Remembering Cirencester's greatest benefactor (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Remembering Cirencester's greatest benefactor

HE was arguably Cirencester's greatest benefactor. And civic leaders are lining up a host of events to celebrate the centenary of Daniel Bingham's greatest gift to the town.

On January 21, it was exactly 100 years since the foundation stone was laid for the original Bingham Library.

The Dyer Street building, which is now called Bingham House and is home to the Cirencester Town Council chamber and offices, was completed in September 1905.

And during the next 18 months, a number of celebrations will take part to honour Mr Bingham, who was born in the town.

Town councillor Shirley Alexander, who is leading the centenary working group, said: "The main aim is to raise the profile of Daniel Bingham and what he has done for Cirencester, which is a lot.

"We hope to have lots of different events to mark the centenary.

"We've got lots of memorabilia about the town and we want to share that in a series of exhibitions."

The Bingham Library was opened by the then Earl Bathurst in front of a large crowd on September 21, 1905.

It cost £50,000, of which half was invested to provide for a professional librarian, staff, stock and running expenses.

Such was the popularity of lectures at the facility that more space was needed and Mr Bingham, who made his money through the railways and investments, built and endowed the Bingham Hall in King Street.

The hall was used for theatrical performances and as a rifle range and remains a popular venue to this day.

Mr Bingham also enhanced facilities at the Memorial Hospital in Sheep Street.

A framed inscription outlining the history of Daniel Bingham can be viewed in the council chamber.

But a large number of historic photographs, paintings and maps are also held in storage by the town council and the Bingham Library Trust is keen to open them open to public viewing as the centrepiece of the centenary celebrations.

Pictures of old Cirencester, along with shots taken to mark the opening of the Bingham Library are among the collection.

A new library was opened in the grounds of Dyer House by Gloucestershire County Council in 1975, but the trust, which was formed in 1974 and offers grants for a variety of causes, continues to serve Cirencester.

The first major event to mark the centenary was a service at Cirencester Parish Church on January 21.

The trust is currently in the process of arranging further events, which will include a series of lectures and exhibitions.

DANIEL George Bingham was born in Black Jack Street, Cirencester, in 1830. He was the third son of cabinet maker Daniel Bingham and was educated at the town's grammar school. After being employed as a clerk at Cirencester's Great Western Railway station, he moved to Paddington with his district manager James Staats Forbes. Mr Bingam then travelled to Holland, where he succeeded Mr Forbes as general manager of the Dutch Rhenish Railway. He married his cousin Jane Brain and they set up home in Utrecht, where, after investing wisely, he retired in 1890 a rich man. Despite the distance, Mr Bingham never lost contact with Cirencester and was particularly concerned about the ailing public library in the Corn Hall. He purchased a warehouse in Dyer Street as the site for a new library, and also bought the house next door. This site is now the Bingham library. Mr Bingham died in 1913 and was buried in Utrecht but his memory lives on and is best served by the proposal of thanks given by Earl Bathurst at the opening of the Bingham Library.

It reads: "Your name, Sir, will be remembered by many generations with grateful hearts and your example will shed lustre on the pages of the history of this town."