parish Council should undertake their control and management behalf of the parishioners.
• The Chaloner School Trust Public Hearing Inquiry. In connection with the Charity Commission, Whitehall, a public inquiry into the Chaloners School Trust was held in the schoolroom, on the 12 May 1894 .
• Steeple Claydon First Parish Council Meeting was held on Monday evening December 31^st 1894
• Parish Council Meeting rejected the question of a Library in the village. This was overcome and on the 7th February 1901 the Public Libraries Act was adopted.
• The Parish Council Meeting on the 22nd February 1901 elected Sir E.H Verney as chairman.
• Elm Villa was purchased to use as the Public Library until the Chaloners Schools became available.
• The Library Committee met on the 30th May 1901 at Elm Villa to set the agenda for the opening of the Library,
• The Public Library at Elm Villas .Opened it’s doors. on Monday evening June 10th 1901.
• New Library and Public Hall.The library opened on the 7th Nov 1902. in its ultimate destination,”the Chaloners Schools.”
• The Gift of the Verney Family.
• The first was Miss Nightingale’s cheque for £50. With which to buy books. That cheque had been enclosed in a stone frame, and built into the wall of the recreation room, where it could been seen the autograph of one England’s noblest women.
• Lady McLaren announced that the key fitted the lock of the library, and she had great pleasure declaring it open.

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