Lancaster City Museum

Did you know that for one day in 1904 Lancaster looked a lot like the wild west? We speak to Dr Timothy Hickman from Lancaster University to find out about the man who brought the western frontier to the North West of England. Find out more about this intriguing portrait of famous showman Buffalo Bill in today's new podcast.

This and all our podcast objects are now on display across our museum sites, you can find this one at Lancaster City Museum, so why not pop in to take a look.

All our podcast episodes are available on Podbean, Spotify, Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.

Did you know that Queen Victoria visited Lancaster on the 8th October 1851?

A detailed account of her visit was published in The Lancaster Gazette and subsequently published as a book in 1877. According to these sources, Queen Victoria was accompanied by Prince Albert and four of her children to our town. They had been spending time in Balmoral as a family and had made provisions to stop in Lancaster ahead of their return to London.

Their short tour of Lancaster began at Castle Station (now Lancaster Railway Station), before proceeding to Meeting-House Lane and then onto the Castle. A great display of arches, flags and streamers is described in contemporary accounts, with the writer also noting the glorious sunshine experienced by all that day.
“A beautiful spectacle it was to see the cortege filing over the railway bridge, and more interesting to see the sovereign passing through a dense mass of loyal subjects, all excited to the highest gratification by beholding their Queen face to face.”

As part of her visit, Her Majesty was presented with the keys to Lancaster Castle by William Hulton, the then constable of the castle. Following this, she was led to the Shire Hall, which had been transformed with help from the Gillow company in preparation for Victoria’s arrival. Chairmen of the quarter sessions were present here to speak with her majesty about their work and an address was made by Mayor Henry Gregson to which Victoria replied, “I have received with much pleasure the address which has been just read to me and have been much gratified by the kind reception which I have met with in the town."

Following this, the Royal party were led to the Grand Jury Room where they were presented with an elaborate luncheon which had been prepared at the King's Arms Royal Hotel. The Queen and her companions left Lancaster shortly after at around 3pm.

Do you have any memories of Royal Visits to our local area? Let us know in the comments!

Here we have an official football programme from 1976 that cost only 10p! showing supporters the news and team sheet for a match between Lancaster City of the Northern Premier League and Manchester City of the old First Division at the Giant Axe, Lancaster.

Though it was just a friendly, this fixture would have undoubtedly been a big event for Lancaster as Manchester City were in the topflight under former captain turned manager Tony Book. They would go on to finish 8th in the First Division that season and qualify for the UEFA Cup by winning the League Cup from an overhead kick from Dennis Tueart at Wembley. The following season, Manchester City were runners up in the First Division, finishing just one point behind champions Liverpool.

By contrast, Lancaster City were a consistent mid-table team in the Northern Premier League in the 70’s, always finishing above close rivals Morecambe! They finished 12th in the season that this fixture took place, and the following season would go on to finish in 7th place – their highest finish until a 4th placed finish in the 2000-01 season. Lancaster have had a turbulent history of promotion and relegation but are back in the Northern Premier League after their promotion from the Northern Premier League Division One North in 2017. As the director writes in the “directors notes” section, this must have been a real honour to host a world renowned team such as Manchester City who rarely visited non-league football clubs.

When looking at the programme Tony Book did not disappoint the Lancaster City supporters and appears to have a selected a strong starting XI of First Division stars for non-league football fans to have a rare chance to watch live. The name that instantly leaps out is Colin Bell nicknamed Najinski, who sadly passed away in 2021 from bowel cancer. He was a midfielder and best known for his thirteen year spell at Manchester City and is regarded as one of the clubs finest ever players as part of the Bell-Lee-Summerbee trio of the late 1960’s and 70’s under Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. He was also an England regular and made 48 appearances for the national side including appearing prominently in the 1970 World Cup where England reached the quarter finals in Mexico. The chance for Lancaster supporters to see an England hero live at their own stadium would have been irresistible.

Notable names from that day include the likes of Dennis Tueart who we named earlier, a young Peter Barnes, Tommy Booth, Joe Royle, and Alan Oakes, who went on to make the most appearances for Manchester City. Manchester born and lifelong City supporter Mike Doyle was another important player that day, who scored 6 years earlier in the 1970 League Cup final win against West Brom. Joe Corrigan, who was the goalkeeper, was another veteran of the club and the first-choice goalkeeper at Maine Road for sixteen seasons. He won Manchester City’s player of the year three times (including in 1976) and is now regarded as one of the clubs best ever goalkeepers.

