And so we said a fond farewell to Roger.
On Tuesday evening colleagues and history fans gathered together at the Luna Bar to say goodbye and thank you to Roger Trayhurn, librarian extraordinaire and all round nice guy. Swindon Central Library will be a different place without him.
Roger started work at Central Library a mere 46¾ years ago when it was housed in prefabricated ‘huts’ behind the Town Hall. But he was assured this was only a temporary arrangement – a new building was in the pipeline. Well, it proved to be a very long pipeline. The swish, new, all singing, all dancing building eventually opened in October 2008, and very nice it is too!
A constant stream of well wishers passed through the Luna Bar on Tuesday evening. I don’t know if Roger appreciates in how much affection he is held. It’s not just his wealth of expertise but the gentlemanly manner in which he approached every enquiry. Roger would know where exactly to look for the answer to any local history question, from the well known fact to the obscure detail right down to the impossibly vague query.
It was Roger who set me off on my long, historical quest, firstly with my own family history research and later my interest in the history of Swindon. It was Roger who first showed me how to operate the steam driven microfilm reader back in the last century, and then had to show me again a few weeks ago how to work the new model.
But Roger can rest assured he has left the library in good hands – you lovely people know who you are! (I’m their biggest fan, you see).
And I don’t think Roger will keep away. Rumour has it he has already been spotted on the microfilm reader researching his own project, the Empire Theatre. Although he may have to wear a disguise in future, old habits die hard and I know I for one will find it difficult not to ask him the odd question.
(It wasn't really steam driven, that microfilm reader).
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