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Local History
Barnsley’s tragic boxing past
UNFORTUNATELY Barnsley has been no stranger to boxing fatalities over the last century, Ashley Ball looks back at some of the tragic events involving Barnsley fighters and how they were reported in the Chronicle archives.
June 19, 1916National Sporting Club,
Covent Garden, London.
Charlie Hardcastle v ‘Sapper’ Louis Hood
‘Barnsley Bombshell’ Charlie Hardcastle, who was to become British featherweight champion a year later, forced a 14th round stoppage win over H
Permanent home for town's historic artefacts
SOME of what lies beneath us has been brought into the light and since the opening of Experience Barnsley in 2013, it is on show where it belongs. In part four of the series, Ashley Ball looks at how closely we can see into the town’s long history.
Without a dedicated home for archaeological finds, a lot of Barnsley’s discoveries were taken away from where they had laid undisturbed for centuries. That all changed with...
2006: Glancing Back
Charlotte Hutton explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives fro this week in 2006.
A STATUE to mark the role played by women during the miners’ strike and pit closures has been erected in a Barnsley church.
The figurine of St Barbara, the patron saint of mineworkers, will be dedicated at a service at St Luke’s Church, Grimethorpe and is in tribute to the village’s Women Against Pit Closures group.
It has been commissioned and produced in...
Nigel’s exhibition will be a load of old rope...
A RETIRED ship rigger and wire splicer is appealing to former rope men in Barnsley to get in touch with him for a museum exhibition.
Nigel Gray, of Northumberland, spoke to the Chronicle about wanting to find ex-rope men / ropesmiths who worked in pits across the borough and who are willing to share their experiences or may still have the specialist tools.
“After visiting a mining museum at Wakefield I have realised that there...
Glancing Back 1965
Charlotte Hutton explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives from September 1965.
A BARNSLEY firm which specialises in handmade blazer badges has landed a contract to make all the badges for players and officials for next year’s world cup football tournament.
The firm, the Crested Tie and Badge Company, Sheffield Road, has been in existence only 18 months but already their work is known throughout the country. The Barnsley firm was chosen from a number of firms...
2002: Glancing Back
Megan Wallace explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives from 2002.
FORMER government minister Mo Mowlam was in Barnsley to sign copies of her new book, Momentum as well as see old friends.
Mo renewed acquaintances with several friends and colleagues in the Labour Party who were among the fans who queued for the book signing at the Barnsley Bookworm.
The former Northern Ireland Secretary was a lecturer and administrator at the Northern College in the 1980s...
Historian Jane is flagging up more about miners’ war effort
HISTORIAN and author Jane Ainsworth has delved into the links between Barnsley’s miners and First World War soldiers after the NUM made a donation to the project to honour the colours of the Barnsley Pals.
Jane is co-ordinator of the project to provide a proper display for the colours of the Barnsley Pals at St Mary’s Church and create faithful replicas for ceremonial occasions.
Working with Rev Canon Stephen Race at St Mary’s Parochial Church...
Museum’s tale of hot metal
AN UPCOMING exhibition at Experience Barnsley promises to lift the lid on one of the town’s most important global exports.
The Barnsley Canister Company was, for the best part of a century, one of the most renowned international producers of metal tins for use by companies to transport and display their tea, biscuits and all manner of other items.
Curator Alison Cooper and her team have delved into the history of the company unearthing tins...
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2000: Glancing Back
Megan Wallace explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives from the year 2000.
A BARNSLEY man last night jetted off to flood-devastated Mozambique to help rescue survivors.
David Egan is a member of the voluntary International Rescue Corps - a group of people ready to go on mercy missions anywhere in the world. The IRC - set up in 1981 - will also be helping establish camps for the thousands of people whose homes have been destroyed...
Dodworth miners praised for digging up a fortune at colliery
FORTY years ago there was optimism about Barnsley’s most important industry with a productivity record broken at Dodworth Colliery.
Miners at Dodworth had been on strike in September 1978 at a time when the pit had lost £2m in the preceding six months. That was an incredible sum - equivalent to something like £10m today after adjusting for inflation.
But just a few months later, in early 1979, miners were celebrating and being congratulated by...