Unfortunately for Lancaster City they appeared to be without their player of the season, Cedric Gelling, who is pictured having an attempt saved in a match against Goole.

It wouldn't be until 2000 when Manchester City would return to the Giant Axe to play Lancaster City again, this time being managed by former legend and player from that day, Joe Royle.

We're stepping back in time by looking at an intricately crafted clock in today's podcast. This Georgian symbol of wealth and business brought two Lancaster merchants and their families together in a perfect emblem of the trade networks that spread locally, nationally and internationally. We speak to Susan Stuart to find out more about the Worswick family, the Gillow family, and the business that made them partners.

You can find all our episodes on Podbean, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find all our podcast objects on display right now across our museums sites so why not pop in and take a look as you listen.

Kingsway picture house (pictured here in 1926) was situated on Parliament street in Lancaster. The cinema which was previously a garage, opened on the 3rd April 1923 and showed its first two films “The Young Diana” starring Marion Davies and Lon Chaney’s “The Ace of Hearts”. During the 1920’s, it was known as Kingsway Super Cinema and was quite popular amongst movie goers.
In the mid to late 1920s sound started to be used in films. It was not long before the Kingsway Picture House got on board with the new craze and in 1930, they fitted a British acoustic system to capture the full experience. For most of the next decade the cinema would continue to be popular amongst the public despite it changing hands several times throughout the 1930s.

In 1939 the cinema was owned by Unions cinema, shortly after it unfortunately met its demise following it being taken over by Associated British Cinema’s (ABC). ABC closed its doors with rumours suggesting a much needed restoration.
The building was still listed in Kinematograph yearbooks up until 1944, but it soon changed back into its original use as a garage. In later years it became the discount store 'Comet store' and today it is now a Farmfoods.

The Queen Victoria Memorial

This Monument, which forms the centrepiece to Dalton Square in Lancaster, creates considerable interest. Many people want to know who the figures at the base of the Monument represent and why they are there. The Queen Victoria Monument was erected the 13th June 1906, but interestingly without a ceremony. It was paid for by Lord Ashton, who lived at Rylands house and owned huge textile and linoleum interests in Lancaster down by the River Lune on New Quay. The Monument itself was originally intended to stand in Williamson Park, but with having the the plans drawn up to build the Ashton Memorial there and the plans for a new Town Hall situated opposite Dalton Square, the plans changed and it was instead erected in the centre of the square.

Together with the balustrade and laying out of the oval, it cost a total of £14,000. The monument was designed and sculpted by Herbert Hampton who with this, produced a number of Royal Monuments including one which stands in Ipswich, two which stand in India and another in New Zealand. The sculptures which stand as part of the Monument in Dalton Square are made of bronze with the pedestal being granite and the base being made of Furness limestone.

There is no evidence to say why Lord Ashton felt it was needed to erect a Monument of Victoria, 6 years after her passing. Perhaps he felt that even though he moved into the Edwardian era, he still portrayed Victorian morals and felt a little out of image when compared with that of an Edwardian.

All together there are 52 figures which surround the base of the Monument, with 50 being men and the other two women. They each represent eminent Victorians and illiterate Politics, Science, the Arts, Education and the Church. On the corners stand figures representing Truth, Wisdom, Justice and Freedom. Key names include the likes of James Williamson Snr, the Father of Lord Ashton, although his eminence is probably somewhat less than the others which stand around the Monument.

🎄With it being the festive season we have decided to help you with your Christmas shopping this year and introduce our half price Super sale.

Looking for ideas for Christmas presents? come in and see what we have! 🎄

We're open Friday-Tuesday: 10:30-16:00

To all the Museum lovers this Christmas! We wanted to let you know our closed dates over the festive period.

Don't forget our opening times are as follows:

City Museum: Friday-Tuesday 10:30-16:00
Maritime Museum: Friday-Monday 12:00-16:00

🧔 Caption Competition!
As comes to an end, we'l leave the description of our last historical Mo Bro to you - captions in the comments please. 😁
⭐ If you've missed our earlier posts, just scroll back through the last few weeks both on this page and at Lancaster Maritime Museum for all the best historic Mos from our collections.
❓ is Mens Health Awareness Month. Are you growing your own Mo for the cause? Send us a pic! Or find out how else you can get involved here: https://uk.movember.com/ Movember UK

In today's new podcast episode we explore the sometimes troubled life of a gifted local painter. We talk with artist Alistair Makinson about Reginald Aspinwall, his life, his work, and why his paintings are still so popular and captivating today.

