K is for K

In ‘A-Z of Loughborough’ under the letter ‘K’ I wrote about King Street and Knightthorpe, which seemed to me to be two rather obvious choices! For the A-Z Blogging Challenge, I pondered for some time as to what to write, so eventually plumped simply for K!!!

This choice will make more sense when I elaborate a bit, and when I tell you that for letter ‘N’ in ‘A-Z of Loughborough’ I wrote about the Haslegrave Building on the university campus! Ah, is my letter ‘K’ becoming more evident?!

So, looking at the university campus map, the building noted as being letter ‘K’ is the Herbert Manzoni building – but it hasn’t always been known as that!!

Building K was originally built as the university library. The architects were R. Sheppard, Robson and Partners, and the contract for the building of this and other structures, which amounted to £1,750,000, was awarded to the local building firm of Moss. In addition to the library, Moss were contracted to construct buildings for the aeronautical and automobile engineering department, a science block, new workshops, an extension on the Brockington Building, as well as halls of residence – Farraday, Telford, Royce, Whitworth, Rutherford, and Cayley.

The contract was awarded in 1959, and the buildings completed by 1962. The library – a central part of any student’s learning – won a Bronze medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Inside the Herbert Manzoni building in 1978 when it was the library

The area around the library was later made into a square, with the building of Admin 1, and the EHB, with the central focus being the magnificent Cedar of Lebanon, which had been in the garden of Burleigh Hall, which was demolished and the site used for Admin 1.

New paving being added summer 2023, building K in the background

EHB in the background

Fast forward a few years, and in late 1980, the new Pilkington Library was opened. Thus, the use of Building K changed, as did its name. Herbert Manzoni (1899-1972) was the son of a sculptor, but didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps, instead he became a civil engineer, rising to the position of President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1960-61. Manzoni was an engineering assistant in the Sewers and Rivers Department in Birmingham 1923-1927, and Chief Engineer 1927-1935. In 1935 he became the surveyor for the city of Birmingham. He seems to have stayed in Birmingham for most of his career, but in 1963 he was Chair of the Governors of Loughborough College, until 1966 when the college was granted its university charter.

I mentioned EHB earlier: this was (and still is!) the Edward Herbert Building, and was named after Sir Edward Herbert. It was Sir Edward Herbert that Manzoni followed, as Chair of the Governors, so it is quite appropriate that the former library was renamed to the Herbert Manzoni Building. Further, Manzoni was followed in the role (or at least as similar role as possible, given that the college was now a university) by Lord Pilkington – after whom the new library was named!         

The approach to Building K from Schofield Building

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This post is one in a series of posts in the 'April A-Z Blogging Challenge'

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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