Passmore Edwards Library

Do you know that feeling of going somewhere every day and being so familiar with it that you don’t see something special or obvious about it – and then feeling delighted when you notice it? That’s what I want to do with my art. I’ve been sketching again in Newton Abbot, in Devon, this time the Passmore Edwards Centre.

Sketching Newton Abbot - The Hall of Einar - (c) David Bailey (not the)

It was built as a library and technical school by a philanthropist called John Passmore Edwards in memory of his mother who was born in the town. It was completed in 1904. Amazingly, it’s still an open public library.

It has a continuous plinth, cornices, triangular and curved window pediments, protruding pilasters and finials, and windows with mullions and transoms. The second floor has elaborate swags, finials and Gibbs surrounds to the windows. Looking at it has been a wonderful lesson in architectural terminology.

Part of my Postcards from Newton Abbot series of postcard-sized ink and watercolour sketches.

Ink: Platinum brun sepia pigmented ink
Pen: Sailor Fude de Mannen fountain pen
Watercolour: Derwent Graphitint watercolours

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Sal says:

5 February, 2025 at 4:29 pm

It’s a lovely building and a place where I spent so much of my childhood, being a book lover. And as I became older, it was a place where I would stop on the way home from Newton Abbot Grammar School ( another building that you could sketch..although it’s now Newton Abbot College…it has the words ‘Prudens Futuri’ under the clock on the front of the school. You probably know it?) , in order to pick up books for my mum or to lug home the Stanley Gibbons stamp album, just to check if I had collected anything of value!

John Passmore Edwards also gave public libraries to a number of towns in Cornwall as well as a couple in London. His name lives on!

David @ the HALL of EINAR says:

10 February, 2025 at 10:03 am

Yes, I spent many happy times taking my kids to the library there – and attending adult education sessions there. It’s beautifully designed.
I’ll have to sketch the schools eventually – I’ve always admired the old building at Newton Abbot College. Thanks Sal.

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