WALNEY ISLAND FOLK It's People & It's Characters
WALNEY CARNIVAL QUEENS:
------oOo------ JOHN BLAND (b 1860 - d?) John Bland was the PC in residence at Walney police station (now known as 'The Old Bill'). PC Bland's career saw him rise to be 'Chief Inspector' with Barrow Borough Police Force. John?s claim to fame was that, when he was a PC on Walney, a traveling circus lost a tiger. There was obviously a hue and cry and, on a moonless night, whilst patrolling the Walney Lanes, PC Bland heard a rustle, leapt over the hedge & beat a sheep to death with his truncheon! I wonder what happened to the tiger?
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PEGGY BRAITHWAITE (b1919 - d1996)
'Lady of the Lamp' Born
on Piel Island 'Peggy Swarbrick' she moved to Walney as a teenager when her
father became the lighthouse's assistant keeper and accommodation was provided
in the cottage next-door. In her early days at the lighthouse she became an
assistant keeper, assisting her father until she herself was promoted to
principal in 1975.
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WILLIAM CHARLES TURNER (b1910-d1988) '815154 W/Bombardier' William
(Bill) Charles Turner was born at Horwich, and served in the Royal Artillery
before being recalled for service in 1939.
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ALAN WILKINSON He is known to all his fans as
plain ?Wilkie?. John Alan
Wilkinson, was truly an all rounder. He
excelled for Barrow Schools at Rugby League, Football and Cricket. He was a
Cross Country runner and as a motor cyclist who excelled in Trials and Scrambles
but it was as a Speedway Rider he will be most remembered.
Alan only rode for two clubs Rochdale (1970-71) and for the most famous
Speedway Club in the world, the Ace of all Clubs, Belle Vue Aces (1971-1978) for
whom he rode 363 matches (1403 races) scoring a total of 2528 ? points.
Alan made 13 appearances for
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