You can find all our podcast episodes on Podbean, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts. This object, along with all our other podcasts objects, is also now on display at Lancaster City Museum, why not pop in and see it for yourself.

Artist Spotlight - Richard Ansdell R.A. 1815-1885

Ansdell was born in Liverpool and lived at Lytham for sometime before moving to Scotland. He was most famous for his animal paintings. In 1856 he went to Spain with the Scottish artist John Philips Both men were impressed by the countryside and colourful scenes of everyday Spanish life.

The Water Carriers 1866 (B. Bamber Gardner Bequest) -

This picture combines Ansdell's love of animals with the romance of a far away place. He has taken great care in painting the donkeys rough hairy skin contrasting it with the cloth tassels on the saddles and the large pottery water jars. The bright colours of the girls dress and shawl draw our attention to what is happening in the fore ground. But the background is important too. The artist uses the zig zag of the wall to lead us up to the building on the hill, the ancient Moorish palace of the Alhambra in Granada. The colours here are paler to give the impression of distance through a heat haze.

Victorian Britain was a prosperous industrial country. The increasing wealth of the middle and upper classes meant they wanted to buy pictures for their homes, partly as a kind of status symbol. Paintings like this one by Ansdell were very popular because they were full of exotic detail, colourful and told a story.

Today's podcast lets us explore the story of one of Lancaster's most decorative industries, and the main players in the world of stained-glass making. We speak with Gordon Clark to find out about this beautiful window design, the man in it, and the people behind it.

You can find all our podcast objects on public display right now across our sites. You can also find this object in our 100 Years 100 Objects: Your Favourite Object exhibition at Lancaster City Museum where you can vote for it (or many others!) as your favourite object.

Happy Lancashire Day!

From all of us here at Lancaster City Museum's

Here we are with another addition to this Months series 'Bros With Mos' This time we're here with a Photograph of a Lancastrian Gentleman who went by the name of Mr. W.Wearing.

As you can see by this Photograph, Mr Wearing is sporting quite the Fashionable late 19th Century beard and looking rather "Dapper"

Keep an eye on both this page and the Maritime Museum page for all the best photos and paintings of Mos from our collections.
❓ is Mens Health Awareness Month. Are you growing your own Mo for the cause? Send us a pic! Or find out how else you can get involved here: https://uk.movember.com/ Movember UK

Come back with us to the night of a local tragedy in today's podcast episode. We talk to Tim Churchill to find out all about what happened on that fateful night in 1917 at the White Lund projectile filling factory.

This and all our podcast objects can now be seen on display across Lancaster City Museums.

Artist Spotlight - John Tobin (b.1924)

We have just this one painting in our collection by John Tobin (b.1924), but we think it's fabulous!

It's simply called 'Market Sq, Lancaster'. He painted this view of the square whilst he was a student at the Lancaster School of Art in the 1950s. He later went on to become a teacher.

In today's episode we look at the life of a black entertainer who was a much-loved Morecambe figure. We speak to Valerie Waterhouse about the fascinating life of James Herns and the rare autobiography that he left behind to tell his story.

This, and all the other podcast objects, can bee seen on display now across Lancaster City Museums. This object also features in the Your Favourite Objects shortlist and you can vote for it as your favourite object online through the Visit Lancaster website.

❓ Think you've seen it all?
Did you know we've got FOUR different temporary exhibitions on right now in our museums?

🏵️ Here at the City Museum you'll find not only '100 Years, 100 Objects: Your favourite object from the collections of Lancaster City Museums', but also a second collection of 100 objects featured in our podcast. https://onehundredyearsonehundredobjects.podbean.com/
Both of these exhibitions feature some objects on permanent display which are too large or fragile to move - pick up a free map to track these down in our galleries, both here and just down the hill at Lancaster Maritime Museum.
⚓ While you're at the Maritime, don't miss the 'Hoard of Hoards' - archaeological treasures from around Morecambe Bay, as well as 'FLOTILLA', which brings together the best of our models and paintings of boats and ships.

🏵️ The City Museum is open 10:30-4pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Tuesday.
⚓ Lancaster Maritime Museum is open 12-4pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday.

