Work In Progress

I’ve recently started a new project, focusing on the Pit Girls and women – also known as Patch Girls – who used to labour in the Tredegar iron and coal works.

Photograph of British artist Hilary Barry’s preliminary work in oil on canvas: “Tredegar Tip Girls project #1”
Preliminary work: Tredegar Pit Girls project
Photograph of British artist Hilary Barry’s preliminary work in oil on canvas: “Tredegar Tip Girls project #2”
Preliminary work: Tredegar Pit Girls project #2
Photograph of British artist Hilary Barry’s preliminary work in oil on canvas: “Tredegar Tip Girls project #3”
Preliminary work: Tredegar Pit Girls project #3
Photograph of British artist Hilary Barry’s preliminary work in pencil on paper: “Tredegar Tip Girls project #4”.
Preliminary work: Tredegar Pit Girls project #4

One of the most striking features in the few photos that exist of them, taken by William Clayton in 1865, was the extraordinary hats they wore with their daily work clothes. I’ve attempted to recreate a few examples here.

Tredegar Pit Girls hats