John Rylands Library never operated as such. A caretaker's house was incorporated in the building until it was demolished for the extension of 1969. Electric lighting was chosen as the cleanest and safest alternative to gas but, as the use of electricity was in its early stages, the supply (110 volts DC) was generated on-site. This took some years to achieve due to the inexperience of contractors, but the library became one of the first public buildings in Manchester to be lit by electricity and continued to generate its own supply until 1950. Champneys suggested that, in order to protect the books and
Patrick Rylands Patrick Rylands Patrick Rylands (Hull,1943) is an English designer. After graduating in ceramics from the Royal College of Art in London in 1966 began to work as a freelancer with a number of iconic toy companies (Creative Playthings, Naef, Ambi Toys). In 1970 he became the youngest designer to be awarded the prestigious Prince Philip Designers Prize for a group of ABS plastic toys designed for the British company Trendon Toys (former producer of Sasha dolls). From 1976 up until 2002 he worked as in-house designer for the historic Dutch toy company, Ambi Toys. In 1999 he was awarded the