Memorial

Somme Centenary Artwork

Early Morning 1 July 2016

Source: Copyright Linda Hutton (Barnsley War Memorials Project)

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Current Location

Churchfields Peace Gardens, Church Lane, Barnsley, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AH, England

SE 34313 06652

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WMR Reference Number: 70866
Description: The artwork, which was created by artists [musson+retallick] consists of 30 perspex panels divided into 5 vertical strips which each bear the names of two men. A total of 300 men are named who supposedly fell on the First Day of the Battle of the Somme. For around half the names a photograph of the man has been reproduced, otherwise a generic silhouette has been used. The panels are laid out along the pavement edge of the gardens in front of Barnsley Town Hall with small gaps between each large panel. At night the panels are illuminated by white led lights and the light is refracted along the edges of the panels and boundaries of the strips. Below each two names and images is a disc shaped brown object, this is a piece of local children's clay artwork, cast in resin and attached to the plaques.
Inscription: (names)

War: First World War (1914-1918)
Number Commemorated: 300
Served: 1
Died: 299
Information shown: Initial(s) and surname
Order of names: Surname, Initial(s)
Additional Information: For 125 men there are reproductions of a head and shoulders photograph. For the remainder blank male silhouettes appear, of several different varieties.

Maker(s): [musson & retallick]
Costs: c.£17,750
Sponsor Type: public
Sponsored By: Barnsley Council, Barnsley’s Ward Alliances, Arts Council England and Historic England.
Additional Cost/Sponsorship Information: Tenders were invited to not exceed £17,750 including materials, installation, decommissioning and artists fee. Additional funds were provided by the Ward Alliances to allow the local school children to attend workshops to create their medallions and to attend on the day of the 'unveiling' but this money did not directly contribute to the cost of the artwork.
Maintenance History: The memorial was installed on Thursday 30 June 1916 and 'unveiled' on 1 July 2016. It is planned to be removed on 20 November 2016. It was removed on Monday 14 November 2016.