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The Barnsley Summer of 1985

On the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, Michael Hardy (Digital Engagement Curator) looks through newspapers, photographs and the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper archive and revisits the summer of 1985 to see what was happening in Barnsley at the time.

In the year leading up to Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre opening in 2013 I spent quite some time looking through the Barnsley Archives film archive for potential films to be showcased in Barnsley’s first social history museum. The one theme that stood out the most were parades and street parties. At the time the Barnsley Archives film collection was still quite new, with many cine films, VHS tapes and other forms of media still to be digitised. Mayor’s Parades from the 1970s onwards were heavily featured. The majority of these videos such as the parade from 1977 which also celebrated the Queen’s silver jubilee is amateur footage providing a snapshot of the annual parade. But this much longer, almost one hour film from the collection stood out, and remains my favourite film held by Barnsley Archives and Local studies.

A colorful float from the Mayor's Parade featuring a frog and various creatures, with a blue vehicle labeled 'Gas' in the foreground.
A group of children wearing white shirts and festive hats decorated with Union Jack patterns, sitting together during a parade, with decorative bunting in the background.
A person dressed in a suit with a mask holds a sign reading 'County Abolition? We Will Look After You!' while walking in a parade, accompanied by other parade participants.
A lively parade scene featuring participants with balloons and a stroller numbered 27, as crowds watch along the street.
Participants in a colorful parade, wearing themed costumes and pushing decorated carts, walk along a street filled with spectators, balloons in the background.
A parade scene featuring a woman in a red jacket and white skirt, standing on a street. She is holding a baton, while a crowd watches in the background.
A red Dodge truck filled with red balloons drives in a parade, accompanied by a person in a suit and white mask holding a sign.
A woman crowned as 'Miss Barnsley' sits in a floral decorated chair, wearing a sash and a tiara, with a background of vibrant flowers.
A group of people at a parade in the 1980s, with a man in a hat and a woman holding a puppet resembling a well-dressed lady, surrounded by colorful decorations.
A performer in a colorful costume plays a trombone during a parade, surrounded by people celebrating.

In 1985 the Mayor’s Parade was held on Saturday 13th July, which coincided with Live Aid. I had imagined that everyone would have been gathered around the TV at home watching the live performances at Wembley in an event that became one of the most watched broadcasts of all time, with an estimated 40% of the worlds watching. 170 miles away from Wembley however, 1000s of people lined the street to take part and watch the annual Lord Mayor’s Parade.

As you can see from the video which we have made available on YouTube, it is so very 80s! packed with lots of cultural references such as Ghostbusters, someone is heard playing the James Bond theme on a xylophone and one of the floats pays tribute to the Barnsley Women Against Pit Closures movement – you can briefly spot in the film that someone is wearing a Margaret Thatcher mask and is incarcerated behind bars. We don’t have any photos or films from the parade in 1984, which presumably had a very different feel as Barnsley, and the country were five months in to what became a year long strike. Last year we reflected on the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike

‘Mayor votes parade a great success’

This was the headline published in the Barnsley Chronicle the following week (You can view the Barnsley Chronicle archive by visiting Barnsley Archives in the town hall) The mayor that year was Coun. Derrick Lloyd. The article mentions that the theme of the parade was “Barnsley Welcomes You To Carnival time and that 55 floats entered and goes into detail about the awards presented on the day, the Barnsley Mencap float were the overall winners, they also won most colourful and an award for voluntary or service organisation. Barnsley C.V.S claimed the award for originality, Worsbrough Common Junior School won the prize for best theme, the Radio Barnsley float was named most humorous and the 29th Barugh Brownies were winners of best school or youth organisation.

If you were one of the winners and have a trophy please get in touch! We’d also love to see other photos and videos, message us on our socials @BarnsleyMuseums or email barnsleymuseums@barnsley.gov.uk

A historic photo featuring the opening of a new Barnsley Chronicle shop in Peel Square, with Mayor Derrick Lloyd and several other individuals posing outside.
Mayor Derrick Lloyd and others at the official opening of the new Barnsley Chronicle shop in Peel Square, July 1985.
Portrait of Coun. Derrick Lloyd, the Mayor of Barnsley, in ceremonial robes, seated with a smile, surrounded by a library backdrop.

A portrait of Derrick Lloyd which you can see alongside portraits of every other mayor of Barnsley on the first floor of the town hall. One of the events he was present for in July 1985 was the opening of a new Barnsley Chronicle office in Peel Square.

