Harlow Council & The Harvey Centre Re-instate Beautiful Mural to Former Glory

Harlow Council and the Harvey Centre are delighted to announce that a beautiful mural of great historical significance has been re-instated at the Harvey Centre, Harlow.

On Wednesday 12th March, in partnership with Harlow Art Trust, ‘Harlow Mural’ was officially unveiled once again and proudly put on display for visitors and the community to enjoy, after nearly a decade away from public view.

The mural was originally installed within the ex-BHS unit café at the Harvey Centre, when the store opened but has not been seen since the store closed in August 2016.

The mural was created in 1982 by husband-and-wife team Henry Collins and Joyce Pallot of Colchester, Essex. The couple became famous for their work on large-scale murals, with their first concrete mural commissioned by Sainsbury’s for the grand opening of their new Colchester branch in 1969. They became synonymous with creating large-scale concrete murals in the 1970’s and with a partnership that lasted an incredible 62 years, many of their projects can still be found across the UK to this day.

The artists inspiration came from books such as Bateman’s ‘History of Harlow’ and this mural includes key historical elements such as images of a Roman Brooch, the Saxon Hut from Mucking, early spellings of Harlow, symbols of the wool trade, wild birds and the 1864 Clock Tower. The piece has been found to be incredibly unique – one of the only surviving wooden murals by these artists.

Due to mass public demand to see it returned to its former glory, and thanks to the efforts of Harlow Council, Harlow Art Trust, and Hertfordshire-based fine art handling specialist Mtec, who supported with moving and reinstalling the masterpiece, it has been given a new home at the Harvey Centre and now sits proudly in Playhouse Walk.

The official unveiling was supported by Harlow Art Trust’s Trustee Liz Boast as well as other key members of Harlow Art Trust, the Harvey Centre team and 60 children and the Headteacher of local school Hare Street School. The school has recently unveiled its own mural depicting the history of Harlow, by street artist Gnasher, whose work can already be seen on the walls of Harlow Playhouse.

The mural is sure to bring back many fond memories for Harlow residents who remember its past and create new memories for younger visitors who can stop to enjoy it.

Cllr Danielle Brown, Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing at Harlow Council says, “It’s wonderful to see the unveiling of this historical piece of art and being able to bring it back to its former glory for all to enjoy in the town. Seeing it back on display really warms my heart, as the mural brings back fond memories of spending lunchtimes with my grandad at the BHS café, grabbing a hot chocolate and chatting.”

“Art has a considerable history in Harlow, something that is magnificently supported by Harlow Art Trust. So, celebrating this beautiful piece of Harlow’s history is a momentous occasion. Returning a piece that once held such an important place in the hearts of the local community to public view is an historic moment. We hope this will bring back positive memories for others and help create new ones for our younger visitors.”

Liz Boast, Trustee of Harlow Art Trust says, “Harlow Art Trust is proud that this beautiful mural has been saved and returned to the Harvey Centre by Harlow Council. Our thanks go to fine art handling specialists, Mtec, for their skilled work in moving and installing the mural. It holds a great deal of nostalgia for many Harlow shoppers, so we’re delighted that visitors can once again enjoy its intricacy and craftmanship. We are honoured to be able to add the mural to our Harlow Sculpture Town Map as the 110th sculpture, and it will be a feature on our popular sculpture tours around our vibrant town. We also hope it will inspire the next generation of local artists.”