Image shows Poole Foundry workers outside the foundry gates - copyright Gary Norman

Poole Museum presents 'Men of Iron'

Image shows several workers standing outside the gates to Poole Foundry. Image credit: Gary Norman

Lighthouse, Poole, BH15 1UG

14 January – 22 February 2025 (closed on Sunday and Mondays)

 

General admission free

 

Poole Museum’s latest exhibition, which is being hosted at Lighthouse, Poole, honours the faces, stories and craftsmanship of Poole’s Foundry workers, 40 years on from its closure.

This evocative collection captures an important piece of Poole’s industrial history, paying tribute to the people who made the foundry their life’s work.

‘Men of Iron’ began in 1985 as a student project led by Geoff Drury from Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design, who tasked his students with capturing the foundry’s operations, its robust machinery, and the dedication of the people who worked there.

The project took on a profound significance when the foundry, a longstanding ironworks located next to St. James Church in Poole’s Old Town, announced it would close its doors in 1985. The resulting photographs became an endearing tribute to the men and women at the heart of Poole’s industrial heritage.

Forty years on, Poole Museum is bringing this historical collection back to life at Lighthouse, Poole, in an exhibition that captures the heart and soul of the community.

Alongside the photographs, Poole Museum will display artefacts from the foundry, including protective gear, castings, and moulds used daily by the workers, and Poole Museum volunteers have been interviewing the original photographers for a selection of oral histories included as part of the exhibition.

The exhibition is free to enter between 10am-8pm when Lighthouse is open, with visitors advised to check before travelling.

Poole Museum will be hosting some special events during the exhibition, including Dementia-Friendly Tours, Creative Writers Workshops and a Curators Talk and Tour. Booking for these events is essential - further details on how to book onto a tour will be confirmed here soon.

Dementia-Friendly Tours

23 January 2025 - 2-3.30pm

13 February 2025 - 2-3.30pm

Booking details to be confirmed soon.

Curators Talk and Tours

18 January 2025 - 2-3pm

18 February 2025 - 7-8pm

Join photographer Jack Daniels and Poole Museum’s Collections Officer Joe Raine, for an informal tour of the exhibition.

Discover more about Poole’s industrial heritage, intriguing archaeological discoveries, and how the photographers were able to take such incredible images!

Jack Daniels, a seasoned commercial photographer and former lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth has been captivated by the Men of Iron photographs since he saw them as a student so we’re very excited to be able to share his unique insight behind these special images.

Booking details to be confirmed soon.

Creative Writers Workshop - FREE

25 January and 22 February 2025

10am-12pm

Are you passionate about writing stories for children and young adults? Come and join our middle-grade author and community-curator, Erni Salleh-Pelham in the Men of Iron exhibition space and draw inspiration for your writing from the photographs on display around you.

Whether you’re an established author or an aspiring storyteller, this group provides a supportive space to share ideas, develop your craft, and unlock new stories, so join us on one of these writing sessions for discussions, and feedback surrounded by history and imagination!

Book onto one of our FREE sessions now!

You can also email museums@bcpcouncil.gov.uk to book your place.