A BARROW organisation is trying to find out more about its home, which was once the administrative centre for a major cleaning firm.

Lakeland House, with its distinctive Art Deco look, is now the base for Barrow and District Age UK.

It was once the centre of Furness operations for Lakeland Laundry – later Lakeland Pennine – which started life in 1890 with the opening of the Barrow and District Steam Laundry.

Age UK is keen to hear from people with memories or photographs of Lakeland Laundry which they would like to share.

If you can help with the project, get in touch with Age UK on 01229 831425 or send an email to info@ageukbarrow.org.uk

The Hindpool Road firm grew from its Victorian roots and by 1990 the group employed 900 staff in factories and offices from Barrow to Cramlington in the North East.

In that centenary year, a new plant was to be built in Chorley with 30,000 sq ft of space devoted to linen and workwear rental.

The original Barrow firm was started by Walter and Agnes Milligan.

They bought the Whitehaven Steam Laundry, Ingleton Laundry, Kendal Steam Laundry and Grange and District Laundry.

By 1935 they had taken over factories in West Cumberland and Carlisle and established a new laundry at Harraby.

A new laundry was opened in Barrow in 1937 and in 1972 the name was changed to Lakeland Pennine.

In 1988 the decision was taken to move the headquarters from Barrow to Kendal.

The Kendal base had become the biggest producing of the firm’s seven factories and had the most modern equipment.

The Barrow cleaning factory had closed in the 1970s and the site was used for a new B&Q store - leaving Barrow with headquarters offices and a dry cleaning and processing shop.

Around 20 staff were affected by the move to Shap Road in Kendal which was planned for 1989.