The public philanthropist
Detail from Freedom scroll (English MS 1139)
"one of the most notable women of her generation"
JRL/7/7/2 Cuttings Book, 1889-1908 p. 126: Christian World, 6 February 1908.
John and Enriqueta lived in Stretford, where they provided many facilities for local people. These included a Town Hall, with public baths and a library, and the Longford Institute, with a bowling green, tennis court and playground.
John Rylands funded the construction of Stretford Town Hall (now Trafford Town Hall), which opened in 1879. The buildings were enlarged in 1888, with John donating the organ that was placed in the large hall. In 1903, Enriqueta funded improvements to the buildings, and both John and Enriqueta allowed the local authority to pay a nominal rent for their use.
In 1882 John Rylands bought a country house near Ryde on the Isle of Wight. After his death, Enriqueta turned the house into a place of rest and refreshment for ministers.
We can find something out about Enriqueta’s favourite causes from her will. For example, she gave £5,000 to the Manchester and Salford Street Children’s Mission. This charity, next door to the Library, is now called the Wood Street Mission. The archive of the Mission shows that Enriqueta was closely involved with the annual dinner for old ladies.
The decorative illumination is full of symbolism, from the Manchester worker bee to the lamp of enlightenment. To the left of the image of the Library is the coat of arms created for Enriqueta Rylands in 1893.
The date of the presentation was chosen to coincide with the official opening of The John Rylands Library – John and Enriqueta’s wedding anniversary. This souvenir brochure describes the building and the treasures it contained.
In her speech, Enriqueta focused on the relationship between the Library and the City - ‘in all its manifold activities and life’. She founded the Library in Manchester because of its association with her husband’s life. In doing so, she became part of her adopted city.