BAKEWELL TOWN & COMMUNITY TRUST MISSING MURAL DISCOVERED
- peakadvertiser
- Oct 1
- 1 min read
On Thursday 18th September at Bakewell Town Hall, dignitaries and guests learnt about the ‘Mystery of the Missing Mural’.
In 1945 Private John Blake, an Army soldier who had been stationed in Bakewell during WWII, painted a huge mural on the rear wall of the Assembly Room in the Town Hall, the Mural was some 30ft wide by 16ft tall and took Mr Blake 146 hours.
He dedicated the painting to the people of Bakewell as a ‘Victory Gift’, particularly thanking the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Services Recreation Club who had done so much for the troops stationed there.
Controversially in 1958, the Urban District Council decided to ‘obliterate’ the mural without consultation, and in recent years it had become almost a myth.
However, thanks to the research of Stephen Coates, President of Bakewell & District Historical Society; and Archaeological Research Services Ltd, the missing mural has been rediscovered.
A small area has been revealed and a special interpretation panel, designed by Jenny Doole from Archaeological Research Services, has now been installed.
Bakewell Mayor, Cllr Alyson Hill, unveiled the panel and guests were entertained with talks on the Mural’s history, along with details of the ‘Stitches in Time’ embroidered panels, created by members of Bakewell U3A and now on display in the Town Hall.
The evening also celebrated 135 years since the official opening of Bakewell Town Hall.
The rediscovered portion of the Missing Mural and the ‘Stitches in Time’ panels can be viewed at the Town Hall.
