Mines Rescue

The first Mines Rescue station in the country was established in Birdwell! Want to know more?

There’s a talk from Phil Clifford, an expert on the subject, on Thursday 4th December in the Council Chamber at Barnsley Town Hall, beginning at 6.30pm.

Phil Clifford will give an illustrated presentation detailing the early years in the development of the Mines Rescue Service in the UK and explain how the first ever mines rescue station came to be built in Birdwell: the Tankersley Mines Rescue Station.

His talk will explain how the service developed, influenced by local Yorkshire entrepreneurial mining officials, a disaster near Birmingham attended by a handful of local colliers, an oil well fire in Mexico, and then the Great War and its aftermath.

Free to all, no need to book in advance.
In partnership with Barnsley Archives and Local Studies.

Barnsley-Hull Railway talk

Hull and Barnsley platform at Cudworth Station, c.1952 Barnsley Archives

On Thursday 22nd of May in the Town Hall Council Chamber, at 6.30pm, Peter Cox gave an illustrated presentation on The Hull and Barnsley Railway formed in 1880 and one of the last large scale railway companies.

Our sister society, Howden Civic Society, have a page on their website on the Hull and Barnsley Railway. Well worth a look! https://howdencivicsociety.co.uk/hull-and-barnsley-railway/

Joseph Locke, his life and legacy

Statue of Joseph Locke in Locke Park. St Edwards in background

An illustrated talk on the life and legacy of Joseph Locke was given by Peter Roberts on Monday 17 March at Barnsley Town Hall. A recording is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYC5PELNq-8


Who was Joseph Locke?

What did he do in his life?


What were his achievements?

Where can we see his impact on the world today?

Joseph Locke was one of the three Victorian pioneers of civil and railway engineering, alongside Robert Stephenson and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brought up in Barnsley, his legacy includes railways still used across Britain and Europe, and in Barnsley: Locke Park.

This event was the 2025 Bramah Lecture, sponsored by Barnsley Council, jointly organised by South Yorkshire Industrial History Society and Barnsley Civic Trust . We thank Barnsley Archives and Local Studies for their support.