![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_170725library4.jpg\")
The Old Library has a new name. (Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\nThe figure is not well known but had a significant impact on British politicsThe Old Library has a new name. (Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n
Oldham Council\u2019s leadership team has taken a tongue-lashing from several of its councillors over the decision to rename the newly refurbished Old Library after a \u2018local hero\u2019.<\/p>\n
The Old Library was opened to the public for the first time this weekend after a \u00a332m restoration project that included building a brand new council chamber on its upper levels. At a launch event on Saturday, August 16, council leader Arooj Shah revealed the building would be called the J. R. Clynes Building.<\/p>\n
John Robert Clynes, a lesser-known Labour<\/a> Party leader, was born in Oldham<\/a> in 1869 and started work at Dowry cotton mill at just ten years old. Largely self-educated, Clynes became an active trade unionist, an activist on child labour practices in the cotton mills, and later rose through the ranks of the brand new British Labour Party<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coun Shah stated she chose the name after \u2018a man whose story embodies the spirit of Oldham\u2019, referring to his \u2018hunger for knowledge and drive to rise above circumstances\u2019.<\/p>\n And Labour MP Jim McMahon welcomed the name, saying: \u201c[The building] has been named after a historic figure who walked the terraced streets of our town, grew up under the smoke-filled skies and the relentless beat of the cotton mills, and rose to become one of the most senior figures in British politics.\u201d<\/p>\n But political opponents were less impressed by the name choice honouring a \u2018barely known Labour figure\u2019 instead of more well-known influential locals.<\/p>\n Leader of Oldham\u2019s Conservative group, councillor Max Woodvine said: \u201cOther than being born in Oldham, Mr Clynes has absolutely no connection to our Borough, nor the building itself.<\/p>\n \u201cOldham boasts many brilliant leaders and industrialists such as Sir Winston Churchill and John Platt to name but two. There was no consultation at all with the taxpaying public of Oldham on what this building should be called, which I believe is anti-democratic and shameful.\u201d<\/p>\n Opinions were mixed among members of the public. Many supported the new name.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks great. Named after a great man. Moving Oldham forward with brilliant improvements,\u201d Darren Bradshaw commented on a council Facebook post about the new name.<\/p>\n And Lisa Reads added: \u201cHe sounds like an amazing person and apt for a [former] library, since he was self-educated.\u201d<\/p>\n But several others simply dismissed the new name, stating they would prefer to continue calling the building the \u2018Old Library\u2019, as it has been known for many years.<\/p>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1_JR_Clynes_LCCN2014717260_cropped.jpg\")
John Robert Clynes, the man who went ‘from Dowry Mill to Downing Street’. (Image: George Grantham Bain Collection)<\/p>\n![\"Coun](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Max-Woodvine.jpg\")
Coun Max Woodvine in the new council chambers at the Old Library \/ J. R. Clynes Building. (Image: Oldham Conservatives)<\/p>\n![\"Council](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_170725library18.jpg\")
Council leader Arooj Shah said she was ‘truly proud’ to name the building after Clynes. (Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n