Barrow In Furness, St James Church 1895
Photo ref: 36709
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Photo ref: 36709
Photo of Barrow In Furness, St James Church 1895

More about this scene

During the time leading up to the First World War (1914-18), a number of food shortages, popularly referred to as famines, hit Barrow-in-Furness. The last one was recorded in 1908, and the curate of St James's Church in Blake Street, HIndpool (pictured here), with the backing of some local businessmen, provided a much-needed soup kitchen to alleviate the problems. It is curious that there is little record of whether or not the poor residents of Barrow Island had access to any soup kitchens, but there are records of the children of the island waiting expectantly outside the shipyard gates to ask the workers for any food they might have had left over after they came out of the yard gates to go home. The workforce was obliging, and happily gave what they had left.

A Selection of Memories from Barrow-In-Furness

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Barrow-In-Furness

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

I remember that once a year in the summer holidays they chose a different king of the island.They sat him on a regal high backed chair and crowned him by tossing a bottle of beer over his head.All that to take on the caretaker duties of the island.for one year.
My grandfather was born in Barrow around 1886 in the Roose area to a Sarah Elizabeth Bracewell, within 2 months she had left him and disappeared leaving him with a family called Martin who bought him up. Can anyone add anything so I can find out where I came from!!