MORECAMBE BAY LIVES People | Voices | Memories 2 3 Between 2015-2018 the Morecambe It is a real privilege to be invited CONTENTS Bay Lives project sought to bring into people’s lives and to record different generations together to their memories and we would celebrate the people and places of like to thank everyone who Morecambe Bay. In villages and towns contributed their time and Memories from a Time and tide wait all around the Bay, people met through stories during the Morecambe Morecambe Bay childhood for no man or woman reminiscence and oral history to share Bay Lives project. personal stories and unique insights. 4 John Murphy, Walney Island 15 Colin Midwinter & Harry Experiences of coastal industries, This booklet is a collection Roberts, Morecambe RNLI tourism, wartime, childhood, regional of ‘memory snapshots’ 5 David Hodgson, Morecambe traditions, hidden places and wonderful 16 Bruce Eastwood, drawn from the oral histories 5 Maisie Murray, Morecambe anecdotes of everyday Bay lives have recorded as part of the Sailing, Arnside been collected and preserved in an project. These extracts offer 6 John Murray, Overton archive for the future. The memories 16 Bruce Chattaway, an insight into the story of Ulverston Inshore Rescue shared are at times, dramatic, poignant, this wonderful area but can 7 Denys Vaughan, informative, hilarious and most of all, only scratch the surface Barrow-in-Furness 17 Helen Loxam, full of Morecambe Bay spirit. of the diverse lives and Lancaster Port Commission 8 experiences of the people Jane Smith & Anne Johnson, An important aspect to the project was Canal Foot, Ulverston engaging young people in discovering and of Morecambe Bay. 17 John Howell, Sailing, Arnside celebrating Morecambe Bay and their local heritage. Primary school children Everyone we’ve recorded around the Bay learnt oral history is connected through their techniques and invited ‘older’ people proximity to Morecambe Bay Fun in the sun Earning our daily crust itself; a place which I have from the community to their school to 9 Louie Carrick, 18 John Owen, share afternoon tea and swap stories come to respect and love in Aqualovelies, Morecambe Morecambe Tourism and memories before celebrating what equal measure. With its rich Super Swimming Stadium they’d discovered in art and song. mix of people, nature, industry 19 David Kettlewell, and history, Morecambe Bay 10 Evelyn Archer, Morecambe's Hyning Hall, Warton Over 120 people were recorded is a fascinating and beautiful Winter Gardens as part of the project creating a place and as one of the 19 Rex Lancaster, John Asplin lasting resource for the community. interviewees remarked one 10 Charlie Overett, Butchers, Grange The Archive is available at the Cumbria which ‘we are so privileged Aqualoonies, Morecambe Archives (Barrow) and also online at to live in.’ Super Swimming Stadium 20 Keith Tassart, Lancaster Canal recordingmorecambebay.org.uk – a website created by Morecambe Emma Aylett 11 Eric Atkinson, Ulverston 20 Eunice Sampson, Bay Partnership to share historical Project Facilitator Morecambe/Ulverston information about Morecambe Bay. 11 Jill Atkinson, Grange Lido Some of the fantastic work created by 21 Graham Maclean, schools plus resources for teachers can 12 Ginny Marshall, Miss Great Heysham Port be found at morecambebaylives.org. Britain Competition 22 Sheila Drewery & Bryn Howell, The project was delivered by Morecambe 13 Edith Farrar & Freda Addison, Lakeland Laundry, Barrow Bay Partnership as part of its Headlands Front Cover image Leeds Children’s Holiday to Headspace Heritage Lottery Funded Grange Pool from an old Camp, Silverdale 23 Robin Reginald Beck, Landscape Partnership Scheme. Thank postcard (photographer Lakeland Laundry, Barrow you to all those who buy lottery tickets. unknown, E. Aylett collection) 14 Gillian Asplin, Grange Fell Golf Club 4 5 David Hodgson, born 1950s, remembers Morecambe David was born and bred in Morecambe where he still MEMORIES FROM A lives today. A local historian, he continues to research into the history of his home town. MORECAMBE BAY CHILDHOOD When I was a kid, all old information bureau. the promenade without around Morecambe There would be others being jostled. You couldn’t Bay every community having bonfires all the go in a shop without had a bonfire on the way along. So, if you queuing. So, what we beach. By community stood in the middle of tended to do was jump John Murphy, born 1940s, remembers Walney Island I don’t mean a town I Morecambe Bay you on a train and go up to mean