The Francis Frith Collection.
You are here:

Oxen Park

Oxen Park maps

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

Oxen Park area books

Displaying 1 of 10 books about Oxen Park and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Oxen Park

No memories of Oxen Park have been shared yet - be the first!
Add your memory of Oxen Park or of a photo of Oxen Park.

Cumbria memories

My Great-Great-Grandmother

My great-great-grandmother was from the area, Edith Jackson, 1876. I have traced her family back a little bit further. Mary, Joseph, Agnes and Elizabeth. Edith married James Park and had a son Philip and daughters Mary and Ada. I would really like to hear from anyone with regard to the above people as I would really like to know a lot more of my ancestors.

Jackson Family - Spark Bridge

My great great great grandfather William Jackson was born at Spark Bridge, about 1829. My great great grandfather (William's son) Thomas Henry Jackson was born at Crossmore, Swarthmore, about 1858. I would love any information anyone might have about the Jackson family in this location, and indeed any more information about the locations themselves. For example, is Crossmore what is now called (accordning to my googlemaps search) 'Cross-a-moor'?

Hodgson/Braithwaite Family

I do not have a memory exactly but have found out that my Grandma Braithwaite was born in Spark Bridge and a lot of her family of Hodgsons also lived there.  Her father James Braithwaite was a blacksmith and a lot of the family of Hodgsons worked in the Bobbin Mill that used to be there.  I just wish I could work out where they lived.  On the census forms it states Spark Bridge with no road.  I just wonder if they were further up the hill just past the Royal Oak as they seem to be old houses?  I just wonder if anyone out there could tell me?

Red Lion Inn

Red Lion Inn And Farm c1955
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

My father ran this pub around 1952 - 53 when I was a small child. It was taken over by the Walkers who were running it when this photo was taken. Bill Livsey (spelling?) owned the farm. We still have an original Frith postcard of this scene. In 1954 we left the UK and I have lived overseas ever since. I have only been back to the UK and the pub (still being run by the Walkers) once as a student in the early 1960s.

The Whitewater Hotel at Backbarrow, Near Newby Bridge

The Village c1965
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo


I stayed in Backbarrow for several days at the Whitewater Hotel which has been converted from a former mill building by the river. The lobby of this lovely "spa hotel" has display cabinets of memorabilia from its industrial heyday in the last century which was interesting and I recommend a visit.

My wife Elizabeth and I used this as a base to explore nearby Windermere including a ride on the heritage railway line from Haverthwaite to Lakeside. There are lovely woodland walks signposted in the hills to the north of Backbarrow.

Family Connections.

Main Street 1921
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

The gentleman with the scythe over his shoulder was my grandfather. His name was Joseph Jackson, born in 1849 at Bootle in Cumberland. He spent most of his life as a tenant farmer, first at Canleton Farm near Egremont also in Cumberland. He then moved to Lane Ends Farm at Haverthwaite in what was then Lancashire owing to subsidence of the land due to iron ore mining from the nearby Florence Mine. He retired from farming in 1919 to Penny Bridge where he spent the rest of his life.

My Mothers Was Evacuated to Penny Bridge During WW2

My mother Iris Woods was evacuated to Penny Bridge during WW2. She first stayed at Penny Bridge House with the Stanley sisters - Franny & Alice? She then was moved to Mrytle Cottage to live with Fred & Ellen Stanley.

She has very fond and happy memories of her time there. I'm trying to trace some information for her with a view to visiting in the New Year. If any one can help we'd love to hear from you, my e.mail address is rebeccajwoods@blueyonder.co.uk many thanks Rebecca

© Copyright 1998-2012 Frith Content Inc. All rights reserved.