Bill Myers

Nostalgia reporter

Latest articles from Bill Myers

Nostalgia: Princess Royal launches assault ship Albion

WORKERS, naval personnel, special guests and hundreds of flag-waving youngsters all helped to give a special welcome to the Princess Royal when she came to Barrow for the launch of Albion in 2001. She sent the amphibious assault ship down the slipway into Walney Channel from the BAE Systems yard on March 9. The Princess Royal was accompanied at the Barrow ceremony by Commodore Timothy Laurence and was welcomed to the yard by Joseph Harris, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria. Albion was the fi

Nostalgia: Vickerstown pupils step back in time for Victorian day

THE final few years of the Victorian era saw the building of the new community of Vickerstown on Walney Island to house shipyard workers and thanks to an unusual collaboration, youngsters were able to get a taste of how life was for the first residents. Pupils at Vickerstown School held a Victorian theme day in 2001 and were able to dress in costumes of the 19th century which were made by GCSE textile students at Ulverston Victoria High School. The Mail, on Friday, April 27, said: “The Walney

Nostalgia: Askam school singers are record-breakers

SINGERS from a Furness village school managed to star in a huge stage concert and contributed to the setting of a world record. The Mail, on Tuesday, December 17 2002, said: “Young singers in Askam hit the right notes to help break a world record by taking part in a mass sing song. “The pupils from year two to six at Askam Village School joined thousands of children across the country to sing a song called Tell Me Why. “The song was released by child artist Declan Galbraith last Tuesday at

Nostalgia: Dramatic Dalton school flood rescue

IT took a rooftop rescue involving firefighters, council workers and volunteers to get 160 pupils and staff to safety from flooding at a Furness school. The drama took place in 1963 at the old Dalton CE School at Goose Green. It closed six years later and youngsters moved to the new St Mary’s Primary School in Coronation Drive. The Mail, on Thursday, November 21 in 1963, noted that an underground beck, already swollen by heavy rains, became blocked and began to swirl around school walls to a d

Nostalgia: Barrow teenagers learn skills of building trade

HUNDREDS of Furness people were given a helping hand into the world of work from courses and qualifications offered by a specialist training provider. Rathbone Training emerged in Barrow and Ulverston as a leading training and education supplier for young people with its own training centre and offering work-based training for apprentices and trainees. The national organisation was created in 1969 and was based on the principals of the Rathbone Society, founded by educationalist Elfrida Rathbon

Nostalgia: School kids' plans for a Lakes Disney theme park

PLANS by pupils to bring a Lakes Disney theme park to Cumbria created plenty of public interest when they went on show in 1992. The Mail, on Monday, July 6, noted: “A water splash, a train running through landscaped grounds with a bridge over a boating lake and Mickey and Minnie Mouse in costume - and all in Millom. “Technology students from Millom School took just two days to create a plan with working models for a Lakes Disney park. “The 130 pupils first went to Camelot Theme Park and Ch