Other events in Barnsley that year

We thought we’d take a look at some other events happening in the summer of 1985 in Barnsley: The United Nations had named 1985 as International Youth Year which was marked in many different ways throughout the world, the year “was held to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth” in Barnsley this included a gala in the town centre and Locke park which was attended by 30 youth organisations.

A group of children and adults posing in front of a decorated float during a parade, surrounded by balloons and bunting.
A black and white photograph of a parade with children and adults walking together, some waving and holding banners. In the background, a police officer stands, and buildings are visible.
A group of people posing with a banner that reads 'Greetings from Dearne Youth International Youth Year'. The scene captures a moment from an event celebrating youth in 1985.

The Barnsley Chronicle reported that over 600 young people joined in the parade which started at the County Way car park and thousands of people turned up at the gala which raised money for the Save The Children fund. Not everything went to plan on the day however: the YMCA had planned to break the record for the longest conga line, the aim was to get 10,000 people to join in but sadly on the day only 175 people participated.

A group of children participates in a conga line on a street, smiling and enjoying themselves, with houses and cars visible in the background.
The failed attempt to break a conga record, as pictured in the Barnsley Chronicle, July 1985

If you joined in the conga or were part of the gala which celebrated International Youth Year, please get in touch.

‘A great day for promoting Co-ops’

A black-and-white group photograph of individuals at an outdoor event, featuring people dressed in various attire, including a clown and others in white uniforms, smiling and posing in front of a tent.
Participants at the National Cooperative Gala in Barnsley, celebrated as a huge success in July 1985, featuring various co-op exhibitors.

The first National Cooperative Gala staged in Barnsley at the weekend has been hailed a huge success. Speakers at the Northern College venue included Labour Party employment spokesman, John Prescott MP, Trade and Industry spokesman John Smith MP and general secretary of the TUC, Norman Willis. “It was a great weekend for Co-ops from all over the country and helped put Barnsley on the map.” Co-op exhibitors inside the College ranged from civil engineering firms to a hand made shoe company.

‘The people’s choice back in charge at Oakwell’

Making the sports pages of The Barnsley Chronicle in July 1985 was the news that Allen Clarke was back in charge at Barnsley Football Club

A black and white image of a man in a suit with a striped tie sitting on a stool, raising his fist in a triumphant gesture.

The newspaper reported at the time: “Clarke was manager at Oakwell for just over two seasons from 1978, when he replaced Jim Iley, and became very much a folk hero as he rescued the club from the Fourth Division doldrums, built up a big, enthusiastic following, and led the Reds into the Third Division. When he left for Leeds in September, 1980, taking coach Barry Murphy and right-hand man Martin Wilkinson with him, Barnsley were already on course for Division Two.”

Five officials and players shake hands before the England vs Scotland Under 18 International match at Oakwell, with spectators in the background.

Barnsley Football Club was also mentioned in the 1985 ‘This is Barnsley’ Metropolitan Borough official guide (England vs Scotland under 18 International at Oakwell)

A cover image of the 'This is Barnsley' guidebook featuring a scenic landscape with rolling hills and grazing cows, along with the text 'THIS IS BARNSLEY' and 'Metropolitan Borough Official Guide' at the bottom.

St Edwin’s school closes

A group of children posing with a headmaster and a school governor during the last assembly at St. Edwin's School in Athersley, where prizes were awarded for various achievements.

“Past members of staff joined pupils at St. Edwin’s Junior School for last Friday’s prize day ceremony. But they were also there to mark a sad occasion —St. Edwin’s is closing under the local education authority’s rationalisation programme. The closure meant all 190 pupils started their summer holidays a week early to give staff time to organise the disposal of furniture and other items. They are being transferred to St. Hilda’s Junior, which is on the same site at St. Edwin’s, opened in 1948”

Barnsley Archives holds records for schools across the borough.

The end of the miners’ strike

Historical photograph featuring five people on a balcony, with one individual wearing the mayoral chain, likely at a ceremonial event.
A black and white photograph of a march featuring members of the National Union of Mineworkers carrying a large banner with a portrait of Arthur Scargill, surrounded by a crowd of supporters along a street.

On 3rd March 1985, a year from the start of the strike, the NUM’s National Executive voted 98-91 in favour of an organised return to work. The miners returned to work defeated but not broken as they defiantly walked behind colliery bands and lodge banners, and alongside the women and children who had provided them with such immense support. Pictured above are miners from Royston with their families on the march back to work. In July 1985 Arthur Scargill along with his then wife Anne, the Mayor and Mayoress of Barnsley, Coun. and Mrs. Derrick Lloyd, and Barnsley Council’s leader, Coun. Ron Rigby, after Monday’s unveiled a the plaque in
Barnsley Town Hall to commemorate the miners’ strike.