little areas. could actually see all Heysham Harbour or go John was born and raised on Walney Island. Born with a ‘sense of adventure’ he joined the Merchant Navy at 16 but returned I lived where the the way around the to Carnforth. Like many Arndale Centre is now. Bay, bonfires. kids of my generation I when he married a ‘Barrow girl’. He became the Mayor of Barrow Those few streets all As a child, for four was in to trainspotting, in 2011-2012. A self-professed ‘Walney fanatic’ he leads guided got together every so I’d spend hours and walks on Walney and across to Piel Island. months of the year bonfire night and we the town wasn’t my own. hours sat by the rail line had a bonfire behind the in various locations. My playground as a Then there were the If the wind was in the You couldn’t walk down ten-year-old was Walney delights of winkling when east, you could hear Island so I had a twelve- we used to wander the ship yard band mile garden to play in. over the rocks just playing. The tune which Maisie Murray, born 1930s, remembers Morecambe My father used to say picking winkles. I remember with great you can go anywhere on fondness was Nimrod. Born and brought up in Morecambe, Maisie remembers being a the island as long as you Growing up was Watching for that first child in the town during WW2. As she recalled: “They were dark don’t go over the bridge. dominated by ship quarter of an inch days, but we were young and didn’t really appreciate what was building. I lived only movement and you knew Walney to me at the going on because our parents used to make it a fun time.” about two or three then the tugs would time was a very magical hundred yards from the start hooting and the I lived on Scott Rd which is near on and we would walk the visitors to place. I’ve very early top of Walney Channel. crescendo would build up Regents Park in the West End. some of the boarding houses. You memories of going up Launch day was a big until this ship entered the A very happy childhood; hard would get sixpence or something and the beach with my father day. The schools had channel. Then it would times because it was during the there were crowds of children doing or a brother and doing enough freedom then to send out a wash, a wave, war. Food wasn’t easy to come this. I can remember walking the things like crabbing. My allow us to go to the top a small tsunami of water. by and I have early memories of donkeys on the sand. You didn’t get father taught me the of Walney Channel and Mum coping with rations. paid for that, but you used to walk technique of getting watch these magnificent them along with the reins and take some really decent sized launches: it was an I always felt that Morecambe was a little toddlers and that was good fun. crabs from under the incredible day. wonderful place to be brought up in. rocks with our hands. We just played, we walked and we We got a pass for the baths ran. We went over Westgate into and ‘lived’ in the swimming pool. the fields: no fear. Crowds of children would run up there. We used to run along the Lots of visitors came to Morecambe piers, sometimes you would find Right just after the war and as children a ha’penny on the wooden deck it The Destroyer ‘Almirante Williams’ we used to go and meet the trains was like a treasure. No money but on the slipway, Barrow, 1958 coming in and offered to take their plenty of love and laughter. ©The Dock Museum VPA.0739 luggage. We had barrows with wheels 6 7 John Murray, born 1930s, remembers Overton John was born in Penrith. During WW2 his father became a security man at the Trimpell refinery at Heysham. The refinery played an important wartime role by producing aviation fuel for the Air Ministry. The family moved to the village of Overton to be nearer his father’s work. I remember Overton so well, every Opposite The Ship was a smithy stone and every little lane. Overton and I could go out there and George had farms right on Main Street and Jackson, I can see him now, putting we were all involved with the farms. the red-hot shoes on the horses’ I can remember leading horses and hooves and all the acrid smoke coming haytiming: the hay being thrown up up: it was fantastic. I can remember right from the village street. Very when I worked at a farm called Downy Denys Vaughan, born 1930s, much a rural self-contained village. Field, which is half way between Overton and Middleton, they gave me remembers Barrow-in-Furness The children worked on the farms and this great big horse, (I was a big lad but Denys was brought up in Barrow.