News - Museum project for Barnsley at last becomes a Reality

RARE archaeological finds discovered in Barnsley will soon be coming home to a new £2.6 million museum and archives centre to be created in the Town Hall.


Experience Barnsley is the first museum telling the story of the borough. The project is being made possible by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The museum will feature collections and stories spanning thousands of years to the present day and will be put together over the next two years.

The project has also attracted £62,400 in funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.

The cash is to pay for research into Barnsley’s archaeological treasures and provide opportunities for people to see the collections and become involved with projects working with them.

The museum is being put together with The University of Sheffield’s Department of Archaeology, with a whole team of researchers working on different areas of the collections.

Axes and hammers from the Neolithic period – 4,000 BC to 2,300 BC – from Langsett, Dunford and Penistone are some of the stone tools that will go on show include.

There will be an arrowhead and spearhead from the Bronze Age – 2,300 BC to 700 BC – from the Penistone and Crow Edge area and coin hoards from Darfield.

Also on show will be a bronze bracelet from Billingley from the Roman period and pots from Monk Bretton Priory from the medieval period.

The museum will offer activities and events to schools, interested groups and individuals around the borough, culminating in a major exhibition in the Town Hall.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/museum-project-for-barnsley-at-last-becomes-a-reality-1-4531882

News - Town hall will 'open next month' (Barnsley)

Barnsley town hall will reopen for business next month, the leader of the council 'has been promised'.


Coun Steve Houghton said work was going according to plan, and the ceremony to elect the new Mayor for the year ahead on May 18 will be the first event in the newly refurbished town hall.

It has been closed for nearly 18 months, as part of a £6m project to create a museum on the ground floor and basement areas.

Councillors and some of their staff will return to offices in the two upper floors.

Meetings of the whole council will also return to the main council chamber.

The meetings have been held at Barnsley Football Club's function suite while it has been closed.

Coun Houghton said: "The facilities at Oakwell have been great, but I think we're all eager to get back into the town hall."

From: http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/news/article/5138/town-hall-will-open-next-month

Article - A Town in Development (Barnsley)

When the first visitors to Experience Barnsley pass through its doors in September 2012 they will be able to see a state-of-the art heritage and archive centre housed in one of the most impressive art decor public buildings in the north of England, Barnsley Town Hall.  The lottery-funded ‘people’s museum’ has taken more than ten years of planning thanks to the help of volunteers, councillors and professionals. But the main impetus has been the willingness of Barnsley people to donate objects and provide information celebrating the history and heritage of the town and its neighbourhood.  Barnsley people are  proud of its long and interesting history.  For well over a century coal mining was the dominant industry, at a great human cost for many families.  Other economic activities however also need to be recognized, especially linen and textiles, glass, leather, iron working and metal trades; and from medieval times Barnsley, with its weekly market and annual fairs was an important place for trade and travel epitomized in the later 'BARNSLEY FOR BARGAINS' slogan.                       

Today, Barnsley is rightly being marketed as a 21st-century market town and many new and restored public and private buildings reflect a ‘new town’ and forward-looking urban feel: for example, the Transport Interchange, Gateway Plaza, Digital Media Centre, Barnsley College, University Centre Barnsley, Civic Hall and Town Hall.  In a sense the new and revamped landmarks reciprocate a vision of hope and aspiration that began in Norman times when a new market town was strategically established in a key part of southern Yorkshire.  The post-pit closure years affected the town and its old mining communities badly and it has been a long haul to remake and recreate new services and facilities.  The hard task continues in the wake of national and international upheaval.  And yet Barnsley’s greatest asset, historically speaking and in the present day shines through: its people.  Everyone has heard of Michael Parkinson and Dickie Bird but  Experience Barnsley will reflect countless lost heroes of the town in areas such as Art, Music, Literature, Science, Business, Politics, Sport and Entertainment; and of course will not forget those who have given so much to their town and country via the armed services.   Enjoy the New Barnsley by all means but lets also not forget the Old.

Barnsley Then & Now by Brian Elliott

£12.99 Hardback, 978-0-7524-6402-2

Click here to view 'Barnsley Then & Now' on The History Press website

From: http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-history-press/barnsley-a-town-in-development-by-brian-elliott/10150422197263631

Event - Did you work in town factories? (Barnsley)

BARNSLEY Council is calling on women who worked in the town’s factories to come forward and share their experiences as part of a new exhibition.

The authority is particularly interested to hear from former employees of the sewing factories, the tennis ball factory and Barnsley Canister Company.

The council are also asking for photos and any objects from the workplace to feature in Experience Barnsley, a museum which will open in the Town Hall in 2012 following a £2.6 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Anyone who would like to contribute can meet the Experience Barnsley team at the Central Library on Saturday, October 22, between 1 and 4pm

From: http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/dearne-area/did_you_work_in_town_factories_1_3897869

News - Pit helmet passed from father to son to go on display in museum (Barnsley

ERE you are son - on your ’ead!



A pit helmet passed down from father to son is to go on display at South Yorkshire’s newest museum.

The helmet, which has been donated by a local family, was originally owned by Frederick Clowery.

He wore it to work at Dodworth Colliery each day during the 1950s.

Fred then passed it on to his son, also called Frederick, when he started working at the pit.

Young Fred also donated his pit lamp to the museum and the two items will form part of an exhibition in Barnsley’s new £3m museum which is currently under construction at Barnsley Town Hall.

Jemma Conway, Barnsley Council’s community heritage curator said: “The helmet still has Mr Clowery’s check, which miners used to hand in to show they were still down the pit.”

Anyone with who has objects to donate to the museum should call 01226 790270.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/pit_helmet_passed_from_father_to_son_to_go_on_display_in_museum_1_3453996