Have you ever thought about researching the history of your house; or that of a relative or friend? I have. When I started research on my first one, I thought that I would have a difficult time finding enough material to fill fifty pages. However, two hundred and fifty pages later I was wondering how to cut back on some of the content.

I decided early on to prepare this history in a book format, and to split the book into a few simple chapters – the town/village, the street, the house and the owners/occupiers. The last one was the longest chapter and the biggest challenge. It was also the most interesting and satisfying, as I tried to include a pen portrait of everyone who had ever lived in the house.

I have just started researching the house at number 35/37 Back Street/Industry Street/ Beveridge Street in Barrow for the same purpose. With all these names for the same street there was already a job to do in understanding the name changes. The following gives just a tiny example of just some of the interesting people who have lived there.

The house was built around 1725 (I have yet to get to grips with this date). It is a threestory house and for most of its life has been split into two dwellings. It has seen many changes including in the mid 1800s when an extension was built to one side to accommodate equipment for framework knitting machinery. There were already cottages at the rear of the property which were used for the same purpose. Later that extension became a shoe shop, the local Co-op store, a hairdresser and likely many other uses.

There has been an interesting military connection of some of the occupiers running through the period that I have so far researched. The Bradshaw family lived there from the mid 1800s through to around 1939 when Elizabeth (1859-1940), the last of the Bradshaws, moved out and into a home in Melton Mowbray. Elizabeth was the oldest child of William Bradshaw (1834- 1916) and Sarah Winterton (1836-1904). She had spent most of her life working in the hosiery trade, her last employment being at Black and Drivers on Sileby Road. All six of her siblings were born in the house under research. William and Sarah’s second child was Herbert John (1864-1936).

At the age of 17, Herbert is described as a ‘schoolteacher’s apprentice’, However, he had a career change of mind when on the 11th of February 1885, he signed up to join the army. Herbert had a long career in the army serving in Bermuda, South Africa, Ireland and Egypt. Whilst serving in South Africa he was mentioned in despatches in the London Gazette. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant Major when, after 25 years of service he retired on the 11th of February 1910 and returned to Barrow to live with his sisters Elizabeth and Sarah at 37 Industry Street until he died there on the 11th of October 1936. Whilst in Bermuda he married Lucy Worden in 1894. Herbert and Lucy had eight children, none of whom returned to live with Herbert in Barrow. I managed to track several of them down to New Zealand after they had emigrated there. Lucy also travelled to New Zealand, but it is unclear if she stayed there. In later life, Herbert described himself as a teacher. I haven’t followed this up yet, but that employment could have been at the Primary School at the rear of the house.

Harriet Ginns (1849-1939) married Stephen Squires (1849-1915) in Barrow. They lived at a number of addresses in the village. Harriet and Stephen had a large family of nine children, the youngest being Thomas (1891-1973). Shortly after her husband’s death, she moved to number 35 Industry Street along with her daughter Mary Ann and her family. Although Thomas was in the army, this was also now his home in civilian life.

Thomas was born in Church Lane in Barrow on 22nd January 1891. His army service started when he enlisted on the 4th of December 1915. He was living in New Street at the time. He joined the Royal Field Artillery spending most of his time in Salonika, serving with the British Salonika force. Whilst there he contracted malaria and was hospitalised several times. He remained there for some time after the war ended until Harriet sent a pleading letter to his commanding officer asking for him to be sent home as soon as possible. Thomas was eventually demobilised on the 26th of March 1919. Harriet’s letter has her address as Industry Street and a later Poll Book confirms that it was number 35. He moved into Industry Street and took up employment with Ginns and Spencer Hosiery in Sileby. In 1922 he married Clara Rebecca Moore following which he left Industry Street to live and work in Derbyshire.

He died on the 2nd of November in Melbourne Derbyshire. Thomas’s sister, Mary Ann (1888-1962), with whom he lived in Industry Street, had married Edward (Ned) Dawson Lumley. They had three children, the middle one being Edward Ralph (1920-1942) born at 35 Industry Street. Edward joined the army in 1939, joining the 9th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal Lancers, The Royal Armoured Corps. This was a tank regiment operating in the North African desert. Sadly, Edward was killed in action on the 23rd of January 1942 at El Alamein. He is commemorated on the war memorial in the Carillon Bell Tower in Loughborough.

I have only just started my journey into the history of this house but already it is giving up some of its amazing history. If anyone has any memories, stories or photographs of the house 35 and 37 Beveridge Street, and is prepared to share them with me, then I would be most grateful. Even the smallest snippets would be most welcome. I can be contacted at john.palmer9@outlook.com.

John Palmer