William Barnes, the beloved Dorset dialect poet, left a rich legacy that now resides at the Dorset History Centre. The William Barnes Society has launched a fundraising campaign to ensure that his extensive archive remains accessible to all.
When he died William Barnes bequeathed his writings, poems, letters, sermons, woodcuts and engravings to the County Museum that he co-founded in the mid-19th century. Today, the collection requires the expertise of a professional archivist to be properly catalogued, and the Society aims to raise £35,000 to fund this critical work, making Barnes’ contributions available to a global audience.
As part of the campaign, a series of events will be held, including the revival of The Year Clock, a play about Barnes’ life, written by Society Vice President, Tim Laycock.
Claire Dixon, Executive Director of the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, supports the project: ‘William Barnes is an important part of our story. Cataloguing this collection will connect more people with his work and life. We’re excited to collaborate with the Dorset History Centre and the William Barnes Society on this essential project.’
The campaign also has the backing of Sir Andrew Motion, former UK Poet Laureate and President of the William Barnes Society. Sir Andrew noted that his own published selection of poems by William Barnes (Penguin, 1984) would not have been possible without access to the Barnes collection.
Details about ways of donating can be found on the Society’s website williambarnessociety.org.uk
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