These 5 Items Were Discovered At the Deepest Point of the Barbican

Forgotten under Cinema 1

Barbican Construction Workers On SiteBarbican Centre

The people who built the Barbican

A huge number of people were involved in the construction of the Barbican, across several decades. There are still traces of workers’ presences around the building today.

Cinema 1Barbican Centre

Forgotten items

In 2018, we discovered a collection of belongings underneath Cinema 1.

The Barbican Centre (1980-01-23/1980-01-23) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre

Forgotten items

They were found under the raked seating, at the deepest point of the Barbican. Cinema 1 sits 17 feet below sea level. The items included:

Employee's Shoe Found Under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

A pair of worn-out shoes

Employee's Shoe Found Under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Black leather men's loafers

Employee's Shoe Found Under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Splattered with paint and dust

Employee's Shoe Found Under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

With the sole of the shoe worn through from use

Hula Hoops Packet by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

A bag of barbecue flavour Hula Hoops crisps

Hula Hoops Packet by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

The branding is from the 1980s, which helps us date the items

Bitter Lemon Drink by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

A can of sparkling bitter lemon drink

Cigarette Packet by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

And a pack of cigarettes

Shoes, crisps, drink, cigarette packets and newspaper found under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

These items were all found on top of a newspaper, in a void space under the cinema seats.

Newspaper Found Under Cinema 1 (1981) by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Helpfully for us, the newspaper is dated 26 March 1981. The Barbican opened in March 1982.

Shoes, crisps, drink, cigarette packets and newspaper found under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

This means we can guess that these items belonged to a construction worker finishing work on Cinema 1, getting it ready for opening the following year.

Barbican Construction Workers On SiteBarbican Centre

Finding these items gives us a connection to the people who built the Barbican. We can imagine who the items might have belonged to and what they were doing when they left them behind.

Photograph of Cinema 1 and The Pit Entrance Signage by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

How did they forget their shoes? Were they working in the area under Cinema 1 or was it just a good quiet spot for a break?

Employee's Shoe Found Under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Perhaps he took off his loafers to put on work boots, while he was having a break.

Photograph of Construction of the Barbican CentreBarbican Centre

Archiving the Barbican

In the Barbican Archive collection, we have a lot of official documentation and records which were created by the institution.

Barbican Construction Workers On SiteBarbican Centre

Archiving the Barbican

It's important for us to also archive objects and stories that tell us about the people connected to the Barbican's history.

Shoes, crisps, drink, cigarette packets and newspaper found under Cinema 1 by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Archiving the Barbican

The owner of these items probably would have been quite surprised if he had been told, in 1981, that they would end up in an archive collection.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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