Six-foot statue of a miner to be installed in Doncaster town centre to commemorate borough's links with mining industry

A six-foot bronze statue of a miner by acclaimed sculptor and artist Laurence Edwards will be installed on Printing Office Street at the junction of St Sepulchre Gate facing towards the entrance of Frenchgate shopping centre.

The bronze miner, which is expected to be in place before March 31, 2021, will stand between two walls which will feature real-life faces of former miners who worked in various pits across the borough.

Neil Armstrong, senior programme and project manager at DMBC, said: The ‘Rich Seam’ project will see the installation of a new mining statue in Doncaster town centre recognising the area’s strong mining heritage and key role as a major employer and industry across the borough.

“Currently, there is no significant recognition of the mining industry in Doncaster town centre and there is limited public art within the urban core.

“The new statue was crowd-funded with support from local people. It will be located in a central location at the bottom of Printing Office Street, close to the entrance of Frenchgate Centre and the junctions of Printing Office Street, St Sepulchre Gate and West Laith Gate on a key axis from the Railway Station to Doncaster Markets, with associated public realm works.”

There will be a total of 40 bronze portraits of people from Doncaster mining communities in the sculpture.

Individuals, businesses and organisations have been supporting the campaign through online pledges and donations at locations across the borough.

An exhibition about the project in 2018 attracted over 1,500 visitors. Doncaster mayor Ros Jones contributed part of her allowance over her four year term to help make the statue a reality.

Some Government grant money is being used for small landscaping around the area where the statue will sit.