Battle to honour Ted Hughes takes leap forward

Long-running plans to install a bronze sculpture of former poet laureate Ted Hughes in his former stomping grounds of Mexborough have taken a step forwards with the backing of the newly elected Mayor of Doncaster.
Barnsley sculptor Graham Ibbeson with with his sketch of the proposed Ted Hughes sculpture for MexboroughBarnsley sculptor Graham Ibbeson with with his sketch of the proposed Ted Hughes sculpture for Mexborough
Barnsley sculptor Graham Ibbeson with with his sketch of the proposed Ted Hughes sculpture for Mexborough

The Labour council leader, Ros Jones, narrowly ousted her former incumbent Peter Davies, who stood for re-election as an independent, in May. During his term, Mr Davies expressed his support of the idea which was mooted by a committee of Mr Hughes’s supporters, led by the late poet’s friend Jack Brown, 76, in October last year.

Until now, Mayor Jones has not commented on whether the plans would still be supported by the cash-strapped local authority, failing to respond to a letter penned by Mr Brown following her election.

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Asked by the Yorkshire Post to comment on the plans to immortalise the poet in his childhood home, the mayor offered her backing in a statement.

She said: “Doncaster Council is continuing to support the creation of a Ted Hughes statue and tourist trail in Mexborough. Although we cannot contribute financially to the project we will administer the fund. Once arrangements are formally in place fundraising can begin.”

The committee behind the plans, which also includes poet Steve Ely, artist Ashley Jackson and sculptor Graham Ibbeson, claim it will not rely on a penny of public money to bring the plans to fruition, and they are committed to raising the necessary funds themselves.

Mr Brown welcomed the mayor’s backing.

He said: “I’m over the moon. I’m very happy because I had not heard anything back after sending a report to the council three months ago and another letter at the beginning of July.

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“The designs for the sculpture are wonderful. Ted would have loved it because Mexborough was his spiritual home.”

Mr Ibbeson has been working on sketches of the sculpture for more than six months and while he did not want to reveal his initial artwork at this stage, he
did offer a description of the design.

“I have produced a couple of drawings based on Ted, his poems and his life in Mexborough, walking with a book in hand and wearing a wax jacket,” he said. “The base has got a muse on it and a fox and a pike.”

The fox is a reference to the poem The Thought Fox and the pike to a poem of the same name about the poet’s childhood.

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Mr Ibbeson added: “I’m trying to get to the essence of the man and what motivated him to put pen to paper, and try to work with his passion and humanity and place it in that particular area of South Yorkshire.”

The artist has an impressive record of public sculptures, having created the statues of late comedian Eric Morecambe in Lancashire, cricket legend Fred Trueman in Skipton and umpire Dickie Bird in Barnsley, among others.

Nevertheless, capturing Mr Hughes’s character in his sculpture design is proving a unique challenge, Mr Ibbeson said.

“I didn’t want it to be provocative but his poems were, and his life was very passionate. He had a lot of tragedy in his life. There were great ups and downs and depressions and black periods.

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“I was convalescing after a knee operation and was given Crow to re-read and it didn’t exactly lift my spirits.”

Crow, published in 1970 and often considered the poet’s most significant work, is a dark verse described as combining an apocalyptic, bitter, cynical and surreal view of the universe with what appeared simple, childlike verse.

Mr Ibbeson said he was honoured to be asked to work on the sculpture. “I live 10 miles from Mexborough. I was born and bred here. I live among the people he lived amongst so I have some insight there and I’m pleased to have been offered the opportunity to do it.”

The sculpture will be about two metres tall and will be positioned atop a plinth which will include a narrative of Mr Hughes’s life, according to the early designs. The committee has recommended two sites to the council for where it could be located – either at the junction of Hope Street and High Street or in front of the central aisle of Mexborough Market.

Mr Brown said he hoped the project could be completed within 18 months, with a tourist trail taking in some of the poet’s old haunts planned to be launched at the same time.