Tale of the century

Strange because the very personality and identity of the two areas have entirely changed at least twice since the turn of the century.

Back in 1900 Morecambe was already a noted tourist resort - but nothing like as big or as brash as it became in the boom years of the 1940s and 1950s. The beautiful old bay's town (only named Morecambe 20 or 30 years before) was smaller, made up of distinct areas and retained a feel of a fishermen's village. It was a posher place then - the fashionable retirement resort to go to for the aged rich of Yorkshire.

Lancaster, by contrast, was a plain market town. It's castle and immense history largely ignored by the rest of the country and even its own residents.

The only really dramatic expansion going on in 1900 was at Heysham which was something akin to the wild west. More than 2,000 labourers had descended on the village from the North East and Ireland to build the harbour in 1900. They were housed with their families in shanty towns named after famous towns of the great gold rush. There was 'Klondyke' at Back Lane and Dawson City on what is now Moneyclose Lane.

No doubt the opening of the harbour in 1904 had a part to play in the expansion of Morecambe as it geared up for its first great change of the century - from genteel resort to massive working class holiday destination. The population exploded as money began to flood in with the tourists. The town's population rose by 10 per cent in 1931 from the previous decade and by another 28.5 per cent in 1951. Most of the resort's landmarks were built - including the old Super Swimming Stadium (where Bubbles is now) and The Midland hotel and hundreds of houses. There was no doubting the reason why there was such a boom - only Blackpool beat the resort as tourist destination. From 1925 the number of visitors each August week was never fewer than 65,000 - often it exceeded 100,000. In the worst depression year of 1931, 1,220,638 postcards were sent from Morecambe post office.

Lancaster was also transforming itself - albeit in a much quieter way. The town's biggest employer, Lord Ashton, spent a little of his immense fortune on the town. He built the Williamson Park memorial, much of Dalton Square, parts of the RLI and many other buildings. That didn't endear him too much to those who had to work for poor pay in his linoleum factory though. Eventually Ashton abandoned his good works in a fit of petulance after some of his workers had the temerity to vote Labour in a council election.

The town's importance and history were acknowledged in 1937 when it became a city. But the real story of Lancaster at the time was the fact that it became a genuine industrial centre. Ashton's factory grew as did Storeys and new factories were persuaded to open (despite the depression). Woodeaves textiles, Standfast dyers and Lansil silk manufacturers all opened between the wars. With them were built most of the city's houses. Parts, if not all, of the Ryelands, Greaves, Newton, Marsh and Beaumont areas were constructed in this period.

Lancaster, like Morecambe had grown and was considerably more important by 1950. But both places were to change radically yet again.

Lancaster, the new city, slowly began to decline as an industrial centre from the late 1960s. But it was given a new lease of life when the brand new university was established in the same decade. Lancaster had to beat off stiff competition from Blackpool to win the university. In many ways Blackpool was the logical choice. It was bigger, had any number of out-of-season digs for students and was closer to the major cities.

But, thankfully, Lancaster, a still undiscovered beauty of a city, appealed to the snobberies of the academics and Bailrigg was chosen. We have the large numbers of students to thank for the large numbers of cafes, bars, pubs and superb nightlife in the city. They also bring in a pretty penny each year.

The university was indicative of a greater change for Lancaster. The plain working town was transforming itself into today's noted historical beauty spot that attracts tourists from across the globe.

Morecambe's second great change of the century was an altogether sadder story. The boom years gradually came to an end during the 1960s. The resort then reached its nadir in the 1970s and 1980s.

For example there were 1,300 boarding houses in Morecambe in 1956; by 1990 there were just 123; in the mid 1970s it was placed 25th most popular resort out of 26 in a nationwide opinion poll (Clacton came bottom). Several major enterprises designed to save the Morecambe have failed including Winged World - a caged bird sanctuary and the Blobby theme park debacle.

Dole queues lengthened and in the early 1980s the resort was dubbed 'Costa Del Dole' in a national newspaper.

But, excruciatingly painfully and slowly, Morecambe began to adapt itself for the day tripper and for people who wished to use the resort as a launch pad for the Lakes.

This year the place earned more publicity then you could ever buy when the Queen unveiled the statue to Morecambe's most famous son Eric Morecambe.

And Morecambe will never lose what will always be its best attraction: the breathtaking view across that most wonderful of natural attractions - the bay itself which remains through all the ages.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.