Memorial to climbers on show at Barrow Archive

Barrow Archive and Local Studies Centre at Barrow’s Ramsden Square library is hosting the original memorial plaque from Great Gable which the Fell and Rock Climbing Club erected to commemorate members who died in the conflict

There is also a series of display boards looking at the club’s history and those members from Barrow who served in the armed forces.

The free exhibition can be seen until June 9 during library opening hours on Monday to Thursday, from 9.30am to 6pm, on Friday, from 9.20am to 5pm and on Saturday from 10am to 6pm.

There will also be archives documents and memorabilia relating to walking and climbing which can be seen in the Barrow Archive during its usual opening hours of Wednesday to Friday, from 9.30am to 5pm.

Among the club’s soldier climbers from Furness was Leonard Swinglehurst Beyts, who was born in Egypt in 1893 and died at Birkdale, near Southport, in 1961.

At the time of the 1911 census he was living in lodgings in Coniston Road, Barrow, while training to be a fitter and turner at the shipyard.

He went to Manchester University and joined the Lancashire Fusiliers, being promoted to captain in November 1915.

John Leonard Hardy was born in Barrow in 1885 and his father John was an estate agent and auctioneer in William Street.

He joined the Army Service Corps in December 1915 as a supply clerk and survived the war but died aged just 50 in 1935.

The most illustrious of the Barrow members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club was George Boyd Balfour, who lived from 1885 to 1977.

He was the son of a coal dealer and on the 1911 census was living at Chetwynde, Abbey Road, Barrow.

He joined the territorials in the 4 th Battalion of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and in 1909 became a second lieutenant.

In October 1916 he took command of the battalion as acting lieutenant-colonel.

The London Gazette in June 1918 announced the award of the Distinguished Service Order to the officer.

It noted: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

“When the enemy entered his trenches he ejected them with heavy losses and completely restored the line.

“This occurred after his battalion had suffered from a long and heavy bombardment.

“His courage and ability inspired his men.”

William Henry Bright Gross was born in 1889 and was the eldest son of George and Emma, of Greengate Street, Barrow.

He was a teacher at Vickerstown School, Walney, and in September 1914 joined the Royal Fusiliers, later becoming an officer with the Queens Regiment.

He was killed in action on November 3 in 1916.

The Fell and Rock Climbing Club held its first informal event at the Sun Inn, Coniston on November 11 in 1906 and held its first meeting for enthusiasts at the Wastwater Hotel in March 1909.

Today it has 1,200 members spread all over the world.

The club bought a large area of the Lake District above the 1,500ft contour and presented it to the National Trust as a memorial to club members killed in the First World War.

A plaque bearing their names was dedicated on Sunday, June 8, in 1924 on the summit of Great Gable.

Around 500 climbers and hill walkers were there in rain and mist for a ceremony led by club president Dr Arthur Wakefield.

An Act of Remembrance is held at the memorial every November, on the Sunday nearest to the 11 th

The memorial plaque was replaced with a new version in 2013 – giving the opportunity to correct errors.

This made the original version available for use in exhibitions where far more people would be able to see it.