A BLUE plaque commemorating George Orwell’s stay in Barnsley is set to be unveiled to the public later this month.

One of the most famous writers of modern times, Orwell stayed in Barnsley during 1936 to see for himself the living conditions of working class people.

He stayed on Agnes Terrace – which runs between Day Street and Pond Street, off Agnes Road – and his experiences were to form part of his book ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’.

Orwell infamously criticised the £189,000 Barnsley Town Hall when he stayed in the town, deeming it an unnecessarily lavish building project at a time when the region severely lacked housing.

Almost 90 years on, the Barnsley Civic Trust has organised an event to commemorate his stay.

A blue plaque – a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between an area and a famous person or event – is set to be unveiled to the public in a special ceremony on April 26.

A time and venue has yet to be set for the ceremony, but Richard Blair – Orwell’s adopted son – is set to attend, as is Quentin Kopp, chair of the Orwell Society, whose father was Orwell’s commanding officer in the Spanish Civil War.