Calgarth Estate

When Short Brothers' moved a section of their skilled workforce to the new factory near Windermere, they were placed in local billets. In 1941 building work began on a piece of land at Troutbeck Bridge in order to provide 200 married quarters and separate hostels for the 300 single workers.

Calgarth

Courtesy of Lorna Pogson

By the end of 1942 there was a complete community with a primary school, two shops, a canteen, assembly hall, club house, laundry, sick bay, policeman and a football team. The settlement was known as Calgarth.

The factory workers called the houses ‘Shorts’ Palaces’ but the locals named Calgarth ‘Chinatown’. It was a community made up of people from industrial towns across the country.

Map of Windermere 1958

Crown Copyright (1958) All rights reserved. Licence no. 100047008

The History

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