Trip to Barnsley

An excellent day was had yesterday touring Barnsley, the former administrative centre of the South Yorkshire County Council with the South Yorkshire Victorian Society and ably led by a volunteer from the Barnsley Civic Trust. Barnsley being largely unscathed from the war consequently has managed to preserve a significant number of Victorian and Edwardian properties.

The tour of the NUM Yorkshire Area Miners' Offices (by Wade & Turner, 1874) was a fascinating time-capsule of mining history.

Built initially as the Headquarters of the South Yorkshire & North Derbyshire Miners' Union and became the HQ of NUM when the Sheffield purpose built HQ was vacated in the early 1990s (after only being occupied for four years).

Afternoon tea at the home of the Chairman of the Barnsley Civic Trust rounded off the day.