Blue plaque to honour Annie and Frank Maskew

Frank and Annie Maskew

A new blue plaque in honour of local couple, Annie and Frank Maskew, will be unveiled to launch this year’s Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival.

Annie and Frank Maskew, a Rochdale couple who shared a passion for reading and thinking, met in Rochdale Library in the 1950s. They left a sum of money to be used on resources and events related to literature and philosophy to ensure classic works are available for future generations.

The plaque to commemorate them will be installed at Touchstones, with the evening also seeing the debut of a specially-commissioned graphic novel telling the story of how Annie and Frank met and the impact their generosity has had for the library, arts and culture in Rochdale.

Their generous bequest made the Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival possible, which is aimed at celebrating and promoting the Maskew Collection of classic literature and philosophy at Rochdale Central Library, encouraging people to engage with books and ideas.

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, community and culture at Rochdale Borough Council said: “We are excited and proud to be able to honour Annie and Frank Maskew and the contribution they have made to the lives of the people of Rochdale.

“Without the Maskews’ generosity and foresight, events like Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival would not exist and thousands of people of this borough and further afield would not have been able to access literature, arts, culture and philosophy.

“The Maskew Collection at Rochdale Central Library, of which the Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival is a flagship event, is made up of books, poems and plays that inspired the couple, and have inspired us as readers. The decision to install a blue plaque has been approved and it will be situated in the entrance to Touchstones, the building where Annie and Frank first met.

“Rochdale Township will agree the final stage of the process on 5 September and we plan to unveil the plaque as part of the festival’s launch on 14 October.”

This year’s Literature & Ideas Festival runs from Monday 14 to Monday 21 October with organisers promising exciting arts for all ages.

Events will cover drama, comedy, poetry, spoken word, visual arts and children’s shows. For young people aged 14 to 25, there will be another ‘Generation Z’ programme.

More information on the blue plaque unveiling can be found here:

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/events/62603/rochdale-literature-and-ideas-festival-festival-launch-and-unveiling-of-a-blue-plaque-for-annie-and-frank-maskew