Benjamin Harral’s closes

Historic storefront of Benj Harral Ltd, a jeweler in Barnsley, showcasing vintage signage and pedestrians walking by.
Benjamin Harral’s jewellers on Eldon Street


The start of 1985 was the end an era for one of Barnsley’s most iconic shops: Benjamin Harral’s the jeweller on Eldon Street shut its doors for the final time. The shop where happy couples often received a bread knife when buying engagement rings had been a focal point on Eldon Street since 1904. You can read more about the history of the shop and building in one of our previous blogs.

On the subject of shopping in Barnsley one of my favourite collections of photographs from Barnsley Archives is the Harry Brookes collection of Barnsley Market photography. Harry worked on the market as a toilet attendant for close to thirty years carrying out various jobs including a toilet attendant.

A smiling market trader wearing a pink coat stands near clothes hanging on a line, with what appears to be a vintage vehicle in the background.
Two women smiling and interacting while surrounded by clothing and other items at an outdoor market.
An overhead view of a fruit stall named 'Superfruits' in a market, with several people arranging produce and customers browsing.
A young man and an older man stand in a computer store surrounded by various computer systems and memorabilia, with a computer monitor in the background.
A family standing in front of various home brewing kits and canned beverages, smiling at the camera.

In the 80s, Harry took hundreds of photographers of market traders, see more from his collection of 1985 photos in our Flickr album.

Music Memories

In July 1985 Gerry Marsden from Gerry and The Pacemakers came to town!

Gerry Marsden, of Gerry and The Pacemakers, poses for a photo with Chronicle reporter Graham Walker, both smiling at the camera.
A group of women dancing and singing along at the Granada Bingo Hall, while a band performs on stage, featuring musicians playing various instruments.

The Barnsley Chronicle reported at the time: Sixties rock star Gerry Marsden was once as big a name as Wham!, Duran Duran and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. But there were no screaming girls to greet him outside the Granada Bingo Hall in Barnsley on Saturday. Instead they were all inside… most of them mothers and grandmothers by now. It was a nostalgic night and they took full advantage of it, dancing on table tops to the likes of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers were the first to score three consecutive number one hit singles. “How Do You Do It”, “I Like It” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” made Gerry a household name in the early 1960s.

It wasn’t the first time Gerry and his band had appeared in Barnsley, in 1967 Gerry and The Pacemakers found time for a kickabout at Oakwell before performing at Club Ba-Ba

A group of five individuals standing on the pitch at Barnsley Football Club's stadium, with the club's sign visible in the background.
Three men gathered on the grass at Barnsley Football Club's stadium, with one man preparing to kick a football. The background features the stadium's grandstand and advertisements.
Black and white photograph of five men on a football field, posing with a soccer ball in front of a stadium with a sign for M&L Furnishers on Peel Street.
Newspaper advertisement for Club Ba-Ba in Barnsley featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers, listing dates and acts scheduled for performances.
A black and white photograph of four men on a sports field, jumping to kick a football, with a stadium structure and a woman in the background.

In 1985 Barnsley had it’s own music chart! Compiled each week by Radio Barnsley and published in The Barnsley Chronicle

A newspaper clipping listing the top ten best-selling singles in Barnsley, compiled by Radio Barnsley. The chart includes artists like Madonna, Eurythmics, and Sister Sledge, with positions and past rankings indicated.

How many of these 80s hits do you remember? I thought I’d end this 1985 lookback with a selection of adverts from the Barnsley Chronicle

A newspaper advertisement for 'Rebecca's', a dance venue in Barnsley, promoting late night dancing on Thursdays and offering a free bottle of champagne for parties over 30.
A black and white advertisement for the movie 'A View to a Kill' featuring James Bond, with images of the characters and the film's title prominently displayed. It includes details about the cast, director, and showing date at the Odeon in Barnsley.
An advertisement for The Old Pavilion in Barnsley promoting The Garry King Disco, featuring an illustration of a polo player and details about the event including the commencement date and opening night special.
A newspaper clipping from the Civic Theatre in Barnsley advertising events related to the Mayor's Parade 1985, including program numbers and upcoming concerts.
A newspaper advertisement from July 1985 featuring events and entertainment options in Barnsley, including a gala cabaret, pop quiz nights, and various music performances.

What are your memories of growing up in Barnsley in the 1980s? Please share them with us when you visit the Stories of Childhood exhibition at Experience Barnsley Museum

Have you read our recent articles?

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