A NEW film project about the village of Elsecar and its links with the Indian Ocean island of Réunion will launch later this month.
The Isle of Bourbon Suspension Bridge, designed by pioneering Victorian engineer Marc Brunel, was crafted at the Hartop, Sorby and Littlewood Ironworks in Elsecar before being shipped to the island.
It opened in 1824, spanning the Sainte-Suzanne River for 40 metres.
The bridge itself is long gone and a fascinating page of South Yorkshire history could have been completely forgotten - if it wasn’t for filmmaker Wayne Sables.
Wayne - with help from Steve Pool - created a film and projection mapping piece for Barnsley Museums as part of the Building Bridges and Forging Ahead project.
It will have its first public screening when it is projection mapped onto the side of Elsecar Heritage Centre at 6pm on October 30.
Wayne said: “It’s a complex story and one that involves not only the outstanding achievements of the Industrial Revolution but also reflects the darker side of 19th century history as slavery continued on the island into the 1840s, long after the bridge was opened.
“We wanted the film to reflect every aspect of this complex period of world history, though at its heart it is very much a celebration of the working lives of people in very different communities on opposite sides of the world.”
The site of the ironworks in Elsecar - where all the casting work was carried out - is now a playing field, offering virtually no clues to its industrial past.
In 2018, though, an archaeological excavation began at the site as part of the Elsecar Heritage Action Zone and Wentworth and Elsecar Great Place projects, revealing some of the community’s ironworks history.
Barnsley Museums secured £90,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the project to help protect, share and celebrate the village’s heritage, working closely with local schools, families, community groups, volunteers and partners from across Barnsley and South Yorkshire.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, added: “Precious stories and memories of our borough’s past are important to capture.
“Mining and industry were an integral part of our history, and this project will capture information that will be shared with future generations.”
As part of the wider project, a new volunteering programme has been launched which has also involved schools in order to share Elsecar’s story with a younger audience.
A spokesperson from Elsecar Heritage Centre said: “We have also been working with community groups, schools and families across the summer to build cardboard bridges and learn about two iron bridges transported to Reunion, designed by Marc Brunel and cast at the local ironworks.
“To celebrate this project, we are holding a light projection with Wayne Sables and everyone’s welcome.”
