The Miners’ Library cottage and two others needed essential repairs to prevent water ingress and protect the collection they house, after the pandemic impacted on the museum’s ability to carry out maintenance work. A contribution of £75,752 from the COVID-19 Response Fund will help make them weatherproof and avoid further deterioration.
The Museum of Lead Mining consists of a series of mine-workers cottages and the mine itself in the village of Wanlockhead in south-west Scotland. It sits within a conservation area and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Mining of lead ore began in the 1600s and lasted until lead become cheaper to import in the 1950s. The miners worked as free men, unlike coal miners, and had access to an education and welfare system that was well used.
A Miners' Library was founded in 1756 by a group of lead miners. It is one of the oldest subscription libraries in Europe, and one of the few surviving examples of a community subscription library providing education and culture to working people. A Recognised Collection, it holds circa 2,800 volumes which reflect the interests and social history of those using the library during the 18th and 19th centuries.