The South Yorkshire town of Barnsley grew through its industries of linen weaving, glass-making and coal mining from a settlement around Monk Bretton Priory. Communities grew up around these industries which also brought wealth to the town but today many of these industries are just a memory and not only has the fabric of the town changed in the last hundred years but also a way of life has disappeared. New modes of transport such as canals, trams and railways, have come and gone, shops have opened and closed, places of worship and entertainment, not least music venues, theatres and cinemas, have disappeared and a major redevelopment of the town centre has seen many old buildings swept away.
Lost Barnsley presents a portrait of this corner of South Yorkshire over the last century to recent decades that has radically changed or disappeared today, showing not only industries and buildings that have gone but also people and street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more. This fascinating photographic history of lost Barnsley will appeal to all those who live in the area or know it well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.