Barnsley Museums

I have worked at Barnsley Museums for 16 years this month so I thought I would write about the places that I am lucky enough to work at on a day to day basis. Barnsley Museums run five sites and I work across three of those, each with their own art or social history collections.

The Cooper Gallery

The Cooper Gallery is situated on Church Street in Barnsley Town Centre. It was set up by local man Samuel Joshua Cooper. Samuel was born on 17 September 1830 and inherited wealth from his father, a local buisness man, who made his money from the local linen trade. Samuel married Fanny Mann on 9 February 1859 at St Peters Church in Bradford. Together they went on annual trips to Europe, visiting Paris in the springtime nearly every year to buy paintings, sculpture, decorative art, wine and clothing. 

When a building on Church Street in Barnsley came up for auction on 18 September 1912, it was sold for £3,400 to Samuel. His intention was to provide an art gallery for the people of Barnsley which would house his personal art collection. Sadly, Samuel died on 11 July 1913 and did not live to see the completion of the gallery. However, before his death he had arranged to have the building altered and a board of trustees was set up to establish and maintain the gallery and collection, making it free for the people of Barnsley. It opened on 31 July 1914 at 3:30pm by Earl Fitzwilliam. The gallery has been open to the public since, apart from a brief period during World War Two when the building was used as an outpatients client for the local hospital.

Today the gallery has a stunning collection of paintings and sculpture. The collection ranges from the 17th to 20th centuries and contains over 400 works. Since Mr Cooper's original bequest further bequests have been added. Highlights include Abel Hold’s ‘ Peggy Airey’, Vanessa Bell's 'Flowerpiece' and the marble masterpiece ‘The Veiled Lady’. Original features of the gallery also remain, including a coat of arms above the front door which represents both Mr Cooper and his wife. In the entrance you can also see beautiful original stained glass windows bearing the initials of Mr Cooper.

As well as galleries for the permanent collection, temporary exhibition spaces are used to display touring exhibitions and local artist work. My favourite exhibitions in recent years have included Picasso lino cuts and Betty Woodman ceramics. A beautiful garden hosts Barnsley's first living wall and a cottage on the grounds houses artist studios. It really is a creative hub that has become the heart of the local community. I am proud to have spent many hours in this beautiful place and look forward to many more.  

Cannon Hall Museum

The origins of the name Cannon Hall is said to go back to the 13th century when Gilbert Canun, was recorded as the first owner of a property on the site. We know much more of its history from the Spencer – Stanhope family, who lived at the hall from the mid 17th century. 

I’ve always been drawn to the artistic members of the family which include John Roddam Spencer Stanhope, a second-wave pre-Raphaelite who produced an array of paintings on mythological and biblical themes. John’s nieces Gertrude Spencer Stanhope and Evelyn De Morgan were also renowned artists. Gertrude was a talented sculptor and Evelyn an accomplished painter. Both having amazing careers in the art world. Elisabeth Fraser Spencer Stanhope, was the last member of the family to live at the hall, she later sold the property and part of the land to Barnsley Council in 1951. It was then decided to turn the building into a museum, which opened in 1957.

Today the house is divided into many parts, the lower floors are set out like a Georgian country home, with a library, ballroom, dining room. Below stairs is a  a vast kitchen. The upper floors house a beautiful glass gallery and is home to the De Morgan Foundation’s exhibition ‘A Family of Artists’, featuring paintings by Evelyn De Morgan and ceramics by her husband William De Morgan.

Temporary exhibition spaces are used to display touring exhibitions. In recent years one of my favourites has been the costumes from Downton Abby. More recently I enjoyed an exhibition called Catwalking that came from the Bowes Museum which featured stunning clothes and photographs from the contemporary world of fashion. This museum really is a stunning place with so much to see. I am so lucky to get to work behind the scenes and up close with its vast and varied collections.    

Experience Barnsley

Established in 2013, Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre is situated on the ground floor of Barnsley’s Town Hall and has been created on the generosity of the people of the borough who have donated most of the objects in its collection.

The Town Hall is a Grade II listed building, designed by Sir Arnold Thornley in a classical style and is built of Portland stone. It is said to have cost £148,697 and  was officially opened by the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) on 14 December 1933. At present, this venue is where I spend most of my working time and I appreciate how lucky I am to work in such a beautiful building which houses the museum.                          

                    

Throughout the museum there are displays and interactives which highlight the many contributions to the town, from work and leisure, family life, sports to science and archaeology. Objects out on display can range from Roman coins found locally to contemporary board games. There is a dedicated gallery for temporary exhibitions, most are curated using objects from the Barnsley Museums collections, as well touring shows. Some of my favourites from recent years have included Tins, Tins, Tins, about the history of Barnsley Canister Company and a recent exhibition on Barnsley illustrator Brian Wildsmith.

As well as the Barnsley Museums collections, we also look after the large civic collection and objects from the Light Dragoons Museum, which are on display throughout the building. The Discovery Centre onsite is home to Barnsley Archives which makes available the documentary heritage of the Borough of Barnsley. A learning lab hosts talks and workshops, making the museum a hive of creativity, with plenty to see and do.