Course:ARST575K/LIBR539H/Working Class Movement Library

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Working Class Movement Library
Image shared from Richerman at English Wikipedia
Type Community Archive
Focus Working class history
Founders Ruth and Edmund Frow
Location 51 Crescent, Salford, M5 4WX, UK.
Established 1950s
Website https://www.wcml.org.uk/

Background

The Working Class Movement Library (WCML) started life in the 1950s as the personal collection of Edmund and Ruth Frow. Ruth was an English and History teacher, Edmund worked with an electrical company; both of them were trades union activists.[1] As they were avid collectors of communist and labor movement literature, the pair met in 1953 at a Communist Party day class on labor history, and shortly after set out to merge their collections together.[2] The couple married in 1960, and as their collection grew over time, the Frow’s adopted the moniker The Working Class Movement Library and began providing access to researchers and activists involved in the labor movement in Manchester.[3]

By the 1970s the collection had completely engulfed the interior of their home. The scope of their collecting encompassed a wide variety of political and trades materials relating to working class life in the UK, an obsession that Edmund and Ruth Frow described as "insidious in its side effects as any debilitating germ. It dictates your lifestyle, organizes your activity and decides who your friends are. In case there are those not yet hooked, it might be useful to outline some of the major pitfalls, an avoidance of which could, possibly, prevent others from reaching the dire straits in which we find ourselves in."[4] The breadth of their collection became widely known amongst labor activists and union workers, as noted by the Frows in a memoir:

The rest of the housing story is quickly told. In a recent newspaper article describing the library, the comment was made that 'every room is packed, from floor to ceiling, with bookcases containing more than I0, 000 volumes. There are books in the hall, books in the dining room, books in the sitting room.... There are colorful and historic trade union emblems on the stairway wall and more books in two of the bedrooms. The third bedroom is devoted to thousands of pamphlets. The only room where there is nothing to read is the loo!'[4]

Finally, in 1987 the city council of Salford agreed to support the collection by moving the library into its current location, the Jubilee House near Salford University campus, a building constructed in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.[5] There the couple continued working at the library until Edmund’s death in 1997 and Ruth’s passing in 2008.[6][7]

Community

Community archives can often complicate or obscure the boundaries between personal and institutional collections, as Edmund and Ruth demonstrated with their personal obsessions towards documenting the struggle of British working classes.[8] The impetus of the founders was politically motivated, as the Frows were actively involved with trades union and political organizations in Salford during the peak and waning years of the labor movement era.[9] This conviction is referenced by Edmund and Ruth's memoirs by stating:

But what justification is there for allowing such a deterioration in the normal living conditions of a home where there is not even room for a television? The answer to that must lie in a deep conviction that there is a value in what you are trying to do. In our case the conviction is political. We know that eventually there will be a change in our social system; that the country will be governed by those who produce the wealth; that there will be a need and a longing to know what preceded these changes. Recognizing this we set out to gather a library of books and ephemera relating to the labor movement in its broadest aspects.[10]

In the UK, independent community archives have typically embraced broad and inclusive definitions of archives, with an emphasis on diversity and variety rather than being narrow in scope.[11] This broad definition has flourished with Salford's long and storied history of class conflict, being one of the epicenters for the labor movement; the town is famous within trades union circles for being a borough of the largest industrial park in Europe, and witnessing a number of violent protests over the centuries as its inhabitants sought to organize as industrialization threatened the working poor. Political radicalism also has deep roots in Salford: the town is noted for hosting Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as they drank and discussed revolution and communism in the 19th century, and was also home to a Social Democratic Federation chapter during the onset of British Marxism in the late-19th century.[12] Salford was also a common destination for the 19th and 20th century diasporas of Jewish and Irish immigrants who fled to the UK.[9] As a result of this rich history, the WCML collections house a variety of materials from the onset of industrialization in the 1760s through to the present era, including the archives of prominent figures from the Manchester area who ever involved with labor unions and arts during the 20th century.