In 1904 Lancaster-born Herbert Storey was appointed High Sheriff of the County Palatine of Lancashire. In accordance with a long standing custom peculiar to North Lancashire, he made his official State Entry into Lancaster at the first Assizes held there following his appointment. The occasion was seized by the townspeople for a most remarkable display as seen here at the top of Market Street, Lancaster, where a wooden archway was built for the occasion. These archways were placed around the town only remaining in place a short time before being taken down again.
This photograph gives not only a sense of a new chapter in Lancaster but also shows the love from the people to see a Lancastrian become the High Sheriff of Lancashire. The town blazed with bunting, and after entertaining 11,000 guests at Bailrigg, the new High Sheriff was escorted into Lancaster in a two-mile long Shrieval Procession.

It's time for another post from our series of Bros with Mos where we step back in time to look at certain photographs of men sporting facial hair to promote

This time we're looking at this "dashing" Gentleman by the name of William Blacow, who can be seen here sporting his chin curtain facial hair.

William was born in Lancaster on September 28th 1815 to James and Jane Blacow, who were both local hatters and had their own shop situated at 107 Church Street.

William, who was one of 6 children to James and Jane, would be christened at St Mary's Church (The Priory) on November 5th of that same year and when old enough would start working in his father's shop on Church Street with his other siblings.

They would ultimately work as hatters but also sell food products to earn extra money, something William would go on to master in his later life. When old enough, William would meet his future wife Mary Cooper who was living on Mary Street, but originally came from Huddersfield.

Mary would move north to Lancaster during the 1840s, marrying William on September 6th 1847, setting up shop with his newly found grocery business at 1 Rosemary Lane

Keep an eye on both this page and the Maritime Museum page for all the best photos and paintings of Mos from our collections.
❓ is Mens Health Awareness Month. Are you growing your own Mo for the cause? Send us a pic! Or find out how else you can get involved here: https://uk.movember.com/ Movember UK

In today's new podcast episode we are taking a look at one of the rarest textiles in Britain. A fascinating and enigmatic find that shines a light on a mysterious period in our history. The Quernmore shroud was part of a burial, discovered on a fellside, which raised as many questions as it answered. We speak to Carolyn Dalton and Professor Fiona Edmonds to find out more about the shroud, the burial, and the world it comes from.

You can see the shroud and all our other podcast objects on display across Lancaster City Museums right now. This object is also in our Your Favourite Object shortlist. So once you've listen to the podcast, if you think this is your favourite object, don't forget to vote for it online through the Visit Lancaster website, or at Lancaster City Museum.

Artist Spotlight - Shawn Williamson

Shawn Williamson received his first stone sculpture commission in 1984 for Lancaster City Council with 'Medieval Knight', pictured. This resulted in further commissions in Lancaster, including 'Mary and Babe' at Lancaster Priory. With other large works at Lancaster University and St Martin’s College (now The University of Cumbria) where he was commissioned to sculpt 'St Martin and the Beggar'. Shawn's creations and ideology inspired Lancaster City Council to develop the TERN Project in Morecambe. He has gone on to create many more sculptures and has been involved in a number of community project around the world.

Find out more about the TERN project here -
https://www.visitlancashire.com/things-to-do/the-tern-project-p6361

In today's new podcast episode, come back to the 1940s with us for a glamourous night when Morecambe resounded with the music of Harlem. We speak to Kirsty Roberts to find out about Adelaide Hall, the famous Jazz singer who brought glamour to the Winter Gardens.

You can see all our podcast objects including this one on display across Lancaster City Museum and Lancaster Maritime Museum. And don't forget to explore our other episodes which can all be found through Podbean, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Lost Windmills of Lancaster 💨🌬

Lancaster has had several windmills over the centuries, though no traces of the buildings remain today. Some are better known, such as the Marsh Windmill, others we have just a passing reference in a historic document…

The Windmill on the Marsh-
Built in 1786, the mill (now on the corner of West Road and Willow Lane) had a rotating cap so it could catch the wind. It was initially used to help grind the pigments needed for the pottery nearby on the quay but the 1844 OS map shows it as a corn mill. ‘Corn’ was used in a general term to mean grain of any kind.
It appears to have lasted just over a hundred years. By 1879 it was no longer in use and was in a derelict state. By 1881 it was ordered to be pulled down along with nearby cottages and the stones kept for other purposes. Of all the known windmills in Lancaster, it has been captured in paint, etching and photograph. In appearance it would have been very similar to the well known restored windmill in Lytham St Annes.
The only remnant of the old Marsh Windmill is the street name, Windmill St and the takeway which now sits on the site of the old mill.
The Windmills on the Moor-
Cross Fleury in his 1891 publication ‘Time Honoured Lancaster’ talks about an old windmill which sat just off Quernmore road-
"There used to be a windmill on the moor behind the workhouse. One or two persons were killed when it was blown down. The late Mr William Cleminson spoke to having seen the mill and an “old inhabitant” confirmed the statement. It appears that it was a square mill, removed from St Michaels and fixed above the gate on the Quernmore road, from the poorhouse. About 40 yards from the road. It never got to work but was blown down and killed a man the “old inhabitant” believed was [called] Herdman."

