Kathy McArdle, Barnsley Council Service Director for Regeneration and Culture, is giving a talk on the development of Barnsley Town Centre. This will bring us right up to date with what has taken place and what the future may hold to keep the town centre vibrant with the pressures that it faces.
The presentation is in the Learning Lab of Experience Barnsley in the Town Hall with the kind cooperation of Barnsley Archives and Local Studies. Please note the earlier start time and the venue: 6.30pm, Barnsley Town Hall Learning Lab Thursday 30 November: All welcome
Barnsley Civic Trust had a fascinating talk on November 9th by Phil Johnson: The History of the Trinity Players. Founded in the 1930s, the Players are one of the oldest theatre groups in Yorkshire. They are based at the Trinity Church Hall, up from Summer Lane. Paul described their early history when they were called the Farrar Street Players, their popular local dialect plays and the time when they went ‘On the Move’ performing in many local venues.
One of the sources for Paul Darlow’s talk on Mining under Barnsley was the treasure trove of historic maps on the National Library of Scotland’s website, enlaced of course by Paul’s local knowledge and research.
Paul Darlow giving a talk to a group in the Miners Hall
Paul Darlow gave a great talk on the fascinating history of the mining of coal under Barnsley Town Centre and the area around it. Paul Darlow is an Author, Historian, Curator and former Miner.
The talk was held in the NUM Miners’ Hall in Victoria Road, itself steeped in history and well worth a visit in its own right.
A Barnsley Civic Trust talk: Thursday 19 October, 7pm in the Miners’ Hall in Victoria Road, next door to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) building. All welcome.
Interested in development in Barnsley Town Centre both now and in the future? Barnsley Civic Trust has a talk on the development of Barnsley Town Centre by Kathy McArdle. Kathy is the Service Director covering regeneration and development in Barnsley Council. The talk is open to everyone
Thursday 30 November starting at 6.30pm in Barnsley Town Hall. All welcome.
ErnestHarold Jones —Artist, Excavator, Archaeologist, Egyptologist— was born in Barnsley.A Blue Plaque for him was unveiled on Thursday 14 September— celebrating his life and connection to Barnsley.
Ernest Harold Jones. Image: National Library of Wales.
1.30 – 2.30pm — Barnsley Town Hall Illustrated talk by Lady Carnarvon, with an introduction and welcome by Professor Joann Fletcher and Sir Stephen Houghton.
3.00-3.15pm — Sackville Street Unveiling of Blue Plaque to Ernest Harold Jones by the Mayor of Barnsley.
Born in Barnsley in 1877 – his father was the headmaster of Barnsley School of Art – Harold Jones died in Luxor in Egypt in 1911. The Jones family lived in Sackville Street in Barnsley until his father moved to become head of the Carmarthen School of Art.
Harold Jones became a well-regarded artist; his work inspired by what he’d heard of Egypt and the pre-Raphaelite artists who painted Egyptian themes.
He moved to Egypt for health reasons, employed as an archaeological artist and then excavator. He unearthed rings and small objects bearing the name —not known at that time— Tutankhamun, and sparked interest in finding his tomb.
Unfortunately, he died in 1911, before the tomb of Tutankhamun was finally discovered. His funeral was held in Luxor, organised by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter who went on to discover Tut’s tomb in 1922.
We celebrated Joseph Bramah at Wentworth Castle Gardens on Tuesday 12th September, during Heritage Open Days.
Joseph Bramah (1748 to 1814), from Stainborough, was one of Britain’s most important inventors and the father of hydraulic power. Amongst many other things, he invented a lock that could not be picked, a beer pump, a flushing toilet, hydraulic presses and devices for pulling up trees.
Barnsley Museums have the original 1791 continuous fire pump made by Joseph Bramah for Wentworth Castle, the first of its kind. It can be seen at Experience Barnsley at Barnsley Town Hall.
Barnsley Civic Trust and National Trust Wentworth Castle Gardens. Heritage Open Day: Free Entrance to Wentworth Castle Gardens #BarnsleyHeritageMonth
The Barnsley Civic trust programme of talks includes:
Thursday 19 October ‘Mining under Barnsley’. Paul Darlow will give a talk on the fascinating history of the mining of coal under Barnsley Town Centre and the surrounding area. Venue: Miners Hall.
Thursday 16 November: History of the Barnsley Trinity Players, a presentation on the history of the theatre group by Phil Johnson.
Thursday 30 November: Development of Barnsley Town Centre, a presentation on recent and forthcoming developments by Kathy McArdle, Service Director Culture and Regeneration, Barnsley Council.
Other talks include: Blue Plaques for Brian Glover and Barry Hines by Ronnie Steele on 25 January; Barnsley Canal by Stephen Woodcock on 29 February and Barnsley News in the 1800s by Josh Daniels on 21 March 2024
Talks are open to members and non-members
Watch this space for details of other talks and activities.
