kingston atheneum

The Library of the Kingston Atheneum at 31 Duke Street opened to members each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 11am – 5.30pm. Established in 1899, the library was still operating in February 1932 when the Gleaner newspaper published a notice that 469 new books had arrived and would be put into circulation the following Saturday. The books were popular works: In July 1923, the Gleaner advertised the Library’s receipt of ‘Ways of Laughter’ by Harold Beghie, ‘The Seventh Wave’ by Tucker Exvartes, ‘The Wednesday Wife’ by Juliette Gordon Smith, ‘The Veneerings’ by Sir Harry Johnston and ‘Hounded Down’ by David Durham.

The Society was a popular one with some four hundred members – 308 men and 97 women – in 1910. It had a connection with the nearby Institute of Jamaica, but there may have been issues because of the greater popular appeal of the Atheneum in terms of members, fees and activities. A Gleaner report of 1905 noted that the “young society frankly caters to the popular taste in the way of books and periodicals, arranges for light lectures, Parliaments, concerts ‘hat nights’ and the like, charges only 4 shillings a year for the privileges of membership and so has over 300 on its roll while the Institute has only 127.”