Discovering the Working Class Movement Library

Overview

Working people have always struggled to get their voices heard. The Working Class Movement Library is a treasure trove with records of over 200 years of organising and campaigning by ordinary men and women.

The tour will include an opportunity to see the public display spaces of the library and the Reading Room. Additionally, you will get the chance to see the private areas of the building where most of the library collection is housed.

It will include a history of the building, which opened in 1901, by the library’s founders, Ruth and Eddie Frow. We will also explore some of the most significant parts of the library collection, including the ‘Paine Room’, which includes early editions of the work of Thomas Paine and his contemporaries. In addition, if there are any areas of our archive collection that you are interested in, you will get the opportunity to view these in our Reading Room upon request. To best ensure availability, we encourage attendees to browse the catalogue via the website and make these requests in advance via the Catalogue section of the WCM Library website.

Due to the WCM Library being a listed building, the upper floors are unfortunately not wheelchair accessible. However, the downstairs is still accessible which includes the display room, other viewing material and book requests from the Reading Room can be made and brought to the lower floor.

Tea and coffee will be served after the tour. The tour will take around 45 minutes.