Perhaps as it was such a short-lived endeavour, it can’t be seen in the old maps. It would have sat on the land now used as a cricket pitch by Lancaster Royal Grammar School.

There is evidence this wasn’t the first windmill on this site. Historic property archives belonging to the Southworth family of Highfield show that in 1580, they knocked down a windmill which stood on their land across the road and moved it across to the common, although this was equally as ill-fated and was blown down.
We finally have another piece of evidence of a further historic windmill at Scotforth. There was a corn mill in the triangle between Barton and Bowerham roads next to the Burrow Beck, the 1840s OS map shows a ‘windmill stump’ in the centre of the site.
Further afield there were also windmills across and down the river at Heaton and Cockerham.
Can you help out with further evidence?

⚓ IT'S NOT JUST BOATS ⚓
❓ Did you know that our sister museum just down the hill on St George's Quay has displays about...
> Georgian Lancaster and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
> Crossing the sands of Morecambe Bay
> The Lancaster Canal
> The natural gas industry
> Fishing the Bay - potted Shrimps, cockles and mussels
And much more!
🕥 You can visit Lancaster Maritime Museum on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday, 12 noon - 4pm.
🎟️ Admission is FREE to local residents, and just £3 for visitors. Children always go free.

Here we are with another post from our series Bros with Mos:

This time we're looking at a photograph from our stores where we see Lancastrian Gentleman Mr Coupland, posing with his top hat, mustache and sideburns.

Keep an eye on both this page and the Maritime Museum page for all the best photos and paintings of Mos from our collections.
❓ is Mens Health Awareness Month. Are you growing your own Mo for the cause? Send us a pic! Or find out how else you can get involved here: https://uk.movember.com/ Movember UK

Jump into our new podcast episode to find out about the history of the Morecambe Cross Bay Swim. We chat with Charlie Overett who worked as a pilot for the swim when he was just 13 years old, to find out more about the experience of those who took part in one of the toughest swimming challenges in the country.

Find all our episodes on Podbean, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This object is currently on display at Lancaster City Museum and is one of our 100 Years 100 Objects: Your Favourite Story exhibition where you can vote for your favourite object from a shortlist spanning the whole collection. If you fall in love with this object head over to the Visit Lancaster Website to find out how to vote for it online.

Artist Spotlight - John Walker (1858-1939) Photographer 📷

John Walker was a gifted amateur photographer who was active between 1890 and 1918. His work provides a remarkable record of the Lancaster District during that period. He took photographs of a variety of subjects including landscapes, natural features, streets and buildings, many of his photographs feature shipping on the River Lune and the fishing community at Sunderland Point where he lived. His family also provided regular sitters for group and individual portraits.

Walker was described as having a serious, eccentric personality but details of his life are sketchy. His father and grandfather were both harbour masters for Lancaster Port Commission, he had four sisters. The family also had a house on Aldcliffe road in Lancaster.

Although Walker trained as a solicitor he never worked for a living, it appears he was wealthy enough to live a leisured existence at Sunderland Point for most of his life. He happily spent many hours in idle conversation with fisherman and others. Spending a great deal of time in the pursuit of his hobby, from the evidence of the photographs he travelled widely. His photographs include scenes from the isle of Man, East Lancashire, Scotland, London and to the continent. He unfortunately died in poverty in the Lancaster Workhouse but how he found himself to be there is a mystery.

Walker was a member of the Lancaster Photographic Society from 1894 to 1902 when he was expelled for non payment of subscriptions. He was keen to experiment with new photographic equipment, using the very first type of flashbulbs. He also owned a Dallmayer telephoto lens for use with his heavy Sanderson tripod camera. He took his photography seriously, to the point of mixing his own chemicals for development and printing. His photographs were take on glass plates, the majority of which have been rediscovered at Sunderland point since his death, this fabulous collection of glass plates became part of the collection in 1987.