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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Lancashire => England => Lancashire Resources => Topic started by: Christopher on Tuesday 20 November 07 19:07 GMT (UK)
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Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council (http://www.barrowbc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=0)
Barrow Record Office and Local Studies Library. (http://www.barrowbc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=163) The original archives are available until 5.00pm every weekday and every third Saturday. The Local Studies Library and a wide range of secondary material is available during all opening hours.
The Ashburner shipyard built the first ships in Barrow. There's an article about the yard in the eighteenth issue of the North West Labour History Journal. The "William Ashburner", (http://web.archive.org/web/20110616061320/http://www.mightyseas.co.uk/marhist/furness/ashburners/williamashburner.htm) a three-masted schooner, was the largest wooden sailing vessel built at Barrow-in-Furness. She was the only schooner built by the Ashburner shipyard that traded across the Atlantic or south of the Equator
"Esperance" (http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/446/esperance) is the oldest boat on Lloyd's Yacht Register and thought to be the first twin screw steam yacht was built in 1869 by T. B. Sheath & Co, Rutherglen for the Furness industrialist H.W. Schneider.
The Furness Family History Society, (http://www.furnessfhs.co.uk/introduction.htm) a Federation of Family History Societies member, was founded in 1993
James Ramsden, the Railway railway superintendent, devised a plan for Barrow-in-Furness. (http://www.visitcumbria.com/sl/barrow.htm) He was the first Mayor of Barrow and also conceived the idea of the Barrow Shipbuilding Company, which became Vickers in 1897.
James Fisher & Sons, PLC (http://www.james-fisher.com/who-we-are/heritage) was founded by James Fisher in 1847 in Barrow-in-Furness. A full history of the company “Round The Coast And Across the Sea” by Nigel Watson was commissioned in 2000 to celebrate
the millennium and the 150th anniversary of the company and is available from St Matthews Press.
The Furness Railway Company (http://www.furnessrailwaytrust.org.uk/frco.htm) was an independent railway operating between 1846 and 1923. Originally conceived as a mineral railway, it later played a major role in the development of the town of Barrow in Furness, and in the development of the Lake District Tourist industry.
The website of the Submarine Heritage Centre (http://www.submarineheritage.com/index.html) has a section about Barrow Shipyard and Submarines. (http://www.submarineheritage.com/history_pftxt.html)
The Barrow Ship Building Company (BSBC) was bought by the Vickers family steel business of Sheffield for just £425,000 in 1897. There's a Wikipedia article about Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VSEL) Not only did the Vickers family purchase BSBC ... they also bought the subsidiary business ... the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company and renamed the company Vickers, Sons and Maxim, Limited. The shipyard at Barrow became the Naval Construction Yard. In 1911 the company was renamed Vickers ltd and became Vickers Armstrongs ltd in 1927 after a merger with Armstrong Whitworth
Lindal and Marton (http://lindal-in-furness.co.uk/index.htm) are located in an area that was once known as "Dalton and Plain Furness." The Community website for these two villages contains several useful links including the Origins of Lindal and Marton, Iron Ore Mining and Mining Companies, Barrow and Ulverston Iron Industries, Furness Railway and Pit Tramways, the Decline of the Furness Iron and Steel Industry and Churches, Farms and Village Life.
The Dock Museum. (http://www.dockmuseum.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=0) "Shipbuilders to the World" is the largest permanent exhibition at the Dock Museum. It aims to represent the history of Barrow Shipyard (once owned by Vickers) from the launch of its first iron steamship in 1873 to the present day.
The Irish Community in Barrow.
"Culture, Conflict and Migration: Irish in Victoria Cumbria" by Donald M. MacRaild (http://books.google.com/books?id=4w5jOmmHagAC&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=barrow+orange+lodge&source=web&ots=9I6CbmQiTq&sig=M0Ld3YkQZ3KLbCt23Jk6qOWWLWA#PPA27,M1) mentions the four categories of Irish workers who settled in the area ... labourers, metal workers, miners and skilled and unskilled men for the shipbuilding business.
The Jewish Community (http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/community/barrow.htm)
Vickerstown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickerstown) was developed in the late 1890s and early 1900s as there was a shortage of housing available for the workers at Barrow Docks which was owned at the time by Vickers. Some of the workers were forced to live on board the Atlantic liner "Alsaka" which was moored in the docks. Plans for its development were begun in 1898 and Vickers bought out the Isle of Walney Estates Company to handle the construction.
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An interesting Link Christopher.
