Right at the central crossroads of Barrow’s shopping centre, where Dalton Road, Crellin Street and the awful, modern, could-be-anywhere Portland Walk (which I will show when I can bring myself to) meet, is the huge bronze sculpture The Spirit of Barrow. It’s another piece by Chris Kelly, who gave us the Willie Horne (qv) statue.
One of the four figures facing different ways from the crossroads is a young man with a sledgehammer, all rippling muscles, noble good looks and socialist realism (or perhaps he dropped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting celebrating the dignity of labour.) The other three are rather grittier: an electrician, a welder, and a fitter complete with pipe wrench who is my favourite, which is why I’ve chosen to focus on him. I like him because he’s such a quintessential Barrovian. Especially the face. And the hunched-but-full-of-purpose gait.
Posted by enitharmon 
