By Tim Lambert
Early Morecambe
Morecambe is a seaside town in Lancashire. For hundreds of years, it was a little village called Poulton-le-Sands. Its name comes from the words pol meaning pool, and tun, meaning hamlet or settlement. By the end of the century, the suffix Le-Sands was added.
Nearby were the little villages of Bare and Torrisholme. Bare gets its name from the old word bureau, meaning a grove of trees. It’s believed that Torrisholme was once Thorold’s holmr. The Scandinavian word holmr meant an island or an area of dry land surrounded by marsh. Heysham comes from the Old English words haes, meaning ‘brushwood,’ and ham, meaning ‘village.’
There is a legend that St Patrick was shipwrecked and then built St Patrick’s Chapel in Heysham. In fact, the chapel was built in the 8th century. Near the chapel are six rock-cut graves from the 11th century.
The name Morecambe Bay was first used in the late 18th century. It’s believed to be derived from the Roman name for the bay, Moriancabris Æsturis. In the 19th century, people began to call the growing town Morecambe. In 1862, a steam train made for the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway was named Morecambe. The name of the town was officially changed to Morecambe in 1889.
Morecambe’s oldest pub is the Smugglers Den, which dates from about 1640, although it only got its present name in the 20th century.
For centuries, Poulton-le-Sands, Bare and Torrisholme were small fishing villages, but in the late 19th century, they grew into a seaside resort. In the late 19th century, some skilled workers and clerical workers were given paid holidays and staying by the seaside became popular. As a result, Morecambe boomed. In 1851, it only had a population of 1,300, but it grew enormously in the following decades.
19th Century Morecambe
Amenities in the town developed rapidly in the 19th century. The first railway to Morecambe was built in 1848. Trains made it easier for visitors to travel to the town. Bare Lane Railway Station opened in 1864.
The Stone Jetty was built in 1853. In 1861, a railway was constructed from the Stone Jetty to join the Lancaster to Carlisle line at Hest Bank. It enabled coal and coke from Durham and North Yorkshire to be brought to Morecambe for export to Ireland. The railway also carried passengers to the Stone Jetty, who then embarked on steamers.
Central Pier was built in 1869 but was demolished in 1992. West End Pier was built in 1896 but was demolished in 1978.
The Morecambe gasworks opened in 1858 (gas was used for lighting). The first electricity-generating station in Morecambe was built in 1891. Also in 1897, Morecambe Winter Gardens opened.
In 1887, horse-drawn trams began operating in Morecambe. Some petrol-driven trams were introduced in 1912, but the tramways shut in 1924.
Meanwhile, St Peters Church in Heysham was built in 1864. Holy Trinity Church in Morecambe was built in 1897.
The artist William Woodhouse (1857-1939) was born in Morecambe.
20th Century Morecambe
In the early 20th century, Morecambe continued to grow rapidly. In 1901, Morecambe had a population of almost 12,000. By 1951, it had risen to 37,000. However, in the late 20th century, it fell slightly.
Heysham Port was founded in 1904. People could catch ferries from there to Ireland and the Isle of Man. Heysham Port Railway Station also opened in 1904. As a result, the village of Heysham boomed. However, the new port took trade away from Morecambe. From 1905 to 1933, the Stone Jetty was used for breaking up ships.
In the early 20th century, the town thrived. Queen Victoria Hospital was founded in 1902. The Battery Hotel was built in 1900, and the Clock Tower was built in 1905. Frontierland Amusement Park opened in 1906, but it closed in 2000.
Torrisholme Cemetery opened in 1907. Also in 1907, Morecambe Promenade Railway Station was built.
Morecambe Academy was founded as Morecambe Grammar School in 1919. Also in 1919, the Morecambe illuminations began, but they stopped in 1996.
Morecambe FC was founded in 1920. Morecambe and Heysham War Memorial was built in 1921. Happy Mount Park opened in 1926. Also, in 1926, War Memorial Hall was built. Morecambe Town Hall was built in 1932. The Midland Hotel opened in 1933. It was refurbished in 2007.
The Odeon Cinema was built in 1936. It closed in 1976. The same year, 1936, the Super Swimming Stadium was built. It closed in 1975 and was demolished in 1976. The first fire station in Morecambe opened in 1937.
Heysham joined Morecambe in 1928 to become the Borough of Morecambe and Heysham. In 1974, they joined Lancaster to become part of the Lancaster city council.
Meanwhile, actress Thora Hird (1911-2003) was born in Morecambe. Comedian Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 1926-1984) was born in the town in 1926. Eric attended Euston Road School, which is now Morecambe Bay Community Primary School. Actress Emma Atkins was born in Morecambe in 1975. A person born in Morecambe is called a Sandgrown’un.
The film, The Entertainer, was filmed in Morecambe in 1960. From 1956 to 1989, the Miss Great Britain competition was held in Morecambe.
However, in the late 20th century, Morecambe, along with other British seaside towns, suffered because foreign holidays became popular. People began travelling abroad rather than going to British resorts.
On the other hand, Lancaster and Morecambe College moved to its present site in 1963. Morecambe Lifeboat Station opened in 1966. Morecambe Library was built in 1967. The Arndale Centre opened in 1972. The Stone Jetty was rebuilt and extended in 1995. Festival Market opened in 1996. Apollo Cinema opened in 1996. It became Reel Cinema in 2013.
Morecambe Promenade Station closed in 1994. It became known as The Platform in 1997. The present Morecambe Railway Station opened in 1994.
A statue of Eric Morecambe was unveiled in 1999.
21st Century Morecambe
In the 21st century, Morecambe continued to develop. In 2002, Queen Victoria Hospital was demolished and replaced by a health centre. Also in 1902, the first RNLI rescue hovercraft began operating in Morecambe. A new fire station opened in Morecambe in 2003, and Mazuma Stadium opened in 2010.
The Venus and Cupid Sculpture was made in 2005, and in 2014, the first murals were painted on walls in Morecambe. Many more have since been added. A Time and Tide Bell was added to the Stone Jetty in 2019.
The Heysham to M6 Link Road opened in 2016, making it easier to drive to and from the town. The Eden Project Morecambe is planning to open in 2026. Today, the population of Morecambe is 34,000.
