When Barrow went to the beach- the glory days of Biggar Bank
From the late 19th century through to the swinging sixties, Biggar Bank was where Barrow came to breathe. Families poured across the channel by ferry or, after 1908, by the new Jubilee Bridge, to enjoy the fresh air, entertainments and the smell of salt and seaweed. Barrow Council acquired Biggar Bank in the mid-1880s as a public recreation ground and soon after, built a handsome timber pavilion to serve refreshments to day-trippers.
The Furness Railway promoted the site as a holiday destination, running extra ferry services to Walney. In those days, the pavilion's striped awnings and bunting could be seen from the shore, serving tea and scones to visitors escaping the smoke of the shipyards. Though demolished more than fifty years ago, it became one of Walney's best-loved landmarks.
The arrival of the Barrow tram network extension to Biggar Bank on August 4, 1911 transformed the area's popularity overnight. A garlanded tram, decked with flags and flowers, marked the inauguration as curious crowds gathered on the shore. 
For just a few pence, Barrovians could ride all the way from the town centre to the sea. The route ended beside a neat tram shelter that overlooked the water, where benches quickly filled with families watching the tide creep in. Old photographs from the Sankey archive show the bank grass packed with picnickers, children pushing prams and striped tents of ice cream sellers.
A particular favourite was Whit-Monday, when pierrot troupes performed to huge audiences. Their comic songs and slapstick routines became the soundtrack of early 20th-century summers on Walney. Biggar Bank was never short of spectacles.
In 1917, crowds gathered to see a De Havilland DH6 biplane land near the pavilion - one of the first aircraft to visit the island. Not long after, a First World War tank was mounted on the shingle as a patriotic monument. 
Then came the thrill-seekers. On August 30, 1924, the hum of engines replaced the laughter as Biggar Bank hosted motorcycle races, with hundreds of spectators pressed along the start line. In 1927, the Prince of Wales himself visited Walney to open the new miniature golf course beside Sandy Gap.
Mayor Ellison greeted him before the prince took the first swing, marking another chapter in Biggar Bank's evolution as a leisure hub. By the 1950s, the post-war years brought new life to the coast. The open-air baths, bustling with families, became a beloved fixture.
On hot days, children queued for the slide while parents sipped tea at the cafe above. Though the pavilion, trams and open-air pool are long gone, Biggar Bank remains a favourite walk for generations of Walney families. 
The Sankeys were a father and son trio who documented life in Barrow and Cumbria over 70 years. Check out our gallery for more photos. For more nostalgia articles, subscribe to the Mail[4]
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The full details on copyright are here: https://www.sankeyphotoarchive.uk/contact/[5].
References
- ^ BAE Systems confirms purchase of former GSK site including sports and social club (www.nwemail.co.uk)
- ^ VIDEO: GBP2.9m alternative education centre opens in Barrow (www.nwemail.co.uk)
- ^ 'Absolute legends' firefighters praised after 'terrifying' carbon monoxide scare (www.nwemail.co.uk)
- ^ For more nostalgia articles, subscribe to the Mail (www.nwemail.co.uk)
- ^ https://www.sankeyphotoarchive.uk/contact/ (www.sankeyphotoarchive.uk)