A BLUE plaque commemorating Maurice Dobson and Fred Halliday was officially unveiled at a special ceremony last Friday.
Maurice was born in Wombwell in 1912 and like most boys of his age, he became a miner, going down the pits at the age of 14.
He worked as a miner until he was 17, before joining the army in 1929.
It was when Maurice was fighting in World War Two that he met his lifelong partner, Fred, who was from West Yorkshire.
After the war ended, the pair spent a decade working at hotels along the coast before deciding to move back to Barnsley.
Maurice and Fred settled in Darfield, taking over a small shop that was to become Darfield’s well-known convenience store.
Based on Vicar Road, it is now a beloved museum run by volunteers - and that’s where the blue plaque will be placed.
The plaque was unveiled at a special ceremony at the museum on Friday thanks to a joint venture between the Barnsley Civic Trust and the Darfield Area Amenity Society.
It states: “Maurice and Fred lived and worked here as a loving couple from 1957 until their deaths, defying convention and earning the trust and respect of the people of Darfield. Let their pink sun never set.”
At the event, Ian McMillan and Luke Carver Goss also premiered their Pride of Place Song Cycle.
Barnsley South MP Stephanie Peacock praised the groups for their work in getting the plaque to the town.
She said: “It was lovely to attend the unveiling of the blue plaque at Maurice Dobson Museum recently.
“Maurice and Fred’s story is really important to the fabric of our community.
“They were in an openly gay relationship from the 1950s - a time when homosexuality was neither accepted nor legal- until Fred’s death in 1988.
“This is a very well-deserved acknowledgment of the difference they made, and I pay tribute to the excellent volunteers who keep the Centre running for the local community to enjoy.”
Planning permission is currently being sought for the plaque to be installed on the building, though no decision has been made by the planning board to date.
Coun Kevin Osborne, who represents the Darfield ward, told the Chronicle: “It was great to attend the unveiling of Darfield Museum’s blue plaque.
“A moving tribute to Maurice Dobson and Fred Halliday - two men who lived with courage, love, and quiet defiance.
“Their story reminds us that pride and authenticity deserve not just acceptance, but celebration.
“This was no secret love - as the plaque declares ‘Let the pink sun never set’.”
You can learn more about the couple and museum in a free talk by museum volunteer Ken Brookes in the town hall on Thursday September 18 at 6.30pm.
The event is free and you don’t need to book in advance.
