Published on Wednesday 18 December 2024
Image by Gary Norman shows Poole Foundry's workers outside the Foundry gates.
Poole Museum presents the ‘Men of Iron’ exhibition
Location: Lighthouse, Poole, BH15 1UG
14 January – 22 February 2025 (closed on Sunday and Mondays)
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. Drury 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, which is owned and operated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, is bringing this historical collection back to life at Lighthouse, Poole, in an exhibition that captures the heart and soul of the community.
The collection celebrates the spirit of Poole Foundry’s workers and their craft, while also sharing the experiences and memories of the photographers, offering an intimate glimpse into the lives that helped shape Poole.
At the heart of ‘Men of Iron’ are the original black-and-white photographs by the former students at the college, now known as Arts University Bournemouth.
These images offer an unfiltered view of the foundry's workers, machinery, and environment, with the portraits not only depicting faces, but the essence of a working community.
Alongside the photographs, Poole Museum is displaying artefacts from the foundry, including protective gear, castings, and moulds used daily by the workers. The museum’s volunteers have also interviewed some of the original photographers for a selection of oral histories included as part of the exhibition.
Joe Raine, Documentation Assistant from Poole Museum said:
“Our ‘Men of Iron’ exhibition brings forward the faces, tools, and art of Poole Foundry’s workers at a time when their craft and camaraderie face the risk of fading from memory.
“We’re proud to share this history and bring these moving stories to life, displaying images and artifacts on show at Lighthouse that highlight Poole’s rich industrial and artistic legacy within the community.”
Geoff Drury said:
“This project began as a learning opportunity for the students, teaching them to work with challenging lighting and experimental photographic techniques. However, the announcement of the foundry’s closure gave it an unexpected poignancy, with the experience building mutual respect between the students and the workers, who shared their stories and resilience in the face of change.
“The resulting photographs captured not just the workers and their craft but also the stoic optimism that defined Poole Foundry. It’s wonderful that forty years on, these images are being revisited and celebrated by Poole Museum.
“This exhibition is more than a collection of photographs; it’s a tribute to the people, their skills, and the tight-knit community spirit that shaped Poole’s industrial heritage. I’m proud to see these stories brought to life for new audiences and to honour a significant chapter of our shared history.”
Looking forward to hosting the Men of Iron exhibition, Lighthouse Creative Engagement Manager Martha Earley said:
"Lighthouse is very happy to support Poole Museum while it has been closed for refurbishment. We are excited to keep working together when it reopens."
The ‘Men of Iron’ exhibition is free to enter. It opens to the public on 14 January at Lighthouse, Poole, and will run until 22 February 2025, and is open between 10am-8pm when Lighthouse, Poole is open (Tuesday – Saturday), with visitors advised to check before travelling.
Poole Museum will be holding a series of bookable events including dementia friendly tours, curator talk and tours, and a creative writing workshop. For more information on ‘Men of Iron’ and to book a ticket to one of the events, please visit poolemuseum.org.uk/men-of-iron
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Poole Museum
The museum is located in the heart of Poole’s Old Town and Quay. The Museum comprises the Grade II listed Oakley’s Mill a Victorian grain mill and warehouse, the Grade I listed medieval Wool Hall, Grade I listed Scaplen’s Court and gardens, and Sir Anthony Caro’s impressive quayside Sea Music sculpture.
Collection highlights include a unique Iron Age log boat, internationally significant artefacts from 16th and 17th century shipwrecks, the world’s finest public collection of Poole Pottery and a fine art collection of local artists including Augustus John and Henry Lamb.
The museum is currently closed for a redevelopment which is majority funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with other funding coming from Arts Council England, Historic England High Street Heritage Action Zone and BCP Council, UK Government Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, The Fine Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, Talbot Village Trust, The Headley Trust, The Steel Charitable Trust, Pilgrim Trust, Poole Museum Foundation, The Valentine Charitable Trust, Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean Charitable Foundation, Wessex Museums, Poole BID, and Poole Arts Society.
Poole Museum is one of the most popular free museums in the South of England.
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Find out more about Poole Museum here.
Lighthouse, Poole
Lighthouse plays a vital role in Poole and the South West as a nationally important, locally loved cultural organisation housed in an iconic building where creative work is made, rehearsed, discussed, shared and presented. A source of inspiration and pride to our community and the wider region, Lighthouse is different every day, a place where memories that last a lifetime are made.
Opened in April 1978 as Poole Arts Centre, Lighthouse was conceived as a receiving venue to provide entertainment and cultural experiences for Dorset and a new home for Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Today, Lighthouse is the centre of excellence for live performance, film and visual arts in the South West, playing an essential part in the delivery of national and regional arts strategy, and providing a dynamic, world-class cultural facility for Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and beyond.
Lighthouse is unique as the only multi-space venue with four auditoria in the South West, and one of the largest outside London, housing a symphonic concert hall, mid-scale theatre, small-scale studio theatre, independent cinema, art galleries, cafe, and function room spaces where our audiences can discover and enjoy an extraordinary mix of art forms not possible elsewhere across the region, all under one roof.
Lighthouse supports and enables the creation of work and artist development and is passionate about providing opportunities for learning and participation across all ages.
Lighthouse is a charity (Poole Arts Trust Ltd - registered charity number 275961) and is indebted to the generosity of its supporters, as well as the ongoing support of its public funders BCP Council and Arts Council England.
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