Calgarth Estate History

Initially The Friends of the Lake District were not in favour of the building of ‘hutments’ at Troutbeck Bridge. After considerable debate, it was agreed by the Ministry of Aircraft Production that the houses would be removed either at the end of the war or when the Ministry of Health was satisfied that there was no longer a housing shortage in the country. Work began in 1941 on the single red brick constructions with ‘wood wool’ roofs and the workers and their families moved in. The school opened under the headship of Miss Parker, who later became Mrs Dixon, on 1st December 1942 and took children from the ages of three to fourteen.

53 Broadfield Road

Courtesy of Ronnie Jones

At the end of the war most of the Short’s workers moved to find work elsewhere. However, because of the national housing shortage, many of their families stayed at Calgarth and it is reported in 1947 that such families occupied 150 of the 250 housing units.

In 1945, 300 child survivors of the Holocaust who arrived from Eastern Europe were housed for a short time in the vacated hostels, describing the area as ‘paradise’.

The local authority began moving people into the empty bungalows and in 1946 converted the hostels into dwellings.

In 1948 it was suggested that Westmorland County Council should build a secondary school on the land at the north end of the estate.

In 1951 work began on a new housing estate at Droomer Stile in Windermere and in 1954 demolition work began on Beck Island Road at the southern end of Calgarth.

By 1960 the southern portion of the estate had been demolished and restored to its former state. However, thirtyone units at the northern end were still inhabited. By the end of 1961 the remaining residents were housed on Droomer estate, although the primary school was still in use until 1968. The new Lakes School opened in 1965 but continued to use some of the old school buildings until about 1973.

Photographs

Interviews

Miss Marjorie Sanderson was employed in 1945 as the nursery teacher at Calgarth School. "...Each child had their own blanket..." Listen to Marjorie's stories

Eleanor Blezard lived on the estate "...We had such a lovely life down here..." Listen to Eleanor's stories

Mayer Hersh was a child Holocaust survivor who lived on the estate "...We would sometimes ‘borrow’ the bicycles from the local people and ride around in our underwear’..." Listen to Mayer's stories