RUMOURS of a murder soon spread round Ulverston when a human skull was found in a garden at Daltongate in 1917.

The Barrow News on July 7 noted that the skull, with the lower jar missing, was found while a garden was dug behind the premises of tailor Mr W. H. Todd.

This used to be known as the Old Town House, of the Sandys family.

It was noted: “Some fresh light has since been thrown upon the discovery which entirely disposes of the rumour circulated in the neighbourhood that the skull was that of an Irishman who was supposed to have been murdered for his gold in the misty past.

“It now transpires that the skull was first unearthed, along with other human remains, at the restoration of Ulverston Parish Church in 1865 or 1866 and was evidently spirited away by some of the young bloods of that day.

“At all events, it by some means found its way into the cellar of the old established drapery premises in Daltongate of the late Mr J. Harrison Barrow, where it was knocking about for some years.

“It was the subject of many a grim joke, as two of the oldest employees still in the service of the firm, Messrs W. C.Brocklebank and W. Faulkner, can personally testify.

“At length, Mr Faulker, for the sake of the peace of all concerned, buried the skull underneath a stone in the garden, which at that period was in the occupation of Mr Barrow and there it has remained until again brought to the surface by Mr Todd.

“We would suggest that the skull be now relegated to the museum of curiosities in the club room of the North Lonsdale Club.”