The Town Hall Mural

The Concert Hall Mural was painted by Robert Overy, fellow of the Royal Society of Art and member of staff at Dr Morgan’s Grammar School – apparently with help from his students. It was added in 1950 when the hall was modernised. A new floor was constructed, a deeper stage and modern lighting installed and the new proscenium was specially commissioned (containing the mural) to suit the new scheme. (Squibbs’ History of Bridgwater, 1982, p.134). The scheme seems to have been updated at a later time, when the new town coat of arms was added, this only being granted by the College of Heralds in 1952 (Ibid., p.135).

It is about eight and a half foot tall, extending to about ten in the centre, and covers most of the width of the hall, about 30 foot in total.

It is painted on large sections of soft board. When it was last cleaned about thirty years ago by the Borough Council it was apparently taken down from the wall, it being attached by a series of nails (pers comm.)

The whole image from the right.
The artist’s signature in the bottom right corner.
The central roundel. The arms at the centre appear to be on an additional board over the top, presumably added when the town coat of arms were granted. Note crack on the left.
The artist’s signature in the base of the Blake Statue.
The whole image from the left.
The whole within the hall.

Miles Kerr-Peterson. 28 July 2015.