Billericay Reading Rooms
The Billericay Reading Room, 73 High Street, was founded as a literary institute in 1864 by Major Spitty, a prominent local citizen and land owner. The original part of the building adjacent to the High Street was built in 1886 and shortly afterwards a charitable trust was formed by a group of local people. In 1903 an extension was built with a lantern light in the roof and an additional extension comprising a kitchen, store and toilets was built in 1964. In the corridor leading to the kitchen is an area of exposed brickwork in which each brick displays the name or initials of a person who, it is assumed, contributed towards the cost of a previous phase, probably th3 1903 extension, the rear half of the main hall. Local historians on the committee managing the Rooms have identified the following from historic records: Hudson Potter, W Hare, T E Wormald, E B Payne, C Thirkettle R Williams F Saville, W Houghton, P Bassingthwaite, Rev. B Hackett, Dr Carter, H W Pritt and W G Pritt. Attempts are now being made to discover details of the following: EM or GEM, S J Gay, R Allen, Dr or D R Hilliard, Alex H, MAC, S E Carroll, H T Clark. If you have information concerning the background or identity of these people, or if you would like to know more about the people we have already identified please ring John James on 01277 656060. The Rooms have recently been completely refurbished and modernised internally. If you wish to hire the rooms, bookings can be made through Richard Marson on 01277 624016.