Blue Plaque: Hungarian refugees welcomed in Barnsley in 1956

In 1956 and 1957, Barnsley welcomed 200 Hungarian refugees following the crushed Hungarian revolution; they found work in the coal industry. We are commemorating this with a blue plaque.

The Hungarian Consul General Dr L Risko-Nagy will unveil the blue plaque at the Miners’ Hall in Victoria Road on Wednesday 23rd October at 2.00pm. Another great opportunity to visit the stunning Miners’ Hall!

Dr Andrew Zsigmond, one of the refugees, will give a short presentation. The Mayor of Barnsley and the Area Chairman of the NUM, Chris Skidmore, will welcome our guests.

Open to everyone to attend, any of the original 1956 refugees or their descendants will be particularly welcome to come to the event.

 

A Lifetime in Cinema: a talk by Rob Younger of the Parkway Cinema

‘A Lifetime in Cinema; from Barnsley to Malta and back’, a talk by Rob Younger, proprietor of the Parkway Cinema: Thursday 21st November, 6.30pm in the Council Chamber in Barnsley Town Hall. Please note change of date

Rob’s talk includes the story of the Parkway Cinema and its site on Eldon Street.

The site has been occupied by cinemas, theatres and other entertainment usage for over 150 years. This has been commemorated by a Blue Plaque.

Five new blue plaques in Barnsley Town Centre

Five new blue plaques will be installed in early September in Barnsley Town Centre. Barnsley Civic Trust has been working with the Eldon Street High Street Heritage Action Zone —which has funded the plaques— to tell some of the stories of Eldon Street.

These include commemorating the work of the man who redesigned the town centre in the 19th century. And celebrating the woman who brought the first department store specifically for women to the town.

Have you seen the one already there? Watch out for more!

 

Sackville Street to the Valley of the Kings: A Blue Plaque for Harold Jones

Ernest Harold 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.

A blue plaque for Joseph Bramah

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