As a reference library, access to the collection is free and has been utilized by labor unions and academic researchers for decades.[13] Presently, Salford remains a hotbed for labor politics and the UK Labour Party, and WCML remains actively engaged with campaign efforts for local representatives.[9] As well, WCML also actively engages with younger audiences through education programming and outreach services designed for students in the local community, with content aimed at historically significant people and events that gave rise to the labor movement.[14]

Holdings

The WCML's collection contains works spanning over 200 years of British history, with items ranging in date of creation from the 1760s to the present. It primarily acquires textual records such as books, pamphlets, and leaflets, as well as photographs and audiovisual recordings on tape. They also collect ephemera such as banners, mugs, badges, and more.[15]

The archive primarily collects materials related to working class people in the U.K. This includes not only their organising and campaigning, but also their personal lives, aspirations, and the roles they played throughout their lives. The WCML website allows users to explore collections based upon topics of interest, including categories such as protests, activists, Black and Asian history, family history, and more.[15] They seek to preserve information about the following:

  • Trades and the lives of tradespeople, particularly of trades that have now been mechanized such as brushmaking and boilermaking [16]
  • Trade unions, including notably some of the earliest surviving trade union documents from the 1820s [15]
  • Political campaigns [17]
  • Creativity and culture, including art, literature, drama, and other leisure activities created by, for, and/or about working class people [18]
  • Notable activists [19]
  • International events in which working class British people were involved, such as the Spanish Civil War or certain parts of Irish history [20]

Organization

The holdings are organized differently based upon their format. The Library catalogue database contains information about the books, pamphlets, and journals that are held in the collection, while the Archive catalogue database contains information about their archival materials, including other textual records, photographs, and ephemera. Most of the items in the collection have been catalogued, but some uncatalogued items remain, meaning that they are not searchable online. [21]

The catalogue is searchable using author name, title, keywords, or geographic location. The website recommends searching by author name as the most effective search method. [21]

Access

The WCML primarily provides in-person access to materials. However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is closed to visitors. [22]

Options for online access include searching the catalogue and viewing the available materials featured in other locations on the website. The catalogue provides details of the currently catalogued items in both the Library and Archive collections. Many entries feature photographs and details about the items’ history, scope and content, extent, related audio files, and physical location, though not all entries provide this level of detail. [15]

Another option for viewing materials is through the WCML's Object of the Moment feature. This section of the website features an interesting or unique item in the collection and explains its history, context, and continued importance. It is possible to view the current object of the moment as well as those from past years. [23]

Programming

The Library provides free entrance to all visitors outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. To compensate for its current lack of accessibility, the Library currently offers live-streamed events on YouTube featuring talks from Library staff and field experts on topics related to the collection. [24]

Previous programming has included collaborations with museums, archives, and arts groups to, among other things, collect and preserve oral history accounts, create educational exhibitions, and put on performances. Past and current projects include:

  • 2012 - 2014: Invisible Histories Oral History Project / Salford Oral History Project: This project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, recorded and preserved interviews with people who worked in Salford, U.K. during the height of its industrial power. The aim of the project was to capture the experiences of people who worked at three major Salford workplaces in order to preserve Salford’s now nearly-forgotten history as a major U.K. industrial powerhouse. The resulting interviews are accessible on the project's website. [25]
  • 2012: Unlocking Ideas Worth Fighting For: This project was completed in collaboration with the Manchester People's History Museum and the Labour History Archive. The aim of this project was to "research, find, and unlock" forgotten collections and records within the WCML and its partners and to publicize their findings through the project blog and Twitter. Events included a 24 hour hackathon, themed Open Days, tours, articles, and talks. Funding for this event was provided by the Esmée Fairbarn Foundation. [26]
  • 2015: Invisible Histories from World War One: The aim of this project was to feature the stories of conscientious objectors and working women during World War One. The results of this project were an exhibition on the aforementioned themes, free downloadable learning resources, and a Living Histories performance of the life of James Hudson, a conscientious objector from Salford. Funding was provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund. [27]
  • 2014 - 2019: Voting for Change: A Collecting Cultures Project: In collaboration with the Manchester People's History Museum and the Labour History Archive, this project aimed to acquire records and objects in order to fill gaps in the organisations' respective collections. Acquisitions included materials related to working class history that were created in the time between the Peterloo protest in 1819 and the lowering of the U.K. voting age in 1969. Funding was provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund. [28]
  • 2019: Bones of Paine: This event marked the bicentenary of the disappearance of Thomas Paine's bones after they were refused entry into Manchester. WCML cooperated with the Walk the Plank art group to host a series of events celebrating the occasion, including free talks, a democracy rally, an exhibition, a parade, karaoke, and more. [29]
  • 2020 - Present: Begin the World Over Again Podcast: This podcast is currently being created in partnership with Walk the Plank. It's aim is to use the radical thoughts from the past documented in WCML collections to promote conversation and reconceptualise modern issues. As of February 2021, six episodes have been published and can be listened to here. [30]

