Dickie - landmark umpire who will stand for ever

Civic dignitaries, senior officials of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Barnsley crowd gathered at the back of St Mary’s Garden for the unveiling of the Dickie Bird Statue, right, in honour of one of the town’s most famous and most popular sons.

It was a typically emotional moment for the former Yorkshire and Leicestershire batsman - who went on to become the world’s most famous umpire - when he and the Mayor of Barnsley, Coun. John Parkinson, jointly tugged off the veil.

Sculptured by Graham Ibbeson, the magnificent statue depicts Dickie in typical pose with flat cap on head and finger raised to despatch a batsman to the pavilion.

Dickie was born at 11 Church Lane - which was then on the site where his statue now stands - and he was moved to tears as he spoke of his boyhood days, and how his miner father would bowl to him for hours: "He would go on bowling, and I would never let him have a bat,” Dickie admitted.

The weather stayed fine and very warm for the official ceremony, which was watched by a large crowd of proud Barnsley people, many of whom are Dickie's close friends.

Before the unveiling 200 guests were invited by the Mayor to a drinks reception in Barnsley Town Hall, and they later attended a buffet lunch. Guests from Yorkshire County Cricket Club included Chief Executive Stewart Regan, former President and Honorary Life Member Sir Lawrence Byford, and Archives Committee chairman David Hall.

We are delighted to reproduce here the Mayor's Tribute in full:

A lesser known fact is that Harold "Dickie" Bird MBE. was born very near to this spot at 11 Church Lane in 1933.

The son of a miner, Dickie was given every encouragement to attempt to make a career out of sport - and when a knee injury stopped him playing football professionally, he followed his second love, cricket.

In 1956 he made his debut for Yorkshire, and then moved on to Leicestershire. Then he coached and played league cricket before becoming the world-renowned umpire everybody knows.

Dickie, to quote your old friend Michael Parkinson - he has never met a person with such a passion for the game of cricket. Indeed, Dickie has even been described by the Duke of Edinburgh as "one of cricket’s greatest characters".

Dickie himself has said that he was fortunate to do a job he loved, and that love of the game made him the umpire he was and the personality he undoubtedly still is.

During his career as an umpire, Dickie has travelled the world and, indeed, is still loved and in great demand...but he always returns home to Barnsley.

Dickie is one of the very few people I would refer to as an Ambassador - indeed the Premier Ambassador for Barnsley.

His sense of belonging to this town can be seen by us all.

I was at a function at Dickie’s first school, Burton Road Primary, only on Saturday, and to the delight of the children Dickie was there, spending time talking to them and their parents, sharing stories and encouraging them to participate in sport.  He was there over four hours.

This devotion to sport lead to him establishing the Dickie Bird Foundation, which helps young people under 18 to participate in sport to the best of their ability.

It would be remiss not to mention and thank the sculptor, Graham Ibberson, for what I know is an excellent piece of public art.

I would like to thank Arts in Action Steering Group, led by Mel Dyke, for their support from the beginning for this project.  I would also like to thank Yorkshire Forward and, of course, Barnsley MBC.

Finally those individuals who have supported this project listed here. These people will feature in a special separate plaque, which will be sited along side the statue.

Today is about Dickie, and Dickie is quite rightly a Freeman of the Borough of Barnsley.

Today we will have a permanent reminder of one of Barnsley’s greatest citizens and, in my opinion, Barnsley’s greatest Ambassador.

Words: DAVID WARNER. Pictures: CHRIS LAWTON, Yorkshire Post