My Great Grandfather was running a Beerhouse called 'The Railway Inn' on the Barrow- Furness railway line at Kirkby Ireleth according to the 1861 Census...
I hope to get up to that part of the world sometime next year & pay it a visit ;D ;D
Romilly.
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There's quite a lot of history in that part of Lancashire, Romilly.
I'll be adding a few more links to my first message.
Christopher
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There's quite a lot of history in that part of Lancashire, Romilly.
Christopher
There certainly seems to be, Christopher...
I have a fascinating book out on an Inter-Library Loan at the moment, called 'Burlington Blue-Grey: A History of the Slate Quarries of Kirkby-in-Furness', by R. Stanley Geddes. (My Grandfather, Great Uncles & G/Grandfather all worked there as Slate Quarriers).
This pic shows (I think) my Great Uncle, Isaac Wilson, - back row, first left.
Look forward to seeing your other Links!
Romilly.
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That's a brilliant picture Romilly.
Thanks for posting it on this thread.
Barrow people seem to be very go-ahead ... looking to the future with both a Dock Museum and a Submarine Heritage Centre. I wish we'd got something similar in Belfast which also has a great shipbuilding tradition.
St James, Barrow - in - Furness. Church of England (http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/BarrowinFurness/StJames.shtml)
Mannex's Directory of Furness and Cartmel, 1882, mentions the Church organist - Ed. Brown, Esq., Mns. Bac., Oxon. I have a photo copy of an article from the Belfast Telegraph dated Saturday, October 19th, 1940 which mentions Dr Edward Brown. He was the father of E. Godfrey Brown who later moved to Belfast where he was the conductor of the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra for many years. He and his family settled in Holywood, Co. Down
Christopher.
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Hi
Not sure if you could help but lately I have been finding out about my grandfather Clarence Gladwell b.1893 in Ipswich Suffolk, around WW1 he was in the Royal Air Corps and was based at Barrow in Furness. My father believes he worked on the R101 Zeppelin Airship, I have looked on the internet to see what I can find out but that seems to be based near Bedfordshire. Would you know anymore information on Airships at Barrow-in-Furness or where I might be able to find out more.
Thanks Mandy
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Hi Mandy,
And welcome to Rootschat.
This Link has a little info on Vickers in Barrow, & Airships. See:
http://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/aviation.htm
HTH, Romilly.
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My husband is researching his ancestors who lived in Barrow in Furness in the 19th century when the place was only a small village. In 1843 there were only 28 dwellings. At the moment my husband has a book out on inter-library loan; it is written in the form of a diary and in it he has found not only how his gt. gt. grandfather died, but lots of information on other members of his family, and he is delighted. The book gives a fascinating insight of life in Barrow in the early to mid 1800s.
The book is 'The Diary of William Fisher of Barrow, 1811 to 1859', and for anyone wanting to find out more of their Barrow ancestors and how they lived, it comes highly recommended.
Maggie
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Hi Maggie,
Does it have anything on Kirkby Ireleth at all? (Not that far from the Furness Peninsula, & where my Grandfather, William James Wilson came from).
Cheers, Romilly.
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Hi Romilly,
Unfortunately there is no mention of Kirkby Ireleth. However, there are several individuals mentioned with the surname Wilson:-
John Wilson of Lindle mentioned in 1832
Miss Wilson of Lyth near Kendal mentioned in 1824
Reverend W. Wilson - conducted a marriage at Manchester Catheral in 1853
William Wilson, a labourer on Furness railway - entry pertaining to his death on 16th July 1846.
(The Diary of William Fisher of Barrow, 1811 to 1859)
If you feel any of this may be useful to you, I can PM you the full entries.
Maggie :)
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Cheers Maggie, - I have sent you a PM.
Romilly :) :) :)
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Hi Romilly,
PM with info. duly send - hope it helps :)
Maggie
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Hi sorry to jump in here and ask questions, if I am not supposed to, but I am looking for a relative that Worked at Vickers-Armstrong Shipyards as Crane operators. This would be my great great grand father and my Great grand father. Micheal or Mark Foley and his son William Foley. I don't know anything about the line beyond Micheal and it is very limited what I know about him. William was the only one out of all the Family that moved to the US. And from what little I can find everyone was born and lived in the area of Dalton in Furness, Barrow in Furness, and Stockton on Tees. If anyone might know or think they have something, I will be grateful for any help. My dad says that he doesn't think that anyone can help me on here. I know better, I have been researching family history for 16 years now and find the communties very helpful in all areas. Thanks All. ;D