Collection Highlights

Egyptian Design Tin, Barnsley Canister Company

This is one of dozens of colourful and characterful tins from the Canister Company in Barnsley's collections.

Read our Tins Tins Tins blog which explores the history of the 'tin oyle'

Listen to an audio description of this object

Hear more from former workers at the factory in this podcast 

Teapot, Cup and Strainer, 20th century

As well as the right tools and equipment for mining, it was important to keep refreshed. This lovely red tin set was taken to the pit every day by the donor's father.

Listen to an audio description 

Christmas Wrapping Paper

By the Barnsley British Co-operative Society. Not only was the Co-op a great place to buy presents, but the wrapping paper was perfectly festive too. 

 

Read our Christmas blog and learn about the co-op in this online exhibition 

Bronze Age BronzeSpearhead, 1400-1000 BC

Town Edge Quarries, Crow Edge, Penistone. Barnsley holds a small but fascinating collection of prehistoric archaeology, showing the long history of human habitation in the borough.

 

Read more about our archaeological collections 

Listen to an audio description 

The first electric teasmade was created in the 1930s, but the teamaking machines really had their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s.  Goblin were the major manufacturer and first used the word 'teasmade' as a trademark. 

Read our Time For Tea blog

Listen to an audio description

Identity Badges

Two metal identity badges from Dachau Concentration Camp. These badges belonged to Stanley Zasada, a Polish Catholic imprisoned in Dachau during the Second World War.  When the camp was liberated, Mr Zasada joined the Polish Army and eventually came to the Polish camp at Cawthorne.  He settled in Barnsley and worked in the mines as an engineer.

The 'St Michael' label on these children's underpants may have assured the shopper of quality, but would the nylon material have assured of comfort?  These vivid colours cannot fail to remind people of the particular style of the era.

Listen to an audio description 

Brooch

Flower shaped brooch made from green and lilac netting with central diamante circular jewel. This is one of several pieces in a collection of jewellery belonging to Eva Burnett, a ballroom dancer from Barnsley.

Knitted peaked hat

This hat was worn by Stan Richards in almost every scene he played as 'Seth Armstrong' in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. 

Glass Epergne 

This beautiful glass epergne was made at Woods Brothers in Worsbrough and was displayed at The Great Exhibition in Crystal Palace in 1851

Giggles Doll

Made by the Ideal Toy Company in the 1960s and treasured by a Barnsley local until it was donated to the museum this doll which was given the name 'Jackie' by our social media followers and ganied notoriety online during the coronvirus pandemic.

Mantle Clock

The Krakauer family were Prussian Jewish immigrants and Max Krakauer opened a jewellery shop on Church Street in Barnsley town centre. The shop's jewellery, watches and clocks were beautifully made and were highly prized and respected. The family was part of Barnsley's small Jewish community, which had a synagogue on Castlereagh Street between 1903 and 1946.