HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS

Although the Julian ("Old Style") calendar had been replaced by the Gregorian ("New Style") calendar on most of the continent in 1582 and in Scotland in 1660, in England and Wales until 1751 the year was still identified (by the church) as beginning on March 25, so that an event listed as say 1625 February 20 would, on today's basis, be 1626 February 20. However, the New Style system was used earlier by the civil authorities; on the other hand, natural resistance to change meant that the old year system persisted in part for some time.

"Chesterfield's Act" of 1751 provided that 1752 would start on January 1, that 1752 September 2 would be followed immediately by 1752 September 14 and that the Julian calendar would be replaced by the Gregorian calendar. However, the new date system was not adopted immediately everywhere.

The various effects of these changes mean that care needs to be exercised in interpreting references to dates around 1626 and 1752. Also, the Quakers had their own practices with respect to the representation of dates.

 

BRITAIN

1642-1651	Civil War
1649	Charles 1 executed
1649-1660	Commonwealth
1689	Toleration Act
1833	Smallpox epidemic
1840	Introduction of postal system
1845	Potato crop failed in Ireland, Belgium and Holland.
1851	Start of Australian gold rush
1853	Cholera prevalent in England
1861	American Civil War commenced
1862	Cotton famine in Lancashire
1870	Forster's Education Act led to primary education for all
1870	Smallpox epidemic
1871	Trade unions legalized
1880	School attendance for children up to age 10 became compulsory
1885	First legal cremation
1891	Act for free education passed
1916	Rebellion in Ireland
1922	Partition of Ireland

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FURNESS

1127	Furness Abbey founded
1568	St. Mary's church, Walney, founded
1621	Rampside church founded
1623-1624	Mortality crisis in north-west England (cause unknown)
1631	Plague in North Scale
1745	Lindal iron ore first exported from Barrow
1747	Newland furnace built
1776	First "mine floor" established at Barrow
1778	Ulverston Congregational Church founded
1780	First iron ore jetty at Barrow
1785	Backbarrow furnace dismantled
1800	Slate industry bread riot
1814	Ulverston Wesleyan Church founded
1839	Schneider began exploration for iron deposits
1848-1871	Barrow chapel of ease, Abbey Road
1849	St. George's school opened
1851	Very rich Park iron ore deposit discovered by Schneider
1852	St. George's school licensed for divine service
1853	Barrow Baptist hut, South Walney, built
1857	Congregational Chapel, Hindpool Road, built
1859	First iron blast furnace blown in (Schneider & Hannay, Hindpool)
1860-1879	Immigration from Cornwall, Staffordshire, Scotland & Ireland
1861	St. George's church consecrated (as a District Chapelry of Dalton)
1862	First Barrow Wesleyan Chapel, Hindpool Road
1864	Company formed to use Bessemer process
1865	Roman Catholic mission established in Barrow
1865	Earthquake at Rampside and Barrow; many houses damaged
1866	Primitive Methodist Chapel, Forshaw Street, built
1866	First hospital in Barrow
1867	St. Mary's Roman Catholic church completed
1867	Devonshire Dock opened
1867	Trinity Presbyterian first met (later School Street)
1867	Barrow incorporated as Borough, bounded by Thwaite Flat, Millwood level crossing, Piel Castle and Walney Channel
1869	St. James's church consecrated
1870	First sod for jute mill cut
1870	Start of importation of Spanish and Irish iron ore
1871	St. George's became separate parish
1871	St. Paul's church erected
1872	Barrow boundaries increased by Walney, Sheep, Piel & Foulney
1873	Second Barrow Congregational Church formed (later Ainslie Street)
1873	Barrow became a Petty Sessional division of Lancashire
1873	Barrow Baptist chapel, Abbey Road, built
1874	North Lonsdale Hospital opened
1874	First sod for Ulverston ironworks cut
1874	"Scotch" tenements being built in Barrow
1874	Primitive Methodist Chapel, Hartington Street, built
1874	Wesleyan Chapel, Hartington Street, built
1875	Part of Yarlside added to Barrow Borough
1875	Primitive Methodist Chapel, Marsh Street, built
1876	Wesleyan Chapel, Abbey Road, opened
1876	Wesleyan Chapel, Greengate Street, opened
1877	First public transport in Barrow
1878	Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John churches opened
1878	Hawcoat Lane school opened
1879	Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John churches consecrated
1881	Chapelry of Rampside amalgamated with Barrow
1882	Peak year for iron mining. Measles epidemic in Dalton
1885	Barrow's first MP elected
1885-1895	Recession in iron mining
1889	Many strikes
1889	Barrow formed into County Borough
1890	Barrow granted its own Commission of the Peace
1891	Newland furnace ceased production.
1896	Barrow Salt Co. formed
1896-1903	Emigration to South African gold fields
1899	Isle of Walney Estates Co. acquired by Vickers Ltd
1904-1913	Emigration to America
1908	Walney Bridge opened
1909	Construction of first naval airship commenced.
1911c	Jute mill burned down.
1918	Askam furnaces closed
1922	Heavy unemployment in Barrow
1933	Heavy unemployment in Barrow
1938	Ulverston furnaces closed
1939	Ashley Accessories opened in Ulverston
1941	Roanhead mines closed
1944	Newton mines closed
1947	Lister & Co. built pilot factory
1959	British Cellophane established factory in Barrow
1962	Court of Quarter Sessions established in Barrow
1963	Barrow Ironworks closed

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RAILWAYS

1840	Roa Island bought by John Abel Smith
1846	Furness Railway opened from Kirkby and Crooklands to Rampside and Barrow
1847	Railway between Dalton and Rampside doubled
1847	Roa Island causeway completed
1848	Railway completed between Kirkby and Broughton
1850	Whitehaven & Furness Junction Railway opened (Broughton and Bootle)
1851	Furness Railway extended from Crooklands to Lindal
1852	Furness Railway extended from Lindal to Ulverston Road
1852	Piel Pier damaged in storm
1854	Railway from Lindal reached Ulverston
1857	Ulverston & Lancaster Railway opened (Ulverston and Carnforth)
1859	Coniston Railway opened (Foxfield and Coniston)
1863	Doubling of railway between Barrow and Carnforth completed
1868	Stainton branch opened
1869	Lake Side branch opened
1874	Branch from Ulverston to Conishead Priory constructed
1881	Ramsden Dock line opened
1882	Barrow deviation line and Central station opened

NOTE: Barrow Record Office has available for sale a Source List of the Furness Railway items in the Furness Collection .

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SHIPPING

1776	First "mine floor" established at Barrow
1781	First quay in district, at Greenodd
1796	Ulverston Canal opened
1847	James Fisher took over his brother's shipping interests
1847	First shipbuilding in Barrow (Ashburner)
1848	Busiest year for Ulverston Canal
1849	Steamer commenced plying on Windermere
1857	Barrow Channel deepened
1867	Buccleuch(?) and Devonshire Docks opened
1867	Piel Pier / Douglas service inaugurated
1869	Barrow Shipbuilding Co. formed
1870	Barrow / Glasgow sailings started
1872	Barrow / Rotterdam service started
1873	Barrow Shipbuilding Co. launched first ship
1873?	Buccleuch Dock opened
1877	Barrow Shipbuilding Co. built its first warship
1878	Last ship built in Ulverston
1879	Barrow / New York svc started. Extnsv cattle sheds blt
1879	Ramsden Dock opened officially
1882	Piel Pier services moved to Channel berth at Ramsden Dock
1886	Barrow Shipbuilding Co. built its first submarine.
1901	Barrow / Fleetwood summer service started
1918-1919	Concrete vessels built in Barrow

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