George Hall Elliott

George Hall Elliott (1856 - 1917)

George Elliott Hall was Chief Librarian of Belfast Public Libraries from August 1888 until his death on 23 January 1917.

Elliott was appointed in March 1888 and took up his post in August of that year in preparation for the opening of Belfast Central Library in October 1888. He was responsible for the selection of some 14,000 books for the library collection.

He was baptised in 1856 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. At the age of twenty-four Elliott’s occupation was given as a Librarian living in Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Before being appointed to Belfast he was also Sub-librarian of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle for eight years and Librarian of Gateshead-upon-Tyne for four years.

Elliott married Mary Louisa Wilkinson in 1891 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The couple had three children, all born in Belfast-Irene Isabel born in 1893, William Terence Wilkinson born 1898, who served with the Royal Irish Rifles during the war, and George Gilbert born 1902.

He died on 23 January 1917 at his home in Holywood.


Correspondence from the Chief Librarian is included in the collections of those he was writing to.


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