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Broad Oak

Broad Oak maps

Historic maps of Broad Oak and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Broad Oak maps

Broad Oak photos

We have no photos of Broad Oak, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Ravenglass| Bootle| Eskdale| Holmrook| Santon Bridge| Drigg| Boot| Seascale| Gosforth| Barnmoor Tarn| Broughton-In-Furness

Broad Oak area books

Displaying 1 of 10 books about Broad Oak and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Broad Oak

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Cumbria memories

RAILWAY WAGON EXPLOSION AT BOOTLE

ON 22ND OF MARCH 1945 MY FATHER HERBERT NORMAN STUBBS WAS THE FIREMAN ON AN AMMUNITION TRAIN.  A WAGON FULL OF DEPTH CHARGES CAUGHT FIRE, SO MY FATHER UNHOOKED IT AND PUT DETONATORS ON THE LINE TO WARN A TROOP TRAIN, WHICH WAS DUE.  THE DEPTH CHARGES EXPLODED AND HE WAS THROWN THROUGH THE AIR.  UNFORTUNATELY THE DRIVER HAROLD GOODHALL WAS KILLED.  MY FATHER WAS AWARDED THE GEORGE MEDAL AND THE INDUSTRIAL V.C..  I HAVE A LETTER FROM THE RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL OF MILLOM, APART FROM OTHER DOCUMENTS, CONVEYING THEIR GRATITUDE FOR HIS ACTIONS, WHICH SAVED A LOT OF LIVES AT BOOTLE STATION VILLAGE.

Character Training Course

Rock Climbing Instruction, Outward Bound Mountain School c1955
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I was at the OBMS in May of 1953. I particularly remember this time as it was when Hillary climbed Everest with Ten-zing. We had been sent on a three day expedition and on the second day I developed an infection in my right heel and was forced to return to base. At the time Edmond Hillary's son was staying in the house. I think he may have been bored at the time and invited me if I would like to explore the main house with him which we did, going up to the top of the castellated flat roof and looking at the view from it. However all was well at this time except that we came down a different way to the way we went up, unbeknown to me it led to matron's bedroom. On questioning he said it would be ok to go through, which we did very quickly, however somebody must have seen us because I was pulled by my patrol instructor to be severely... Read more

The Dreaded Whimsey

Rock Climbing Instruction, Outward Bound Mountain School c1955
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1963 ish....My early morning dip - each morning we donned shorts and pumps to run around the Tarn where we jumped down a large hole, then our sadistic instructors released a gush of freezing stream water, soaking every inch. After circling 3 times we ran back to our dorm for a welcome hot shower. Long hikes in the fells, a 4 day mountain expedition and the solo over-night desaster, they all have thier tales to tell, good and bad. I have revisited Eskdale with my wife and was made very welcome, so much has changed, but I did meet my instructor of Young patrol, Mr Puttiman, who retired and lives not to far away. No, he didn't remember me!

The Lake

Rock Climbing Instruction, Outward Bound Mountain School c1955
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Does anyone remember having to run twice round the lake at 1am for being noisey in the Dorm???
OUCH

An Idyllic Childhood

I moved to Boot in 1952 when I was one. My father, John Heap, was the manager of the Burnmoor Inn, which was owned in partnership by his mother, Ruth Hargreaves, and Sid Cross. They also owned The Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale. I attended Eskdale High School with my brothers William & Timothy. Jean Hodgson was the school teacher. She lived in The Hill, near Millom, and stayed from Monday to Friday at Brook House which was owned by the Sim family. Billie Sim also ran the local bus service which went to Whitehaven every Thursday.

The Post Office was run by Mary Nolan, who appeared as a guest on one of the early This is Your Life shows. In the next door farm were Arthur and Florrie Irving and her mother Rosa Dugdale.

Cyril Porter used to deliver bread and cakes, Tom Parker delivered meat, Jack Roberts delivered the milk and Jack Woodall was the local grocer. I used to travel with Tom when he went... Read more

Film Shows And Waitresses

Scawfell Hotel c1955
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I was an apprentice at Sellafield in 1957 living in Seascale. In the winter months some of my pals and I would frequent the Scawfell Hotel, but go in the back entrance where we could mix with the young waitresses in their mess room, just across the corridor from the kitchens. If we were lucky, we might even obtain a half pint of beer – I was 16 then so was under-age drinking. I remember one waitress, Nancy, a girlfriend of another Sellafield apprentice. Did they get married are they still around? The manager of the hotel was a man called Phil Roddice, he was a real petrol head, just loved fast cars. Sometimes Phil would hire films of Grand Prix races, he would set up his projector in the front lounge and show the films. All this happened in the winter. They were great fun times. I remember having a race with Phil from Gosforth to Seascale, him in his car and me on my Triumph T110. I couldn’t shake... Read more

Seascale And The Scafell Hotel

Scawfell Hotel c1955
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I was 9 and My mother Vi worked part time at the Hotel doing afternoon teas. Phil and Betty Roddis managed the Hotel. They had just had a young daughter, Phillipa. I spent many a day within the hotel. I remember the Entrance Hall swing doors and the hotel's wood paneling. My father Tom Brookes used to help out in the bar when he was not on shift at WINDSCALE. I can remember in 1957 my father coming home late to our house at 12, Whole House Road and telling mum not touch touch anything in the garden as there had been a fire in one of the piles. He went back to work. I saw him again about 2 days later. We were down on South Parade when I saw a camera crew from the BBC. Fyfe Robertson was interviewing the locals about the Fallout. I spent a lot of my time train spotting, what lovely station Seascale had, I remember the steam engines and in particular... Read more

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