Labnet: Very sad news from Working Class Movement Library

[labnet at lists.labourhistory.net]

From: Bernadette & Michael [mossley at phonecoop.coop]

Dear Friends and Comrades

The Working Class Movement Library in Salford is saddened to announce
the sudden death of its co-founder Ruth Frow, at the age of 85, on
Friday 11 January 2008.

Ruth and her husband Eddie founded the library in their home in Old
Trafford in the mid 1950s. For years they travelled Britain in their
holidays with a caravan, collecting items that few then valued.
Eventually the collection filled every room in their house. In 1987 the
Library, now a Charitable Trust, was offered a new home in Jubilee House
on The Crescent in Salford, where it now fills 40 rooms.

The Library is now recognised nationally and internationally as one of
Britain's most important collections of working class history.  It was
recently awarded a significant Heritage Lottery Fund grant which will
help realise Ruth and Eddie's vision for the collection.  At the time
Ruth said: 'This project will ensure that the collections are preserved
and accessible for generations to come'.

Margaret Cohen, chair of the library's trustees, said: 'Ruth and Eddie
made a unique contribution to ensuring that the history of the world's
first industrial working class was rescued and not hidden in university
libraries'.

Details of a celebration of Ruth's life will be announced, via this list
and elsewhere, in due course.

Working Class Movement Library, 51 The Crescent, Salford M5 4WX

tel:- 0161 736 3601  fax:- 0161 737 4115
www.wcml.org.uk
enquiries at wcml.org.uk

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