Ulverston is north east of Barrow on the A590 trunk road. It is now a small market tow (charter dated 1280 by Edward I) with some local industry. Until the rise of Barrow, Ulverston was the principle town of that part of Lancashire, lying cut off from the main county by Morecambe Bay. It was a quiet town until the 18th Century, when several economic developments led to population increases. Not only was it now a market and labour hiring centre, by the 1820s it had a number of flax and cotton mills, a considerable trade in iron tools, hate, linen and iron making itself.
It has had an extraordinary history. Its market expanded, according to tradition, when Dalton in Furness, the nearest neighbour, was stricken by plague in 1631. Following its own personal "Industrial Revolution", it enjoyed the status of a port when the engineer John Rennie caused a canal to be made one mile to the sea, with the port eventually clearing 600 vessels each year.
It was the coming of the railway in 1856 which killed off the port and subsequently gave Barrow the superiority. In earlier times, Leather Lane and Soutergate were well know sites for the footware trade.
The word "souter" normally means "south" but a corruption of it can also mean shoemaker. This could be so in this case because local cobblers based here shod the rich and poor for many generations until the introduction of mass produced footwear.
One of Ulverston's most famous sons was Sir John Barrow (1764-1848). He was a distinguished voyager and author. His monument in the shape of a reduced scale model of Eddystone Lighthouse, Plymouth, is on nearby Hoad Hill, and being so obvious to all visitors to the region is always the first thing they ask about. His adventurous spirit led him to Greenland whaling grounds at one time, later returning home with a magnificent pair of whale jawbones which stood outside his cottage for many years. Later, he was appointed tutor to a young boy named Tom Staunton who could speak Mandarin Chinese. Not missing an opportunity, Barrow rapidly learned this language and it enabled him to land a job in China. After writing about his travels, some prominent members of the British Government decided they would like to make use of Barrow's knowledge and appointed him Second Secretary of the Admiralty. Another northerner, Sir James Graham, was appointed First Sea Lord. Between them, these two able men revolutionised the Navy's operations, thus ensuring the defeat of Napoleon at Trafalgar.
In May 1850, virtually all of Ulverston turned out to watch the laying of the foundation stone of the tower to which then, all manner of people from royalty to peers, and Admirals had subscribed. Church bells rang, the local brass band played, the Yeomanry marched, and the school children sand anthems. Even in the workhouse, the day ended with a great feast for the poor incumbents.
Another locally born man, but at the other end of the spectrum, was Stanley Laurel, of the famed Laurel and Hardy. He was born on the 16th June as Stanley Jefferson, at 3 Argyle Street. A plaque commemorates his living at that house. Note the delightful Laurel and Hardy Museum in the town centre. In Mill Street there is a nice restoration of a 17th century corn mill, now open as a craft shop and gallery, and today known as Ulverston Point.
Ulverston has managed to produce three heroes over more recent years. Harry Christian won a Victoria Cross at Givenchy in 1915, Frank Jefferson of the Lancashire Fusilliers won his VC in Italy in 1944, and finally, Basil Weston won a VC at Meiktila (Burma) in 1945.
The parish church of St Mary was founded in 1111 and has a few interesting items worth inspecting.
Important, too, in this area is the association with the Wesleyan Methodists who had one of the earliest chapels here. Links with the Quakers were strong when George Fox (originally a Leicestershire man) came under Cumbrian influence (or, to be more accurate, Lancashire as it was then) at nearby Swarthmoor. He found considerable help from the Fell family of Swarthmoor Hall, and later married the widow Fell after her husband, Judge Fell, died. The Old Hall today is a magnificent survivor of the 17th century and well worth seeing.
 |
