Our Ground in the 1930s

[Hadrian]

Another new collection of aerial photos probably from the 1930s has been added to the Historic England website, including one focussed on the Hoopworks and Wireworks but which shows a much wider area of interest including one with our ground tucked near a corner:

1930s Photo.jpg (335.86 KiB) Viewed 17249 times

There five from Barrow, two from Roanhead, two from Dalton, three from Ulverston and four from Millom.

Any thoughts on the ground at this stage in its development (just over twenty years old by then) would be of interest.

[Jim]

Fascinating photo. I haven't any comments on the ground but, being a bit of a railway anorak, I am interested to see the railway lines snaking off towards the factory on the left (was it a cement factory, I do remember it being there in my youth) and also the single line heading off to somewhere. I can't think where that would be heading?

[MisterPleasant]

That is the original wooden stand, isn't it? Those railway lines are interesting. There's the pair that swing round the cement factory but then the one heading to the top of the pic which splits to the left towards Schneider Road and the right-hand which splits again to form twin track going towards Ainslie Street?

[Bakewell Blue]

The site in the top left of the photo is on the area I knew as the Griffin (I was brought up on Ainslie Street). It was overgrown allotments in the 1960s. There was a derelict building in the area just below the road - I think we called it the “White Elephant “ as kids do - was it a candle works or something like that?

[pjdaly]

Many thanks, Hadrian, for this very interesting photo.

I've seen this picture before (but with an extended view up as far as Ainslie Street) and, in my futile quest to learn exactly where our Ainslie Street ground was for our one season there in 1904-05, the railway lines and industrial workings persuade me that the ground was probably not on what we used to call the Griffin. Towards the top left corner we see "The White Elephant" which remained as fallen rubble until about 1970.

It looks like we have a speedway track around the pitch. Would I be right in saying that we had an earlier incarnation of speedway at Holker Street in the 1930's? Somebody will enlighten me I'm sure. I'm surprised to see that our "lake" across from the garage was not already in situ at that point in time.

Whenever I see old photos I am always fascinated by what might still be there after many years. I'm really not sure but I wonder if the brick wall on the other side of Holker Street is the same one that is still there to this day? There's probably very little in the ground itself which remains to this day but probably the terrace steps at the Holker Street End and on the Ray Wilkie side are the same ones that we walk across now in 2024.

Furness Rovers (or Rangers or whatever you call them) weren't doing a very good job of looking after their pitch, were they?

What could that strange glowing white light on the back of the main stand be? It looks like a winged creature. Could it be the club's guardian angel? If so, I'm not sure he/she/it did a very good job in the years that followed the taking of this photo. . .

[madplumpy]

There was a main wooden stand prior to this one. You can spot it on a photo of the steelworks on the Britain from above website. I posted a pic of it years ago.

[madplumpy]

IMG_6485.png (1.69 MiB) Viewed 16890 times

There was a main wooden stand prior to this one. You can spot it on a photo of the steelworks on the Britain from above website. I posted a pic of it years ago.

[MisterPleasant]

This is the OS map of the area from the 1920s. It does show that railway spur heading towards Ainslie Street but little clue as to why.

[McMark]

IMG_2812.jpeg (258.92 KiB) Viewed 16819 times

1919 map of Barrow

[Jonty]

Great pic. Can probably date it to 1930…
Found this article on the history of Speedway in Barrow:

“Holker Street, the home of Barrow AFC, was first used for speedway in 1930. Northern Motor Sports Club hosted 7 meetings from June 12th until July 28th. The season was cut short as the football club needed to relay the turf in preparation for the new season”

Some of those rail tracks look like they are heading towards Ainslie St

[McMark]

Better map shows you where the track went, revised 1931 and published 1933

IMG_2814.jpeg (6.33 MiB) Viewed 16664 times

[Hadrian]

The 'White Elephant' was originally The New Iron Works (sic) off Ainslie Street. The plan above shows the name by which we now know the area.

The 1920 photo of the old main stand earlier in the thread shows it as originally built in Lancashire Combination days. It was extended by the addition of two wing stands around the time of entering the Football League in 1921, taking its capacity to 1500. Prior to this stand being built, plans show a very small construction there on the half-way line. (Could this have been a first press box?)

[McMark]

IMG_2815.jpeg (3.64 MiB) Viewed 16645 times

1910 to 1911 published 1916

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102343769
A 1889 to 1890 map although a little earlier may be of help to PJ in his quest

[Bakewell Blue]

https://www.barrowafc.net/viewtopic.php?t=22455

This was covered in a thread in 2015 - hope the link above works.

[McMark]

https://www.barrowafc.net/viewtopic.php?t=22455

This was covered in a thread in 2015 - hope the link above works.

Everything from the Meaning of Life to the search for the Holy Grail has been discussed on here even the Life of Brian sadly. It’s strange how things map out over the years and our archives delve deep.