This month:
by F.T. Copnall (1902)
It is fascinating to wonder where your ancestors came from, what they did and what they looked like. Those who enjoy delving into their family history often liken themselves to detectives. Following a trail of photos, newspaper cuttings and birth certificates they discover an assortment of characters often scattered across the country. A recent visitor to The Dock Museum had a little further to come to do his research.
Doug Strongitharm visited the Dock Museum from Canada to view this painting and other images of his great grandfather. Links with the Fisher family also drew him back to the town that was once home to his ancestors.
Augustus Strongitharm was born into a mining family in Walsall, Staffordshire in 1842. He arrived at the rapidly developing town of Barrow as a young civil and mining engineer and here began his career. He began working on new dock system and the development of the local railways. Later he was involved in various enterprises such as the Paper Pulp Works at Salthouse, Walney Saltworks and boring for coal and ore. With such a full C V it is hard to imagine how he found the time to be Alderman, Mayor and a Justice of the Peace! Contemporary articles in the press portray him as a popular and well respected member of the establishment.
For more information on this prominent personality from Barrow’s golden age, click on this link.