We have a few items to share and hope you find them interesting. Unfortunately, we have some bad news from Alan, so let’s get that out of the way first.

A Sparrow-hawk just arrived at SP from across the river. On the edge of the quay opposite number 3: *Photo by Alan Smith*.

The Long-Distance Migrants - final chapter for 2023

My last update was of a second brood of Swallows hatched in the new nest, four healthy youngsters all clamouring for food from mum and dad who duly carried out another mammoth task of filling four demanding open mouths. (For Alan’s first article about these Swallows click here)

The second clutch, just hatched: *Photo Alan Smith*

Everything was going fine and they were on the verge of fledging when disaster struck - my worst fears were realised. Early one morning, checking their welfare, I was met by a mass of feathers in a nearby wheelbarrow. A Sparrowhawk had struck, the feathers from an adult bird, far too long for a youngster, probably on the nest brooding keeping the new family warm overnight.

Nearby was another pile of feathers this time a young one - leaving three in the nest. Imagine if you can the distress witnessed by the remaining family.

I was trying to think what to do to prevent a further strike and couldn’t arrive at anything until late that night, I decided I would place some large mesh wire netting in front of the nest.

Making it my first job in the morning I was greeted by more carnage; another two youngsters had been taken with feathers everywhere. However, I duly placed the wire in front of the nest and the remaining adult came in with food and although slightly distressed eventually got through the mesh and fed the remaining youngster.

This went on successfully until the afternoon when survivor came out of the nest, scrambled through the wire, and perched on the outside waiting to be fed - later flying on to the top of a wall and eventually took off to I know not where.

The last swallow climbed through the netting: *Photo Alan Smith*

Single parent continues to feed: *Photo Alan Smith*

I am all too well aware that this is life in the wild but it is also the downside wherever it happens to be.

Filmset

The Point has again been host to a filmset for a major production to be screened in spring 2024. We have been asked not to publish any details for the moment - but a full article will appear next year.

100 years 100 objects – Lancaster City Museums

Celebrating the centenary of their collections, the museum is recording podcasts based on 100 objects.

Sam Thompson photograph of William Townley: *Lancaster City Museums podcast*

Important for us, is number 67 just published, based on a photograph by Sam Thompson of William Townley. He was a well-known fisherman who lived all his life at Sunderland Point. This is the link to the series

To see other images of William Townley and many more Sam Thompson photographs follow this link to his gallery

We have just taken part in a recording based on object number 75 – A photograph taken by John Walker.

Fisherfolk and children at the Point c1894, a John Walker photograph: Courtesy Lancaster City Museums

This has been chosen not just because it’s a great photo of adults and local children of the time, but also of the tragic story of James Gardner (immediate left) who died aged only 33, leaving his pregnant wife Betty and seven other children to care for. We think it’s Betty in the background holding baby William.

The recording will be available around the middle of October.

John Walker plates update - good news

Steady progress is being made on the digitalisation of the complete collection into high-definition digital copies says Rachel Roberts the Collections Registrar at Lancaster City Museums. Over 250 have now been copied, with more underway. The Museums plan to hold an exhibition of the photographs in the Maritime Museum next year where their importance as social history will be shared. We have been given permission to place his photographs on the website. Brilliant!

Here is an example of a recently copied image

Repairs to a boat outside number 3 c1895. *Courtesy Lancaster City Museums*

Amongst the group we see Arthur Townley - Elder brother of William above - in his distinctive domed hat, and (if you peer closely) to the extreme left is a policeman. And the tide is on the road. By this date Arthur, with his wife and four daughters, would have moved from number 16 Second Terrace into the newly built number 4 (in 1890) up the Lane.

There is a missing plank near the keel, perhaps it had been damaged when the boat ebbed onto stony ground.

And finally….

A new book from Beth Hampson

We have just received a digital copy of ‘Sunderland Point and Overton Lives’ the latest book of local interest edited by Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Hampson.

The opening to the book reproduces this lovely watercolour.

Second Terrace by Reggie Fawcett 1964: *Courtesy his granddaughter Jenni Mitchell*

This is the eagerly awaited fourth book prepared by Beth and is an excellent addition to her three previous books.

The Changing Faces of Sunderland Point through the years.

Sunderland Point - The Early Years

Overton History from the Newspapers

Although casting a shadow that it might be her last, and that ‘In this book I am tidying up, gathering together all the pieces that I appear to have left’ Beth also writes, ‘I cannot tell you all how much pleasure I have had in putting them together and they really have enriched my life in all the discoveries I made.’

Like all her previous books, it is richly packed with human interest stories and features noteworthy events, personal histories, and memories from local families. It also comprises her famous collections of curious facts and the always fascinating and sometimes idiosyncratic – extracts from newspapers.

Also, like her other books, we are told ‘Probably the best way for my readers to enjoy the book is to dip in and out at leisure, a little like a short story book’.

The first part of the book is devoted to a lengthy section on ‘The Quaker Lawson Family of Sunderland Point’. This is important, original, and ground-breaking research. In astonishing detail Beth recounts the adventures and hardships, and heart-breaking events in lives of the later Lawson family.

