Food for the Mind, or Food for the Belly? The Irish Famine and the Public Libraries Act of 1850

The opposition to the Public Libraries Act of 1850 as it passed through parliament is well-known. That most opposition came from die-hard Conservatives such as Colonel Sibthorp is no secret. But not all Conservatives opposed the idea of public libraries, just as not all Liberals supported it. The true nature of the opposition is more complex, as the parliamentary division lists show. One particularly interesting aspect of the opposition revolves around the attitude of the Irish members. Their role in the voting and in the debates was especially significant considering that the first Public Libraries Act did not apply to Ireland (nor to Scotland).