O'LEARY,+John+Gerard

O'LEARY, John Gerard (1900-1985) Hampstead; Bethnal Green c1922; 1CL Dagenham 1929-1965 One of the most colourful characters in the history of librarianship, he was a lifelong critic of much LA 'establishment' policy. At BETHNAL GREEN he was one of the young men who did so much to make that service one of the best in the country. His work at DAGENHAM, where a new service had to be created on ambitious lines, despite inadequate rate resources, was exemplary and untiring and was not in the least hindered by the Chief Librarian becoming the best known public figure in the locality. He was also an outstanding antiquarian, displaying exceptional zest for preserving anything of local historical interest.