Colchester - BHS

The Henry and Joyce Collins' concrete mural for the Colchester BHS store was commissioned in 1976. It consists of three panels, which are now located near the Firstsite art gallery.

 

The information panel by the mural notes that the artwork makes reference to "Colchester's historical weaving trade, its farming and agricultural industries, with the food provision available at BHS".

So in the left hand panel we have various illustrations of weaving and sewing...

...including products such as a natty BHS jumper.

This panel also includes the signature of Henry and Joyce Collins, and the date 1976.

The middle panel is the basket of goods, which we have seen on the other BHS murals in Gloucester and Stockport (both covered in May 2019).

The right hand panel (or the bottom one as originally arranged) covers agriculture.

The information panel notes that the mural was relocated in 2011, and includes a photo of the original location, showing the panels in their vertical arrangement.

BHS of course no longer exists, and the building is now occupied by Primark. The entrance as it is today is shown below.

We now stay in Colchester and move on to the subway murals.

Photographs taken on 7 October 2019.