School House

A Memory of Cark.

My maternal grandma, Mrs Rowe, lived at school house as caretaker for about 40 years until she died in 1978. My mum Edith was brought up here, as were her sisters, Irene, Dorothy and Marjorie and her brother Alfred better known as" Sonny". We all, i.e. aunties, uncles and cousins, used to stop at Nanna Rowes for a few weeks in the summer holidays and I have nothing but happy memories of all the lovely people and places. Anyone who went to Holker School in the 40's till the 70's will remember her, she also worked at Holker Hall in the kitchens and cleaning, even used to pluck grouse at home, in the kitchen, for the Cavendishes. My grandad, Alf Rowe, sadly died in 1963, but he used to work at the shipyards at Barrow and later at the old army camp at Flookburgh. In his spare time he was a ventriloquist, entertaining at Lower Holker Club and even had a Punch and Judy show which he had at Morecambe. We reminisce all the time and visit the area often, as does my auntie Dot's family, the Hadwins from Durham. I remember a lady who is on another picture, stood talking outside the new council houses on Low Row. My Nanna also lived on Low Row when her children were little, Aunty Maggie Gilpin. She always wore a black beret, and kept Bantams when she lived in Mill Yard. Her husband was Tom, he was the village postman, he always stopped at Nannas for a cup of tea and piece of pasty whilst on his deliveries. Lots of special memories - could talk about Cark and Holker for hours, Jean from Yorkshire.