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A little more has come to light. Apparently, women could in theory be elected to vestries from the 1830s onwards, because the relevant legislation paid no regard to sex, unlike the law on election to borough councils. However, in practice women were not elected because they were not eligible to vote since they could not be property owners. This was lifted by the Married Women's Property Act of 1870. So from that date women could be, and were, elected to vestries. Under the 1894 Local Governemt Act it was specifically stated that there was no sex bar on election to parish councils and urban district authorities, but municipal boroughs were excluded. So the explanation for your example, Chris, is that Gosport & Alverstoke was an urban district and so could have women on their library committee! Keith Manley %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%