A new sculpture commemorating the ‘Barrow Boys’ has been unveiled at Bridlington Station.
The statue, commissioned by the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership (CRP), has been designed and created by talented local sculptor Stephen Carvill, who also created the Gansey Girl on Bridlington North Pier.
Cast in bronze and standing at over 5ft tall, the sculpture is located on the station concourse, and commemorates the children who earned a small fee by using wheelbarrows to carry holidaymakers’ luggage to hotels and guesthouses between the 1930s and the early 1980s.
Funding was provided by several organisations, including the Department for Transport, Community Rail Network, Northern, Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District and Bridlington Town Council.
Around 30 former ‘Barrow Boys’ were at Bridlington Station on Thursday 25 July to watch the unveiling ceremony.
Pete Myers, chair of the Yorkshire Coast CRP, said: “Yorkshire Coast CRP are delighted to play a part in this project, which will both enhance the station and tell this important piece of social history.
“The story has a national interest, and our research shows that most seaside towns would have had Barrow Boys and Girls employed at their bus and railway stations. We would be happy to work with other locations to help set up, in whatever form, a national movement of Barrow Boys and Girls, so that we don’t forget when an entrepreneurial spirit really existed amongst the young people of our coastal communities.”
Martin Clarke, programmes development manager at Community Rail Network, said: “I am delighted to have supported this inspiring project led by YCCRP, marking an important part of the history of not just Bridlington, but of seaside towns across the country.
“Many local people have fond memories of growing up in these communities, welcoming visitors arriving by train. This affection was demonstrated by the huge attendance at the launch event, both celebrating the past and underlining the vital role of the railway within the local community today.”
Darren Allsopp, stakeholder manager for Northern, said: “This is a fantastic piece of art which commemorates an important part of Bridlington’s railway history and I was delighted to see that some of the Barrow Boys made it to the unveiling ceremony at the station.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has worked hard to deliver a sculpture which will be enjoyed by customers for years to come.”
For the next stage of the project, Yorkshire Coast CRP would like to collect stories, memories and photos from former Barrow Boys and Girls to include in a new book, which author Faith Young has been commissioned to write. Contact faithyoung1970@gmail.com with your contributions.
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Yorkshire Coast CRP via their website.