1993: Glancing Back
Megan Wallace takes a look through the Barnsley Chronicle archives: 1993.
A FIRM which has been making plenty of dough since becoming established at Wombwell six years ago is now to put the cream on the cake.
Haywood and Padgett, whose Aldham Industrial Estate production plant turns out three-and-a-half million scones each week and whose customers have included British Airways for Concorde catering - is to start a further project with a new factory unit...
Plenty uncovered by archaeologists following deep dig at Ironworks
RESULTS from an archaeological dig on the Forge playing field where the Milton Ironworks once stood has revealed the site was a lot larger than previously known.
Over the summer archaeologists excavated the playing field where the Ironworks operated from 1790 until 1883 and was once one of the greatest ironworks of the North - producing iron for Ball Street Bridge in Sheffield and London’s Southwark Bridge.
The results of the dig uncovered a number...
1980: Glancing back
HERE’S a selection of stories as they were reported in the Chronicle in November 1980.
DIMINUTIVE Neil Mills is only six, but already he is an old hand at winning dancing medals.
Since he took up dancing at four-and-a-half he has already collected 45 medals, and on Sunday he chalked up his first big success when he won a trophy for the best performance in Frank and Christine Bostwick’s School of dancing old time dancing...
Why Brenda was happy to be left holding the baby
PENISTONE councillor Brenda Hinchliff has just had a real blast from the past.
She has been reminded of when she was left holding the baby - literally.
And she couldn't be more delighted.
Out of the blue, she has received a letter and photographs from a German couple she helped out in a very unusual way many years ago.
Stefan and Carina Rosenkranz never forgot how Coun Hinchliff came to their rescue on their wedding...
1998: Glancing back
BABY Morgan Walker had an amazing escape after a freak gust of wind catapulted her pram 20 yards and slammed it into a garden fence.
The nine-week-old suffered nothing more than a bump on her head in the drama which came during the 50mph gales which left a trail of damage across Barnsley this week.
Morgan’s spectacular escape was witnessed by mum, Claire, who had only left the pram — with its brakes on —...
1991: Glancing back
HERE’S a selection of stories as they were reported in the Chronicle back in Augusy 1991.
HISTORY was made when Angela Owen became the first woman in Barnsley to give birth under water.
Water baby girl Ashley, who weighed in at 6Ib 7oz, was born in a specially-built pool which was set up in one of Barnsley Hospital’s labour suites.
The birth went without a hitch and Angela was in the water in labour for...
Old school mag brings back memories
AN ALMOST mint-condition school magazine from 1954 has been shared with the Chronicle.
Tony Wiggan found the Raley Secondary Modern Boys’ school magazine recently, having forgotten he kept it more than 60 years ago after leaving the school in 1955.
It features artwork by two of his old classmates Paul Audin and Norman Sidaway, as well as recounting a week-long trip to Brussels, a trip to Newcastle and Northumbria, some pupils’ creative writing and various...
1991: Glancing back
HERE’S a selection of stories as they appeared in the Chronicle back in July 1991.
A ROYSTON man’s efforts to raise money for charity have come to a halt after Barnsley Council served him with a writ, followed by an injunction to prevent him operating the car boot sales he was holding on his own land at Barugh Green.
Chris Taylor, of Lee Lane, Royston, wanted to raise money to help Romanian orphans, children in...
1998: Glancing back
HERE’S a selection of stories as they appeared in the Chronicle in July 1998.
EDUCATION chiefs are considering closing the three special schools where dozens of children with learning difficulties are taught.
Ironically one of those facing the axe, Crevesford, was only last week named among the 22 schools in Barnsley’s Education Action Zone — an ambitious £1m plan to improve standards.
The shake-up could also spell the end for The Gables School at Wombwell...
Bridge was ‘accident blackspot’
THERE were calls for major improvements to a Cudworth accident blackspot after a lorry and double-decker bus collided in spectacular fashion 32 years ago this week.
The two vehicles were left mangled together beneath the old railway bridge on Pontefract Road in June 1986.
Thankfully the drivers escaped without serious injuries in the head-on smash.
Although his cabin was crushed, the bus driver suffered only minor injuries. He and two passengers, as well as the...
