Bedford murals celebrate bus driver Joseph Clough and airships

Two murals are being painted in a town centre to celebrate its historic and technical developments.

The artwork in Bedford is being done in the style of "ghost signs" - hand-painted adverts that were on buildings from the late 1800s to the 1960s.

One honours Joseph Clough, who moved to the town after becoming known as London's first black bus driver; the other celebrates the airship industry.

Bedford Creative Arts said they wanted showcase the town's heritage.

Its director Elaine Midgley said: "Bedford has a rich heritage that is often hidden and uncelebrated.

"On completion of these murals, we will be working with a digital technologist, students at Bedford College and Legacy of Windrush Descendants to create a digital element to each ghost sign - so watch this space as the project develops."

Professional artist Sarah Hodgkins, known locally as the painter of the Lurke Street Octopus, is creating a mural in the bus station honouring Mr Clough.

After moving to Bedford just before World War One, Mr Clough worked as a driver on bus routes between Bedford and St Neots in neighbouring Huntingdonshire (now part of Cambridgeshire).

In 1949, he bought and ran his own taxi and became something of a celebrity in the town. The mural design will depict his connections to both buses and taxis in Bedford and London.

Artist Amy Wormald will be painting a mural at 25 Mill Street to honour Bedford's airship heritage at Cardington hangars.

It will feature both the R100 airship and the modern Hybrid Air Vehicle, Airlander.

The project has been funded by Bedford Borough Council via the Town Centre Priority Fund and is supported by the Bedford BID business group.

The educational strand has been funded by The Culture Challenge and Bedford College.

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