Barnsley Queries: PMSA NRP - S. Yorkshire: On the main tower of Barnsley Town Hall on the facade facing Church Street. (SE434407)

ArtistMaker:	stonemason not known (architects: BRIGGS & THORNELY)
TitleOfWork:	coat of arms
DescriptionOfPhoto:	View of Tower and coat of arms
DateOfCreation:	1933
Dimensions:
Medium:	Portland limestone
Location:	On the main tower of Barnsley Town Hall on the facade facing Church Street. (SE434407)
AtoZReference:	p.13 5G
Postcode:	S70 2TA
Street:	Church Street
TownOrVillage:	Barnsley
AreaInTown:	Town Centre
MetropolitanBorough:	Barnsley
Photographer:	Dave Ball
ImageCopyright:	Sheffield Hallam University
AccessionNumber:	b019c
Description: On the 145ft high tower on the facade above the main entrance. Commission: As early as 1914 the town began the planning stages for a new Town Hall. A competition was held and tenders accepted by 1915 for a building costing Ł22,465. The continuing World War meant that these plans were shelved. After 1918 the council acquired more land to create a larger building. [ Questions: the Sculptor/stone mason? Was they chosen by competition again? If so what were the details? ] Briggs and Thornely were from Liverpool. Building work began in 1930: the contractors for the project were: Foundations - T. Wilkinson & Sons, Sheffield, Stonework up to ground floor - Charles Smith, Barnsley, Superstructure - W. Thornton & Sons, Liverpool The final cost of building and furnishing the Town Hall was Ł188,037 12/10d The foundation stone was laid on 21st April 1932 by Councillor R.J. Plummer, a former Lord Mayor of Barnsley. It was subsequently opened on December 14th, 1933, by H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales. Comment: These arms were those granted to Barnsley in 1869. The figures of the miner and glassblower were added in 1913. Important features include a falcon and padlock taken from the arms of Joseph Locke, the civil engineer and local MP. Shuttles and pickaxes refer to local industries. The motto 'Spectemur Agendo', means 'Judge us by our Actions'. When Barnsley Metropolitan Borough was created in 1974 the 14 former local authorities were depicted on the coat of arms by the addition of an "escarpuncle of fourteen points placed in a crest under the griffon's claw" [1] References: [1] Full details of the coat of arms can be found on the Barnsley Local Government site at: http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/council/historical/arms.asp Questions: Who were the original architects ?

ArtistMaker:

stonemason not known (architects: BRIGGS & THORNELY)

TitleOfWork:

coat of arms

DescriptionOfPhoto:

View of Tower and coat of arms

DateOfCreation:

1933

Dimensions:

Medium:

Portland limestone

Location:

On the main tower of Barnsley Town Hall on the facade facing Church Street. (SE434407)

AtoZReference:

p.13 5G

Postcode:

S70 2TA

Street:

Church Street

TownOrVillage:

Barnsley

AreaInTown:

Town Centre

MetropolitanBorough:

Barnsley

Photographer:

Dave Ball

ImageCopyright:

Sheffield Hallam University

AccessionNumber:

b019c

Description: On the 145ft high tower on the facade above the main entrance.

Commission: As early as 1914 the town began the planning stages for a new Town Hall. A competition was held and tenders accepted by 1915 for a building costing Ł22,465.

The continuing World War meant that these plans were shelved. After 1918 the council acquired more land to create a larger building.

[ Questions: the Sculptor/stone mason? Was they chosen by competition again? If so what were the details? ]

Briggs and Thornely were from Liverpool. Building work began in 1930: the contractors for the project were:
Foundations - T. Wilkinson & Sons, Sheffield,
Stonework up to ground floor - Charles Smith, Barnsley,
Superstructure - W. Thornton & Sons, Liverpool
The final cost of building and furnishing the Town Hall was Ł188,037 12/10d

The foundation stone was laid on 21st April 1932 by Councillor R.J. Plummer, a former Lord Mayor of Barnsley. It was subsequently opened on December 14th, 1933, by H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales.

Comment: These arms were those granted to Barnsley in 1869. The figures of the miner and glassblower were added in 1913.
Important features include a falcon and padlock taken from the arms of Joseph Locke, the civil engineer and local MP. Shuttles and pickaxes refer to local industries.
The motto 'Spectemur Agendo', means 'Judge us by our Actions'.

When Barnsley Metropolitan Borough was created in 1974 the 14 former local authorities were depicted on the coat of arms by the addition of an "escarpuncle of fourteen points placed in a crest under the griffon's claw" [1]

References: [1] Full details of the coat of arms can be found on the Barnsley Local Government site at:
http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/council/historical/arms.asp

Questions: Who were the original architects ?

Photographer Dave Ball (unless indicated otherwise above)
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Last updated July 18, 2005

PMSA National Recording Project - South Yorkshire

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