THERE IS a soul in the town of Barry – it was born when Lord Windsor turned over the first spade of earth for No 1 Dock on November 14, 1884.

Nurtured in the docks it had to become brave in the men who, in two World Wars, sailed in the ships of Barry.

It grew up in the men and women whose lives were entwined with the town’s docks and ships. In the working class streets it gained strength from the rich mix of people from different cultures.

It danced in Bindles, it swam in the Knap Pool – and – when it had a few bob, it shopped in Dan Evans. It was a soul that shed a tear for mothers and wives who lost loved ones in two World Wars.

The soul of Barry lies deep in the streets, in the granite of the docks, in the Dock Board building and in the statue of David Davies – but the soul of Barry is in danger.

When Barry was the biggest coal exporting port in the world, its affairs were managed by a small town hall and council. Now that the town and the docks produce nothing, it seems that it needs a vast council complex, plus the Dock Board building.

Now that it has few jobs for its people, it apparently need hundreds more houses so that it can become a dormitory town for Cardiff. It will be the largest Travelodge in South Wales.

When the recession came, it seemed as though the danger from the property developers was lessened, but lo, three of them amalgamated and together with the council, the docks, which the Germans could not defeat, are now under attack again.

It is very subtle – just drop dock from the name Barry Dock, and then rename those docks The Waterfront – much nicer.

There was a cartoon in a national paper last week. One feller says to another – “I’ve stopped hating the estate agents. I now hate the politicians.”

The reason for my letter is simple – the soul of Barry needs a home – a museum, a place where people can stop and look back to the stepping stones of Barry’s history. A place where the children can learn about the history of their unique Welsh town.

So far all efforts to persuade the council to insist on having a Barry museum have failed. Before the recession forced their retreat, the estate agents erected a lovely small building on the wharf that was once a No 3 coal tip; it was a complete small house.

Representations were made asking them to donate it to the town as a museum. Shortly before they left it was removed brick by brick – in 24 hours.

The people of Barry must insist that something is done.

David Simpson High Street Barry