In 1887, the Lord Howard of Glossop, donated a piece of land to seven public spirited men who had put together a sum of four thousand pounds in order to construct "a building for the people". Photograph courtesy of Cliff Hales taken in 1974.

The Victoria Hall was completed in 1888 to an extremely high standard along with a prominent bell tower and was officially opened on 20th December 1888 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The tower possesses the towns and Dukes crest entwined together carved into its stone work along with the faces of Rhodes and Partington. There were plans to add a bell at a later date but this never came to be. On the ground floor an impressive large, open and free, public library. On the first floor was an Assembly Hall with a sprung dance floor to accommodate 450 people suitable for concerts, dances and meetings.

An photo from ’Glossop - A Sketch From The Earliest Period’ printed and published by Messrs. Jenkinson and Hamnett in 1904.

Kelly’s Directory
Free Library & Public Hall (Miss Bessie Hodgson, librarian), Fauvel road

Kelly’s Directory
Free Library & Public Hall (Edward Thompson, librarian), Fauvel road

Kelly’s Directory
Etchells James Hollowood, shopkeeper, 28a Talbot street
Glossop Grammar School (Ralph H. Dickinson, head master), Talbot street

Kelly’s Directory
Free Library & Victoria Hall (Edward Thompson, librarian & caretaker), Fauvel rd.

Kelly’s Directory
Bruckshaw Wm. shopkpr. 28a, Talbot st. T N 65
Mottram Sarah (Mrs.), midwife, 16 Talbot st
Glossop Grammar School (Cecil Lord B.A. head master), Talbot st. T N 245
Higinbottom Hy. F.B.O.A., F.N.A.O., F.I.O.O. optician, Talbot villas, Talbot st. T N 335

The Glossop Centenary Handbook of 1966 describes the library as, "The Central Library at Victoria Hall (Tel. 2616) has a well stocked lending library with a children’s section and a reference library and reading room. Times of opening are Mondays, Thursdays and |Fridays: 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., Tuesdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m."

English Heritage Grade II Listed Building.
Concert hall and public library. 1887. Coursed rock-faced millstone grit with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roofs with coped gables and kneelers.
STYLE: Gothic Revival.
PLAN: cruciform plan, the main range containing library to ground and hall to first floor, with entrances in east and west wings that to east with bell tower.
EXTERIOR: 2 Storeys. Chamfered plinth and chamfered sill bands. Square east bell tower has steps and ramp to 4-centred arch doorway in moulded ashlar surround with double panel doors and overlight, flanked by single dated foundation stones, above 2 single light windows and rectangular plaque with coat-of-arms inscribed:- Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough/ "Virtus, Veritas et Libertas". Above again single pointed arch bell opening to each face with tracery and louvres. Topped quatrefoil parapet, projecting corner pinnacles with ball finials and square spire with finial and lucarnes. Main north front has 5 window canted apsidal end with 4 window sides, divided by single storey pilasters topped with ball finials. Blind quatrefoil panels between floors, topped with blind arcaded and coped parapet. Side windows single light, apsidal windows paired in chamfered surrounds with dividing mullion. Central bay topped by pedimented gable with ball finial and escutcheon inscribed:- "Public Library Glossop" To west entrance to Victoria Hall similar to east entrance with 2 similar windows above topped with gable. Remaining elevations with similar detailing, basement level apparent to rear south facade.
INTERIOR: has main entrance hall with glazed tiles bearing heraldic motif and inscription. Tower contains staircase to first floor hall. Opposing entrance from west with wooden staircase. Ground floor library retains moulded architraves to panelled doors and engaged pilasters support encased wide beams. Plastered and painted. Built to commemorated Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, donated by H Rhodes and Capt Partington, foundation stones laid 30 July 1887.
© English Heritage 2000.
The National Heritage List Text Entries contained in this material were obtained on 17/2/2016. The most publicly available up to date National Heritage List Text Entries can be obtained from www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Discussions started between High Peak council and Derbyshire County Council to relocate the library from Victoria Hall to a revamped indoor market in the town centre. The proposal formed part of a £4.5m scheme to refurbish the indoor market hall.

Plans to move the library into the market hall cancelled, after the revamp was shelved due to government spending cuts. Council chiefs confirmed they are looking at moving the library to the former Co-op building facing Norfolk Square.

Glossop Save Our Library Service (SOUL) is set up with the aim; to work with Derbyshire County Council to retain the library in the Hall and with High Peak Borough Council to ensure the long term viability of the rest of the Hall.

Derbyshire County Councils proposal to move Glossop Library into the former Co-op building in the town centre bite the dust.

Glossop SOUL release the results of a survey of 10,000 people which asked, "Do you want the library to remain in the Victoria Hall." to which 97% replied yes.

Derbyshire County Council submits planning application for a new library on the site of the Old St Luke’s School.

County Councillors Damien Greenhaigh and Ellie Wilcox shred the controversial plans for a new library after Labour took control of Derbyshire County Council, the controversial plan to demolish the old St Luke’s School and build a modern library was withdrawn. Newly elected DCC councillors Damien Greenhaigh and Ellie Wilcox confirmed that Glossops library will stay at Victoria Hall. "It’s an exciting time for Victoria Hall and the library within. We are very happy to reaffirm our pre-election pledge to retain and improve the library service in the Victoria Hall. We want the work that is carried out to secure the future of the library and community use of the building for another 125 years."

Photo taken in 2014 by Glossop VAH.

Glossop SOUL reported that £100,000 had been spent on repairs to the Victoria Hall in the last few months.

It was claimed that both Derbyshire County Council and High Peak Borough Council had agreed that Glossop Library must leave Victoria Hall. There had been no comment from any of the councillors or the council and no documentation had been made available to explain the costing of £3 million that councillors claim is needed to repair the building.

Glossop SOUL receive a Big Lottery Grant of £10.000 which will enable them to carry out their feasibility study on the Victoria Hall. The grant will allow SOUL to consult with the people of Glossopdale about their thoughts on the future of Victoria Hall and the library.

Glossop’s Victoria Hall closed its doors to the public after 130 years, the library opened in 1888. While less than 50 yards away, along Talbot Street, the finishing touches were being put to the £2m new library that replaces it - which opened on Wednesday, April 25. For many of the people dropping off books at the Victoria Hall library for the last time it was an emotional experience. One man, who asked not to be named, said: "I joined the library here when I was 11 and that’s more than 60 years ago. I will still go to the new library but it won’t be the same. Victoria Hall had a certain presence, all the atmosphere of a traditional old library, even the smell of books, I will miss it." The new library is a two-storey extension attached to Glossop Adult Centre. The thousands of books, DVDs and other audio/visual recordings have been transferred across to the new Derbyshire County Council library. Then Victoria Hall, built with money from local benefactors, will be completely empty. The basement, once home to the Millennium Cellar youth club, and the first floor which featured events as varied as dances and drama productions to a Glossop Grammar School exam hall and wrestling, closed years ago. Cash willing, the three storey building will eventually become the Victoria Arts Centre. For the time being however, it will stand empty.

Photo taken in April 2019 by Colin Ashcroft.