Relationships to Other Organizations

  • Heritage Lottery Fund: The Heritage Lottery Fund is a non-departmental public body accountable to Parliament that provides funding and leadership for heritage projects across the U.K. It has provided funding for many past WCML projects, including the Invisible Histories Oral History Project, Invisible Histories from World War I, Voting for Change, and Bones of Paine. [31]
  • Manchester People’s History Museum: The People's History Museum works to teach the public about the past, present, and future of democracy in Britain. It helped to create the “Unlocking Ideas Worth Fighting For” and "Voting for Change" projects in collaboration with the WCML and the Labour History Archive. [32]
  • Labour History Archive: The Labour History Archive is the archival branch of the Manchester People's History Museum. It helped to create the “Unlocking Ideas Worth Fighting For” and the "Voting for Change" projects collaboration with the WCML and the Manchester People’s History Museum.
  • Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: This organization aims to provide funding for projects dedicated to improving the natural world, advocating for a fairer, more equitable future, and strengthening community bonds in the U.K. It provided funding for the “Unlocking Ideas Worth Fighting For” collaborative project. [33]
  • Walk the Plank: Walk the Plank is a Salford-based outdoor arts group known primarily for their theatrical performances. Walk the Plank has collaborated with the WCML on Bones of Paine project and the current Begin the World Over Again podcast. [34]
  • The HiDDEN 8 Project: This organization works in collaboration with eight unique museums located around the greater Manchester city centre. The network seeks to provide exposure by drawing on each museum’s historic buildings and rare collections, highlighting the unique exhibitions held through partnerships between each organization. [35]

References

  1. ↑ Gerard, David (1997). "A rugged pair of philanthropists: the Frows and The Working Class Movement Library". Library Review. 46 (6): 395 – via Emerald Insight.
  2. ↑ Devine, Francis (2008). "Ruth Frow". Saothar. 33: 107–8 – via JSTOR.
  3. ↑ Herbert, Michael (n.d.). "Ruth and Eddie Frow". North West Labour History Society. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Frow, Edmund; Frow, Ruth (1976). "Travels with a Caravan". History Workshop. 2: 177 – via JSTOR.
  5. ↑ Working Class Movement Library (2020). "Our Building". WCML. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  6. ↑ Flett, Keith (June 1997). "Manchester Marxist: obituary of Eddie Frow". Socialist Review. 209: 1 – via SOCIALISTREVIEWINDEX.
  7. ↑ Devine, Francis (2008). "Ruth Frow". Saothar. 33: 109 – via JSTOR.
  8. ↑ Flinn, Andrew; Stevens, Mary; Shepherd, Elizabeth (2009). "Whose memories, whose archives? Independent community archives, autonomy and the mainstream" Check |url= value (help). Archival Science. 9: 79 – via ProQuest.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Barnett, Marcus; Burtenshaw, Ronan (January 2, 2020). "The City Where British Working-Class History Is Still Alive". Jacobin Magazine: 1 – via Online Magazine.
  10. ↑ Frow, Edmund; Frow, Ruth (1976). "Travels with a Caravan". History Workshop. 2: 176 – via JSTOR.
  11. ↑ Flinn, Andrew (2010). "The impact of independent and community archives on professional archival thinking and practice". In Hill, Jennie (ed.). The Future of Archives and Recordkeeping: A Reader. London, UK: Facet. p. 148. ISBN 978-1-85604-867-5.
  12. ↑ Keeling, Neal (January 15, 2018). "The Crescent 'could be pulled down to make way for a Chinese cultural centre'". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  13. ↑ Working Class Movement Library (2020). "Who We Are and What We Do". WCML. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  14. ↑ Working Class Movement Library (2020). "Learning resources". WCML. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Working Class Movement Library. "Introduction to our collection". WCML.
  16. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Working lives - and workers' organisations". WCML.
  17. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Protest, politics, and campaigning for change". WCML.
  18. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Creativity and culture". WCML.
  19. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Activists". WCML.
  20. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "International". WCML.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Working Class Movement Library. "Catalogue Introduction". WCML.
  22. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Visiting the Library". WCML.
  23. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Object of the Moment". WCML.
  24. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Events: What's On". WCML.
  25. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Salford oral history project". WCML.
  26. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Unlocking Ideas Worth Fighting For". WCML.
  27. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Invisible Histories From World War One". WCML.
  28. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Voting for Change - a Collecting Cultures project". WCML.
  29. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Bones of Paine". WCML.
  30. ↑ Working Class Movement Library. "Begin the World Over Again". WCML.
  31. ↑ Heritage Lottery Fund. "What we do". Heritage Fund.
  32. ↑ People's History Museum. "People's History Museum".
  33. ↑ Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. "Our Aims: Unlocking Change". Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
  34. ↑ Walk the Plank. "About Us". Walk the Plank.
  35. ↑ "The HiDDEN 8". TheHiDDEN8. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
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