- When
- Friday September 12th - Sunday September 21st 2025
- Location
- Eccles Library
- This event has passed.
Come and visit the Grade II Listed Andrew Carnegie funded Library in Eccles, Greater Manchester which opened in October 1907.
Find out about it’s history and see old photos of Eccles in bygone times. During the Heritage Open Days Festival we’ll have a display of old local photos of the Eccles area including the library and its history, there will be some banners exploring the National Lottery funded Eccles Old Rd heritage project, and some dress-up and easy activities for children to enjoy!
There will be some heritage talks that will take place during the festival: one hosted by Local Historian Chris Carson on 50 pictures of Salford, and one hosted by Library Development Officer Claire Gorton on Mr Edward Potts: the Architect of Eccles Library and the first Chairman of the Eccles Borough Library Committee.
It was Edward Potts who initially wrote to Mr Andrew Carnegie to request the funding to enable the Library to be built. The Carnegie Library is Grade II listed and has an impressive interior with stained glass windows and the Coats of Arms of North-West boroughs and towns featured on the walls.
We will also be having an Ancestry taster session for anyone interested in researching their own family history! The talks and taster session will need to be booked in advance.
Join us every day from 12th – 21st September during the library opening hours.
FREE, no booking required.
What's On
Join local historian Chris Carson as we take a history tour of the former local authorities that now make up Salford: Eccles, Irlam & Cadishead, Swinton & Pendlebury, Worsley and Salford.
Friday 12th September: 2pm-3pm: FREE
Ever wondered about how to start researching your family history?
Then come along and have a taster session to get some hints and tips and to have a look at the Ancestry and Find My Past Library editions at Eccles Library.
This will be a relaxed and informal session, although we do ask that you have some computer experience using a mouse and keyboard.
Tuesday 16th September: 2pm – 3:30pm: FREE
Book your tickets →
What do you know about Edward Potts?
Did you know that the renowned Victorian Mill Architect gave his services freely to design the Eccles Carnegie Library, and was also the first Charman of the Eccles Borough Council Library Committee?
Want to know more. Join us for our Heritage Open Days talk on the man with the broad and sympathetic heart at Eccles Library.
Thursday 18th September: 2pm-3pm:FREE
