Rathbone Family Library

[julzrulz]

Hi all, my Mom worked for the Rathbones during the 1930's and has recently recalled a library where she worked. She said it was a round room, completely lined with books, and an elderly member of the family slept in there. She said he was 99, and part of her duties were to go in every morning and empty his chamber pot, which was in a small privy off the main room.
Does anyone know where this was, or indeed who the man may have been? I am sure there must have been photos taken of the room, and I would love to show my Mom some (she is now 94). She still reads around 5 books a week, and has long credited her love of literature back to the days when she was allowed to borrow a book a week from this library.
Many thanks.....Julie

[Pegasus]

Julie.

Follow the below link & you can access the Rathbone Family Tree (& other info), could help you.

http://liv.ac.uk/library/sca/colldescs/rathbone/

[dickiesam]

Greenbank House, the home of the Rathbone family...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbank_House

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's a lovely story but not sure it can be substantiated. Thanks DS for the links to the family home and the generations, not sure I can correlate one of those people to be of that age, anyway.

20 years before the 1930's the second wife of William Rathbone VI (from the biography - Emily Acheson Lyle)was living in the house, the household comprised Emily A Rathbone who was 78 and had private means, and was born in Dublin, her daughter Eleanor F was 38, born London and a member of the City Council, surely there must be a biography about her online, and a number of servants.

[julzrulz]

Many thanks, the Rathbone Archives were interesting, it may been Hugh that was sleeping in the library as the date he died would be about right, although not the age.
Can't find any interior pictures of the house though!
And Mom was second ladies maid to Eleanor.

[dickiesam]

And Mom was second ladies maid to Eleanor.

Shades of Downton Abbey! Your Mom would 'recognise' staff portrayed in the series.

[julzrulz]

Absolutely! That's what got us talking about it, how Mom had to lay out all of the different sets of appropriate clothes for different times of the day. She was only young, 14/15 and the family took her on from the Domestic Training School for Girls in Shaw Street.

[Hilary]

This looks interesting especially the mention of staff wages

www.liv.ac.uk/library/sca/colldescs/rathbone/prop.htm

[Tina]

Many thanks Julie for such an interesting post and your Mum's memories.
Great reading