Orwell exhibition to be housed at Wigan's Museum of Life

A permanent Wigan exhibition celebrating the author George Orwell is to be established.

It will mark the 85th anniversary of The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell’s exposé on poverty in Northern Britain.

An opening ceremony will be held on March 5 and will be attended by Orwell’s son Richard Blair, local MP Lisa Nandy, and the Mayor of Wigan Coun Yvonne Klieve.

The exhibition comes after years of work by The Orwell Society, its supporters and the council, which owns and manages the museum, to compile a rich collection of materials relevant to Orwell’s life and works, in particular those related to his time in the town.

Orwell at the Museum of Wigan Life will highlight the key role Wigan played in Orwell’s exploration and documentation of the living and working conditions of some of the poorest people in 1930’s Britain.

Among the exhibits on the display is a wealth of material donated by Peter Davison, author of The Complete Works of George Orwell, the most exhaustive and detailed biographical collection ever written about the author.

The presence of the Davison collection as part of the wider Orwell at the Museum of Wigan Life exhibition, makes Wigan the pre-eminent centre for Orwell studies in the north of England.

Invited guests and Orwell Society members will be treated to a programme of talks about the history of Wigan, Orwell’s connections with the town and the writing of The Road to Wigan Pier.

The Museum of Wigan Life and its links with Orwell was recently featured on Channel 4 show Great Canal Journeys, presented by Gyles Brandreth and Sheila Hancock, alongside an interview with Richard Blair.

He said: “I am delighted that this exhibition is being opened in the room where my father signed the visitors’ book in order to conduct his research.

“The relationship The Orwell Society has developed with Wigan Council and the people of Wigan is very important to us. We hope this exhibit attracts visitors from Wigan, tourists and researchers.”

Coun Chris Ready, lead cabinet member for culture and communities at Wigan Council, said: “The Road to Wigan Pier is an important part of the borough’s cultural history and we’re delighted to be working alongside the Orwell Society on this project.

“This permanent exhibition will provide fascinating insights into George Orwell’s life and works and his links to Wigan.”

Celebrating our borough’s rich cultural history is a key part of our cultural manifesto, The Fire Within, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across the world to the Museum of Wigan Life.”

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