By 1840, Thomas Carlyle was actively pursuing the idea of establishing a lending library in London. A Committee had been formed, newspapers had taken an interest and early subscriptions were coming in. But more subscribers were needed if the idea was to be made a reality. A public meeting was arranged for “Wednesday 24th June at the Freemasons’ Tavern in London’s Great Queen Street. The floor belonged to Thomas Carlyle who 175 years ago today delivered the speech that effectively launched The London Library.