It's a different era ........

I have been all over the place today, but found myself in the Working Class Movement Library on Salford Crescent early afternoon, where I was given a short tour. I had never been in before.

36 rooms are full of all sorts of things - loads of books (it is after all a library); prints (fantastic original Cruikshanks and Gilroys from the 18th century);the world's oldest photo (actually a daguerreotype) of a crowd (a Chartist rally at Kennington Oval in 1846); banners around the stairwell (this blip); and much more. It's all a bit low key, and feels like a very big and untidy home, not surprising as it is run by enthusiastic volunteers.

The foundation of the collection is that of Eddie and Ruth Frow, who were compulsive collectors of labour history. They apparently first met at a communist party summer camp (a pretty earnest few days I would guess).

My favourite thing ? A plan used by the magistrate (it has his signature on the back) who was given the job of judging those involved in the Peterloo massacre of 1819. The streets are familiar (Peter St, Brazenose St, Lloyd St etc) but only one building from then still stands - the Friends House around the corner from the Town Hall.