Date stone identifying Joshua and Mary Lawson by the Reading Room entrance: *From the collection of Beth Hampson.*

In 1716, aged 26, ‘our’ Robert Lawson, married Mercy Moss of Manchester. We attribute the early growth of Sunderland Point to his success as a colonial merchant up to his bankruptcy in 1728. Robert and Mercy lived on at the Point until their deaths, Mercy in 1770 and Robert in 1773. All seven of their children were born at the Point.

Using the Quaker records on Ancestry.com as well as other sources, Beth tells us what happened next and of their sufferings as Quakers, Beth says ‘I realise what huge risks their beliefs were to their lives’.

The eldest son Joshua, once shipwrecked on the Welsh coast, was a merchant who left traces of visits to Madeira, Barbados, Jamaica, and St Kitts – where he may have died.

Second son Moss was apprenticed in 1738 to John Bell, a long string bow-maker in London before becoming a merchant and looking after the families’ affairs in London.
Copy of Moss Lawson’s apprenticeship agreement: *Collection Beth Hampson*

We read in fascinating detail - almost to be a witness – at the marriage of daughter Mary to Anthony Woodburn of Overton at the Friends meeting house in Yealand in 1776.

Isaac becomes a master mariner sailing out of Bristol, Robert is also in Bristol having become a glass maker. The last of Robert and Mercy’s children Sarah, born in 1733, is married in Manchester to a cotton manufacturer, Benjamin Fryer in 1772. Beth includes the notice of the birth of their only child Mercy in 1776 in Manchester.

Benjamin’s business appears to fail and be sold, he and Sarah, perhaps destitute, move to Bristol possibly to join Sarah’s brothers. Mercy, her daughter only 5, dies in Bristol. We see this in the instruction for her burial in the Friends cemetery ‘at or near the workhouse’. Sarah, perhaps heartbroken died the following year.

The wealth and depth of information needs time for reading, digestion, reflection, and re-reading.

*

The rest of the book is divided about equally between the Point and Overton, looking through the index at the beginning there are plenty of items which catch the eye.

Sunderland Hall Concerts by Lizzie Gilchrist.

Reggie Fawcett by Jenni Mitchell.

Memories & a Childhood Vision by Sydney Turney.

Anne Geddes Gilchrist O.B.E. & F.S.A.

The Mission Hall.

Early Sunderland Brows Farm Residents

Sunderland Point Field Names.

Facts from the Census – a count of the houses.

The Marl Pits

Who is Who in boat Ownership at Sunderland Point

Overton & Sunderland Residents c.1911

Overton Listed Buildings

Overton War Memorial

Robert Bowie & Bowie Nook

James Gardner the Boatbuilder

William & John Gardner & Families from Diane Gardner

The Thompson Family of Pedder Farm

Beth has included some of her own memories of holidays many of them spent in a caravan on the West Shore, she tells us ‘My father Sydney Turney was a stickler for polite behaviour, so we didn’t tend to go to the river side of Sunderland in case we annoyed anyone, there were some moments however when I got away with it’.

And about the exploding cider.

Throughout the book there are many items to treasure, and discoveries that add missing pieces to our knowledge of local history.

We spotted in Diane Gardner’s splendid family history of John and William Gardner this well-known photograph. In a first for us, the identity of two of the fishermen is revealed.

Taken at Bazil point, on the left is Diane Gardners great-grandfather William and Grandfather John William is centre: *Courtesy Diane Gardner*

There are wonderful connections, in the item on the Mission Church at the Point is the announcement of the departure in September 1896 of the much-loved Minister of the Parish the Rev. Leighton Atkinson due to ill health.

Later in the newspaper cuttings, we read about him again, his illness gets full coverage including the scotching of a rumour two months later in November 1896 ‘that the Rev. R. L. Atkinson had died on Sunday Last. We are happy to say such is not the case, though we regret to state that he is dangerously ill, and that his medical advisors hold out very little hope of his ultimate recovery’. Lancaster Standard & County Advertiser.

He survives for only a few weeks and died in December of that year, only 35 years old and leaving behind a widow and three children.

We can’t end with tears. In the Sunderland Point newspaper extracts we meet an old friend - who with John Bagot caught a very big salmon.

Under the title ‘A Wambling (sic) Exploit’ is a report in the Lancaster Gazette, August 1873, ‘of a salmon 45lbs weight betwixt Nos. 4 and 5 buoys, in the Lune a mile and a half below the lighthouse’ caught by John Bagot and William Dickenson.

William (Barney) Dickenson 1713 – 1886: from the collection of Wilton Atkinson.

The book has our wholehearted recommendation.

Available right now for only £5, is the digital edition which can be purchased by direct contact with Beth at beth.hampson@hotmail.co.uk

The hardback copy is with the printers and will be available later in September. Each book is priced at £7 and 3 can be bought for £20. Copies from 7 First Terrace and 14 Second Terrace, Sunderland Point.

As with her other books, all the proceeds from the sales will be generously donated by Beth to the renovation of the Mission Church at Sunderland Point.