Last updated at 10:49, Wednesday, 20 October 2010

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BARROW is very much an urban area but it always used to offer plenty of big open spaces where our youngsters could play.

Jack Marsh, of Barnard Street, Barrow, takes a look back to a 1930s childhood and some of his favourite places to visit.

He writes: “The area from the southern end of Biggar Bank to Sandy Gap is, I am sure, the largest open green space in Barrow.

The space at the north of Walney Island may be larger but airfield runways are not green and access is prohibited.

“Apart from the vanished Pavilion and the modern Roundhouse, The Bank is much the same as when I first knew it.

“The yachting, paddling and bathing pools put there in the 1930s are long gone, along with the bathing beauty contests.

“The main drawback with The Bank was that it was a long way from my home, especially if your legs were short.

“Nevertheless, one day three of us would make the trip.

“Unfortunately, or fortunately according to your point of view, we were spotted by one of our fathers so, despite our confidence, we never made it.

“Our early experience of The Bank was, therefore, limited to weekends and bank holidays when our parents took us.

“I have seldom visited James Dunn Park but I believe that it too has altered little over the years.

“Apart from those two places, I don’t think there is a single place in Barrow that could be played on that has not diminished or disappeared.

“I can only speak with authority about south of Abbey Road but I believe it is the same to the north.

“Even the Public Park has been diminished. There, a piece of open ground near Greengate Street was lost when the leisure centre was assembled.

“I do not say built because I think it came in a self-assembly kit.

“The next in direction but not necessarily in time were the greens opposite Abbotsvale.

“The small green ran from St Luke’s Street to the foot of Provincial Street.

“A beck ran through it and disappeared into a culvert at the narrow end near St Luke’s Street.

“The small green was separated from the big green by a house called Whinney Ends (not the street).

“The big green extended from the foot of Holcroft Hill to the foot of Priors Path.

“It extended from Abbotsvale to what is now Newbarns Road. It also had part of the beck.

“Opposite the end of Priors Path was the beginning of a number of buildings, including a garage which extended as far as what is now Bridgegate Avenue.

“From here was an area known as the High Grasses.

“Along side the next piece of the beck was a footpath which extended passed Muddiman’s Market Garden.

“From Muddiman’s there was only a path as far as Harrel Lane.

“When the new estate was built about 1947, a better kept piece of grass was created.

“It was shorter north to south but longer west to east.

“Next there was the Red Waters (River Yarl).

“The right bank (west) was accessible almost the entire distance from Bridgegate to Roose Road. Along the bank, there was an open strip of varying widths to within about 20 or 30 yards of Roose Road.

“There was, and I believe still is a footpath which crossed a bridge and led towards Roose Station.

“The left bank (east) was otherwise fenced off in various sections and, from time to time buildings were erected and demolished.

“At present, Tesco has a presence there.

“The erosion of freedom to roam on the right bank began with the building of the Red River Club.

“Now, apart from the footpath I mentioned the whole area is built over.

“Fortunately, so far, nobody has tried to put the River into a pipe.

“North of Bridgegate, the riverbank was also accessible.

“However, a combination of swampy land and gruesome stories that we told each other kept us off it most of the time.

“Eventually the corporation solved the problem of the swamp by using it for landfill.

“When the land was fit for building Lister’s Mill was put up and stayed there for several decades.

“Remploy and a motorcycle showroom are also there and recently a nursing home was built. Lister’s Mill was replaced by housing.

“The last of the areas in which we used to play but you cannot find now, was Bolton’s Common.

“To reach Bolton’s Common you went along Yarlside Road until you came to the end of the houses. That was about a quarter-mile short of where they now end.

“There was an unfenced area of grass mostly flat but going into a steep dip towards the railway.

“The area was large enough and flat enough for a scratch game of football but not enough to play cricket.

“If you looked from the common across Yarlside Road you could see fenced fields with a private road between them.

“At the far end of the road you could see a country house.

“The building is still there at the top of Holbeck Park Avenue but it is now a pub/restaurant.

“It is small wonder that boys and girls spend their spare time gazing at a computer screen.

“By the way, if someone suggests doing something with Biggar Bank, don’t let the lynch mob start without me.”

First published at 10:08, Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk