Ah, Barrow-in-Furness! A town known for its steely spirit and, believe it or not, sparkling clean clothes! Imagine, if you will, the clatter of horse-drawn carts on cobbled streets, the air thick with the scent of coal smoke and sea air. Back in the 1890s, amidst this industrial hum, a sudsy revolution began with the arrival of Walter and Agnes Milligan. These two pioneers, with sleeves rolled high and a glint of determination in their eyes, weren’t afraid of a dirty shirt. They set up shop – the Barrow and District Steam Laundry – on Hindpool Road, its windows steaming up the street. No fancy tumble dryers or express services back then, mind you, just the rhythmic chug of machinery and the tang of soap suds in the air. But they were the veritable Bill Gates of spotless garments in Barrow! #BarrowHistory #LakelandLaundries
Lakeland Laundries, as they likely became known soon after (perhaps whispered with a touch of awe by housewives across the Furness peninsula), weren’t ones to rest on their laurels (or should we say, laundry baskets?). They embarked on a buying spree, gobbling up laundries in Whitehaven, Ingleton, Kendal, and Grange faster than you could say “spin cycle.” Picture those gleaming delivery vans, emblazoned with the Lakeland Laundries logo, crisscrossing the Cumbrian landscape, collecting and delivering crisp, clean linen. By 1935, their laundry empire stretched all the way to Carlisle, even building a brand new wash palace in Harraby, its façade adorned with Art Deco flourishes! #LaundryLegends #CumbriaCleaning
But Barrow, oh Barrow, remained their crown jewel. In 1937, they opened a humongous new laundry there, a veritable cathedral of cleanliness, its vast interior echoing with the whir of machines and the chatter of workers. This solidified the town’s position as the heart of their squeaky-clean operations. Imagine the mountains of laundry processed within those walls – starched collars, crisp sheets, and even the odd bit of lace, all handled with care. Things kept chugging along, and in 1972, they even got a snazzy new name: Lakeland Pennine! A rebranding perhaps, to reflect their expanding domain. #BarrowWashday #LocalHistory
Hold on a sec, though. Here’s where the story gets a bit murky. The Barrow laundry mysteriously vanished in the 1970s, like a sock lost in the dryer! No one knows for sure why it shut its doors. Maybe a newfangled washing machine contraption came along and stole their shine? Or perhaps everyone in Barrow suddenly became super clean (unlikely, given the town’s industrial nature!)? Was it the rise of synthetic fabrics, or perhaps a shift in economic tides? #MissingPiece #BarrowMystery
Despite the Barrow closure, Lakeland Pennine kept on washing for a while, employing a massive crew of around 900 folks across various locations by 1990. Can you imagine the camaraderie, the shared stories and laughter amidst the steam and the suds? But things just weren’t the same without Barrow. Their headquarters even moved to Kendal in 1988, leaving Barrow behind, a town that had once been synonymous with their success. #ShiftingTides #LakelandPennine
There’s still a load of unanswered questions about Lakeland Laundries! We at Furness Whisper are all ears. Why did the Barrow place close? What were those washdays like for the folks who worked there? Were there strict supervisors with piercing eyes, or was it a place of cheerful industry? If you have any memories, stories, or even old pay stubs from Lakeland Laundries, get in touch! Perhaps you remember the smell of starch, the weight of wet sheets, or the satisfaction of a job well done. Let’s together unravel the mystery and bring the story of Barrow’s washday wizards back to life! #FurnessWhisper #BarrowMemories #LocalHeroes