Broad Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

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Broad Street


 

 

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Broad Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent


more photos of Broad Street

 

At the top of Broad Street stands the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, which fronts onto Bethesda Street. 

The following two statues stand outside the museum on Broad Street:
 
"The Steel Man"
"The Steel Man" 
Sculptured by Colin Melbourne
(head of Sir Henry Doulton Sculpture School)
Stainless Steel casting of statue by R. Goodwin and Sons


The struggle of the Shelton Bar steelworkers to retain their livelihood became an industrial folk-legend.  The Victoria Theatre staged a successful musical documentary to publicise their cause. Ted Smith, leader of Stoke Council headed up the fight. The statue of a steel worker was produced by Goodwin Foundry and was used as a "mascot" during marches around the streets of the city.
The fight was lost and after more than 100 years of continuous operation the blast furnaces were shut down on June 23rd 1978 and 2000 workers were made redundant. Rolling continued at the works but the whole works were closed in April 2000 by Corus.

The plaque on the plinth reads:

"I believe in the dignity of labour whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living, but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living. This sculpture was created to commemorate the struggle of the Shelton Steel Workers to preserve the future of their works for the community."



 

Reginald Mitchell (1895 - 1937), designer of the WWII Spitfire aeroplane
Reginald Mitchell (1895 - 1937), 
designer of the WWII Spitfire aeroplane

Mitchell was born nearby in Butt Lane, Newcastle.
In the Potteries Museum is an example of a Spitfire aeroplane.



more photos of Broad Street

Photos: 1999 and 2000

 


 

  


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questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks