Fix One thing for Civic Day
Earlier in the year, Civic Voice invited its members to “fix one thing” for Civic Day. Was there a community bench in need of some TLC, an overgrown public garden in need of weeding or person in need of more recognition? The answer to this question was a very strong yes!
Here are some examples of work undertaken to celebrate Civic Day and to “fix one thing”
Leeds Civic Trust took the opportunity to restore a much-loved but increasingly fragile mural completed by noted local artist Graeme Willson in 1990. “Cornucopia” stands on the gable end of a building near the city’s Grade I listed Corn Exchange and a stones-throw from Kirkgate – one of the oldest streets in the city. The artist first approached the Trust a decade ago for financial support to restore the mural. For various reasons, the works never happened and in the meantime the artist sadly passed away. Thankfully, a partnership between Leeds City Council, local developer Rushbond PLC and Leeds Civic Trust managed commission a local mural artist Ralph Replete to undertake the work.
At the unveiling of the restored mural, Jonathan Maud, Chair of Rushbond PLC revealed that he owned the original maquette that Willson produced. This made for a wonderful image. Cornucopia literally means “horn of plenty” and the mural depicts various harvest-inspired motifs that serve as a metaphor for the history of Leeds. A very appropriate project as Leeds celebrates 400 years since it gained its charter from Charles I.
In Dorset, Blandford Town Museum, Arts and Heritage Trust celebrated national Civic Day by launching an appeal to raise funds to purchase one of the town’s most historic buildings for the community after its owners, a local charity, announced their intention to put it on the market.
The Grade I listed Bastard House, which straddles Bere’s Yard at the junction of East Street and the Market Place, has been owned by the Charity of William Williams since it was built after the Blandford fire of 1731 for and by John and William Bastard, the architects responsible for the rebuilding of the town. It is currently home to the charity shops of Age Concern and Weldmar Hospicecare and, in the burgage plot behind, the Blandford Town Museum and its Victorian Garden.
Town councillors agreed at their planning committee meeting in May to nominate the site as an asset of community value (ACV) on the grounds of the site’s ongoing community use and value. If successful, it will allow six months after the site and property is put on the market before it can be sold, giving time for a community bid to be made for its purchase.
The Blandford Town Museum, Arts & Heritage Trust, which held its annual general meeting at the end of May and has for many years been seeking further premises in which to expand its work, has appealed to its members and the wider community for support and pledges of financial donations for what it describes as an exciting opportunity to either own or lease more of the site. Find out more on its website at www.blandfordtownmuseum.org.uk and at www.blandfordtownmuseum.org.uk/museum-development-appeal/?
King’s Lynn Civic Society and in particular their members Kim Leonard and John Woodford, have refurbished the Diane Bullock memorial bench that is located outside the Minster in Saturday Market Place.
Diane Bullock, who for many years lived in the historic Greenland Fishery building on Bridge Street, was a former chairman of the King’s Lynn Civic Society and helped to found the Preservation Society and Town Guides organisations.
Kim said: ‘Diane’s bench was looking a little tired, and for someone who did so much for the town, we thought she deserved better. The bench has stood here for more than 30 years and if we take care of it, it should be here for another 30’
Halifax Civic Trust unveiled a blue plaque at 2 Heathfield Free School Lane, commemorating the life and legacy of Sir Matthew Smith, 1879-1959.
Born in Halifax, Sir Matthew Smith achieved national and international recognition for his distinctive use of colour and expressive style. Influenced by the French Fauvist movement, his paintings brought a new vitality to British art and established him as one of the country’s leading modern painters. His work is represented in many major public collections, including the Tate, and in 1954 he was knighted in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the arts. The plaque was funded by the Halifax Art Society.
Barnsley Civic Trust also mounted a blue plaque to commemorate the life and sacrifice of sergeant David Horsfall Flight Engineer on one of the Avro Lancaster bombers which took part in the Dambusters raid by aircraft of 617 Squadron on the Mohne Dam on the 16th May, 1943. Sadly he and the crew of the aircraft lost their lives when the aircraft was destroyed by enemy flak over the coast of Holland on the return flight. He was 23 years of age. The plaque was funded by subscription mainly from old boys of the Holgate Grammar school which he attended. It was mounted on the house in Commercial Street, Barnsley, where he was brought up. The plaque also commemorates his brother Alan (believed to be misnamed in the book extract as Albert) who was in the RAF and killed in action.
These and other examples demonstrate the importance of the civic movement and all of them are ultimately about improving the places where we live, work and visit. Keep up the good work!
Martin Hamilton
Civic Voice Board Member