The People’s Palace, a Grade II listed building is now part of Queen Mary University of London.
The People’s Palace houses the Great Hall, a large theatre and entertainment venue, and was originally established to provide local residents access to a library.
The first People’s Palace, designed by Edward Robert Robson, opened in 1886/7 on the site of the current Queens’ Building. It offered training and recreational facilities, featuring an octagonal library modelled after Durham Cathedral’s Prior’s Kitchen. The library could hold 250,000 books and employed women librarians, a progressive move for the time.
Minnie James became one of the UK’s first female library leaders in 1889. She introduced novels and Sunday openings to cater to working-class patrons. However, she resigned in 1894 due to inadequate funding. The library closed temporarily in 1901.
A fire destroyed the original building in 1931. A new People’s Palace was constructed on the adjacent site, officially opened by King George VI on 13 February 1937 - his first public engagement as monarch.
Queen Mary College acquired the People’s Palace in 1954, integrating it into the institution’s facilities.
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The People’s Palace, a Grade II listed building is now part of Queen Mary University of London.
