Marian Frost was a trailblazer and passionate innovator who dedicated her life to championing books and the power of libraries.
Starting as an assistant librarian in 1897, by 1919 she was running the largest public library in the country at Worthing, staffed entirely by women.
The plaque was organised by the Worthing Society, who partnered with West Sussex County Council to honour Marian and her work, her significant contribution to libraries and the impact she has had on our communities.
It was unveiled at Worthing Library last week by Councillor Duncan Crow, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, and the Mayor of Worthing, Councillor Cathy Glynn-Davies.
Cllr Crow said: “We know the Victorian founding principles of public libraries were about bringing literacy and trusted information to the masses, as a powerful way to help people improve their lives, through learning and civic engagement.
“Those things remain central to the work our libraries do today, but things have also evolved in so many ways in the 117 years since Marian’s library for Worthing first opened.
“I’m especially proud to be Cabinet Member responsible for our library service in the year we mark 100 years of county council libraries.
“Marian’s library was already well established and receiving national recognition by the time we started opening county council libraries, and I hope in 1925 she was very proud that the rest of us had caught her up on recognising the value of libraries in every community!”
The honour comes in a special year for the council’s Library Service as it celebrates 100 years of being at the heart of the community.
Our 36 libraries across West Sussex provide valuable services which support residents and help them fulfil their potential, one of the priorities in Our Council Plan.
Marian’s legacy
The original Worthing Library building in Chapel Road is still a key landmark in the town and now home to the museum and art gallery.
In 2020 the current library in Richmond Road was refurbished and now includes a contemporary library space, registration and health services, a heritage zone, and a lecture theatre which hosts events and weddings.
When she died, aged 59, an obituary wrote of her caustic wit, her fierce intelligence and that Worthing will always be in her debt.
Marion's story
Starting off as a young assistant librarian in Worthing’s very rudimentary public library, by 1919 Marian was running the largest public library in the country, staffed entirely by women.
She wrote to billionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1902.
She told him the current library was ‘an overcrowded and dilapidated building’, ‘merely a house stacked with books’, with little room for staff or the public.
Carnegie rejected her plea however, as there was already a library in the town.
Undeterred, she wrote back explaining exactly why this library was inadequate.
In doing so she ignored contemporaries who criticised her tenacity as having ideas ‘exceeding her authority’.
Her determination paid off and Carnegie agreed to pay £6,200 towards the cost of a new purpose-built library which opened in 1908 – the equivalent of around half a million pounds today.
In magazine articles called Careers for Women and Women Who Have Made Good she outlined what skills and qualifications women needed to become good librarians and describes having ‘that inborn love of books which can never be acquired by those who do not possess it’.
She also talks of how the idea of wearing ‘on-duty overalls’ originated in her library and became common practice in other libraries around the country.
Marian had an illustrious 39-year career, becoming a Fellow of the Library Association, President of the London and Home Counties Library Association and vice-president of the Museum Association.
She continued to improve local library services, providing a dedicated children’s library in Worthing and founding a special ‘Sussex Collection’ for novels with a connection to the county.
She also opened a small community library in nearby Broadwater which still runs today.
She even became an author herself in 1929, publishing her own local history book.
Arguably one of Marian’s most pioneering achievements was to introduce one of the first public libraries for hospital patients after a trip to visit libraries in the USA.
For this project she was commended for her ‘professional ability with [her] warm hearted consideration for her fellow men’.
When she died aged 59 in 1936 there were numerous obituaries published about her in both national and local newspapers.
The Times art critic Frank Rutter said: “Frail physically but strong morally and intellectually, she would fight her committees’ tooth and nail, on occasion, for their own good and the betterment of the library and museum. Her caustic wit was dreaded perhaps by a few enemies, but it was the unending joy of innumerable friends […] Worthing will always be in her debt.”
Marian’s personality shines through these tributes, whether in reference to her caustic wit, her fierce intelligence, her colourful and distinctive clothes, or her dedicated love of literature.
