Barrow-in-Furness – Thursday 7th September 2023

Barrow-in-Furness is a town in Cumbria that is possibly best-known for its shipbuilding.  The shipyard was founded in 1871 as the Barrow Shipbuilding Company and the first ship was launched in 1873.  Vickers & Sons bought the company in 1897 and later they began producing naval vessels.  With the arrival of the first world war, production of munitions was stepped up, and in WW2 the town became the target of the Luftwaffe in 1941 and 1942.  The Vickers shipyard is now owned by BAE.  It’s also famous* as the town where my paternal Grandad was born (*but maybe only in our family)!  He worked for Vickers his whole working life, starting at the age of 14 working his way up to become a chartered secretary, working in the London offices until he retired in the early 1960s.  The Waterstones is located in a modern, open air shopping centre.

Nella Last’s Diaries

In 1937 the Mass Observation Project was started in order to record the lives of everyday people for future posterity.  On 5 September 1939, just two days after World War 2 broke out, Nella Last started keeping a diary – a habit she kept up until 1966.  She lived in Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and two sons.  Her story was dramatised as Housewife, 49, written by the late, great Victoria Wood who played the Nella.

Emlyn Hughes

Footballer Emlyn Hughes was born in the town in 1947.  He started his footballing career at Blackpool and played for various clubs during his career, as well as for England.   He later went on to host the BBC quiz A Question of Sport.  Hughes died of cancer in 2004, and there is a statue commemorating him in the town outside an office block called Emlyn Hughes House.

The Spirit of Barrow

This sculpture dating from 2005 was created by Chris Kelly.  The four workers depicted represent Courage, Labour, Progress and Skill which represent the town’s industrial heritage.

Anson Street – my Grandad was born here!

Barrow-in-Furness Town Hall