Victorian Society members outside the Queen's Hotel
Allen Parks pointing out the Queen's Hotel carvings
Victorian Society members opposite the former Court House
Victorian Society members at the Oaks Disaster memorial
Paul Darlow giving an introduction to the Miners' Hall
Paul Darlow showing Victorian Society members the Miners' Hall
Barnsley Civic Trust welcomed Victorian Society members for a tour, guided by Allen Parks, of some of the Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Barnsley town centre and nearby conservation areas.
We explored the iconic NUM Miners Hall with Paul Darlow and this time called in at the home of Barnsley Civic Trust Chairman John Love for tea with Victorian cakes produced in Barnsley!
Huddersfield Civic Society members chose a wet day to visit Barnsley! Allen Parkes from Barnsley Civic Trust took them on an informative tour, aided by a red and white ‘Remaking Barnsley’ umbrella. Fortunately Paul Darlow took everyone into a dry NUM Miners Hall for a fascinating show of banners and stories. A wet Saturday 22 July.
Organised by the Royal Society of Biology and the British Society for Immunology with the National Trust Wentworth Castle Gardens, the unveiling of the blue plaque for Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu took place on Saturday 15 July at Wentworth Castle Gardens.
Dr Lynda Partridge, Royal Society of Biology, unveiling the plaque to Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu. Allen Parks, Barnsley Civic Trust, said a few words to mark the occasion.
Barnsley Civic Trust’s 2023 AGM is on Thursday 8th June, at 7.00pm at the Masonic Hall in Cockerham Lane, Barnsley S75 1AT.
A talk on 50 Buildings of Barnsley, by Keiron Dunn, follows. Keiron is a former planner in Barnsley and intends to share his views on Barnsley’s buildings and the changes that have taken place over the years. Come along, join the discussion and give your views!
If you love Barnsley, how it looks, its heritage and its buildings, then please attend and try to encourage others who might share these views.
Many of us have views on notable buildings in Barnsley, new or old.
Here’s a chance to hear from Keiron Dunn, author of ‘50 Buildings in Barnsley’, a book in the “50 Buildings of” series.
Keiron is a former planner in Barnsley and intends to share his views on Barnsley’s buildings and the changes that have taken place over the years.
What do we think about: —The merits of knocking things down, or retaining our heritage? —Why some people love a new building and others hate it? —The town centre after all the pain?
Keiron has another book in preparation and he would be interested in reflecting our ideas on Barnsley’s buildings.
Come along to participate in the discussion or to hear the views expressed. All welcome.
A short Barnsley Civic Trust annual general meeting will take place before the talk
The introduction of electricity to Wentworth Castle was one of the earliest.
Based on their research in the Wentworth Castle archives, National Trust volunteers Adrian Hughes and Janet Johnson will present a talk on the installation of electric lighting on site in 1886 – a fascinating topic bound to be illuminating. All welcome.
7pm Thursday 11 May: Masonic Hall, Cockerham Lane, Just off Huddersfied Road near Barnsley Town Centre.
September will see the unveiling of Barnsley Civic Trust’s Blue Plaque to Joseph Bramah at Wentworth Castle Gardens in association with National Trust.
Wentworth Castle —as well as Joseph Bramah— is an important part of Barnsley’s heritage and this talk arranged with the National Trust marks this importance.
‘Elsecar Forging Ahead — Industrial Archaeology, Aristocrats and Heritage Rediscovered‘ is the theme of this year’s Bramah Lecture given by Dr John Tanner at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley starting at 7pm on Monday 27 March.
South Yorkshire Industrial History Society has organised the lecture which is sponsored by Barnsley Council. It’s great that the Bramah Lecture is going ahead this year. The doors will be open from 6.30pm with tea/coffee available.
Due to limits on numbers at the Cooper Gallery, please call on 01226 775678 to book a place. The event is free but you’re invited to make a donation on the day.
Wishing you all the best for the New Year. Here’s a photo from our Beautiful Barnsley by Civic Trust group. Do follow us and join the group. We’re looking forward to more blue plaques and talks in 2023.
Barnsley Archives has been named the ‘Record Keeping Service of The Year’ at the Archives & Records Association national conference on 1 September 2022. It is well deserved!
Barnsley Civic Trust had a timely illustrated presentation by Paul Stebbing, Archives and Local Studies Manager, at our meeting on Thursday 13th October.
We found out about the award-winning Barnsley Archives, what they have achieved over the years, and about their exciting plans for the future.
The Archive Service has launched a new 360° interactive tour which allows you to virtually walk around their Barnsley Town Hall search room: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=ju4s96wzNT5
Barnsley’s has great historic buildings and places but many have been lost to development. Do you know of important and cherished buildings and places in Barnsley that are not protected? There’s now an opportunity to protect those that survive by putting them on the Local Heritage List.
