West Marsh
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West Marsh is an area located in the northern part of Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, England, lying close to the town centre. Its northern and eastern boundaries are formed by the Alexandra Dock, at its western edge is the Pyewipe industrial area and it is bordered in the south by the railway line and Cromwell Road.
It includes the National Fishing Heritage Centre, the Alexandra Retail Park, Alexandra Dock Business Centre and West Marsh Industrial Estate. The former passenger ferry Lincoln Castle was previously moored in the Alexandra Dock, however it has now been scrapped. The River Freshney runs through the middle of the West Marsh; situated on its north bank, off Corporation Road, are the Duke of York Gardens, known to residents of the area as the 'Boulevard' or 'Bully'.
Social activities are organised by the West Marsh Community Centre (Armstrong Street), the Macaulay Area Action Group (MAAG) (Haycroft Avenue) and St. Hugh's Community Centre (also Haycroft Street). MAAG has published a booklet written by Tim Mickleburgh about the history of the southern part of the West Marsh, between the River Freshney and Cromwell Road. This complements an earlier publication by Sadie Beal that dealt with the area north of the river. West Marsh Forward is a group, involving residents, which was set up to bring Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to projects in the area. Though NRF funding has now been withdrawn, the Forward continues as a focus for the area. Other organisations include the West Marsh Local History Group and Haycroft Gardening Club.
There was a quarterly community magazine from 2002 to 2008 called 'Riverside' produced and published by The Community Press Office Ltd and distributed free to 5,000 homes in the West Marsh area. A smaller magazine called 'East Meets West' now serves both the East and West Marsh. The Friends of the Freshney was set up in 2004, and holds litter-picks and other events to help improve the park and river. Tim Mickleburgh has compiled a booklet, 'The Bully', which was available in time for the 3rd Annual 2009 Fun Day on Saturday June 13.
Three churches are within the West Marsh area, Haven Methodist and the Christadelphians in Lord Street, and St. Hugh's Anglican in Haycroft Street. Education is provided by the Littlecoates Primary (Harlow Street), Macaulay Infants/Junior and South Parade Infants/Junior schools.Through the support of former councillor Peter Barker, booklet was issued in late 2012 by Tim Mickleburgh entitled "A Short history of Littlecoates School".
History
For centuries the boundary between Grimsby's West Marsh and the parish of Little Coates lay roughly along the line formed by present day Pywipe Road and Boulevard Avenue. The West Marsh was used as common land, however around 1514 this land was subject to an act of enclosure and these common rights were curtailed as the area was divided between local dignitaries.
In 1873 a bridge was built across the Old Dock, linking Corporation Road with Victoria Street. The Corporation Bridge shortened the travelling distance between the West Marsh and the built-up area in the East Marsh, including the new Freeman Street market. Previously travellers had to make a long detour through the town centre. This improved access made it more feasible for the council to lease land in the West Marsh and a programme of house building was started there.
Also in 1873 work began to improve the Old Dock and connect it with the newer Royal Dock. West Marsh land was used for this purpose. In 1879 the Union Dock, the canal linking the two docks, was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The extended Old Dock became the Alexandra Dock. Vessels brought timber from Russia and Scandinavia and timber companies erected extensive storage yards in the West Marsh, next to the Alexandra Dock.
The Grimsby District Hospital was opened on the West Marsh in 1877. This hospital was demolished during the 1980s and replaced by a new hospital in Scartho Road. In 1879 the foundation stone of South Parade School, was laid and the following year the school began admitting pupils. A second school was established in Macaulay Street during 1880 and the Duke of York Gardens were officially opened in 1894. In 1911 schoolboys, demanding better conditions, went on strike and demonstrated on the streets of the West Marsh.
Various religious denominations established churches in the area. These included Saint Paul's in Corporation Road and Saint Hugh's in Haycroft Street (Church of England); Saint Peter's in Watkin Street (Roman Catholic); South Parade and Alexandra Road (Wesleyan Methodists); Flottergate and Lord Street (Primitive Methodists). The Congregationalists also had a presence in the West Marsh and there was a Scandinavian church in Chapman Street.
In 1912 the Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway was established. From a terminus near The Corporation Bridge, the route ran to Immingham via Corporation Road and Gilbey Road. In 1928 Little Coates was absorbed by Grimsby, thereby bringing Gilbey Road, Elsenham Road and nearby streets within the borough boundary. These became part of the West Marsh community. During the late 1940s annual parades were held, with a procession of carts and lorries, one specially decorated for the West Marsh beauty queen. In 1956 The last tram ran from Corporation Bridge, however a bus route continued to serve the area.
In 1999 the West Marsh Community Centre opened on Armstrong Street. Since then it has been the main community building north of the river. Activities held here include football for young people, musical theatre classes in the form of a group called Stage Stompers and computer courses. On the other side of the River, in an area known as West Marsh Macaulay, St.Hugh's Community Centre and the MAAG Hall are the two dominant community centres. The heart of the west Marsh is the River Freshney, and the Duke of York Gardens through which it flows.
References
- A History of Grimsby, by Edward Gillett (ISBN 0859584534)
- The Great Grimsby Story, by Edward Drury
- Across the Bridge, by Sadie Beal
- Macaulay Memories, by Tim Mickleburgh