I grew up in Knowle Park, in south Bristol, and attended the local primary school, known at the time as Knowle Park Junior Mixed School; for most of my time there my classroom was in an offshoot of the School known as The Annexe.
I have written elsewhere about some of my experiences there but this is a little different. The Annexe was a ten or fifteen minute walk from the local Library and, towards the end of my primary schooling, the class used to process in a crocodile from the School to the Library. On our first or second visit each member of the class was equipped with a Library card in his/her name, and encouraged to explore. I took advantage of this privilege and regularly borrowed books until I went off to University; my visits to the Library were treasured interludes in my life.
Right from the start I looked at books some of which were too old for me but my curiosity and sense of adventure were stimulated. I discovered several authors for whom I still retain an affection, including Eric Linklater, WW Jacobs and Arnold Bennett and, joy of joys, a complete series of Arthur Ransome books so that I was able to read those I didn't already own. Oh, and Hugh Lofting, who wrote the Dr Doolittle books.
What appealed to me was that a coat of arms was not only visually interesting but often contained all sorts of clues to the history and activities of the bearer. And it was systematic; anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for systems.
My parents, of course, could not remain ignorant of this passion and, for Christmas or my birthday in 1954 they gave me a copy of Boutell's Heraldry, one of the most respected text books on the subject. I had discovered that anyone who had led a respectable life and had made some kind of contribution to society could apply for and could reasonably expect to be granted a coat of arms, and I remember sitting in bed, looking at Boutell, and deciding that this was something I would do.
In 2000, not long after the death of my father, and using part of his legacy, I visited the College of Arms in Princess Victoria Street and met Richmond Herald of the time, Patric Dickinson. After an interesting meeting during which he interviewed me about my life, it was agreed that he would come up with a suggestion, which I could accept or not as I chose. The design shown was his first draft and was not at all what I had expected, However, I accepted it and a few weeks later, the arms were officially granted.
The point of this post, however, is not about the arms. It is about the power of libraries to influence and inspire young people, as it did for me.
