Megan Wallace explores the Barnsley Chronicle archive... 1956
BARNSLEY Judo Club made history by being the first club in the North Eastern Association to invite a leading exponent of the art to conduct their grading weekend at the Drill Hall.
Clubs from the north-east were invited for instruction by Geoff Gleeson (4th Dan) and enthusiasts from Bradford, Sheffield, Doncaster, Darlington and Castleford took advantage of the offer.
Mr Gleeson is an instructor at the Budokwai in London and has spent two years training in Japan.
On Sunday he graded approximately 80 members from various clubs, assisted by Ian Morris (2nd Dan), of Harrogate and Jim Piggot (1st Dan), of York.
MR HENRY George McGhee, Labour MP for the Penistone, has served in the House of Commons for 21 years and celebrated the occasion with a dinner-dance at the Newton Hall, Chapeltown.
Members of the party, and well-wishers from all parts of the present division and places which were formerly in the division, subscribed to the testimonial to Mr McGhee, and on Saturday they presented him with an illuminated address, a pair of gold cuff-links and a cheque for £40.
During the ceremony Mr McGee expressed the desire that the £40 cheque be handed over to the Hungarian Relief Fund.
The Rt Hon James Griffiths MP, deputy leader of the opposition, made the presentation, and said he had ‘never felt prouder of the party than during the past four weeks’.
AFTER being closed for nearly 18 years, Barnsley’s only art gallery - the Cooper Art Gallery in Church Street - is to be reopened next spring.
Already work on the building has commenced and this week has seen a considerable change in the outward appearance.
Workmen have been working busily for two days removing the dirt and grime of many years and now the building looks almost new.
The inside is to be modernised and redecorated and it is hoped to hold the first exhibition next May or June.
BARNSLEY industries can offer work to a number of Hungarian refugees and prospects are good for the 30 who are due to arrive in the town tomorrow.
Mr W Gledhill, manager of employment exchange, said this week that he could place a number, providing they were of the right type and capable of doing the work, in the glass industry, the rubber processing industry and the umbrella manufacturing industry.
There were also vacancies for experienced women machinists which he could offer, and for general labourers. As far as could be ascertained, all 30 of the refugees who would arrive tomorrow were men. They would be accommodated at the Broadway Miners’ Hostel, although they were not miners.
