The Beckermet Local History Group has recently published a book which discusses the history of Beckermet from prehistoric times to the present day. Beckermet, A Tale Of Two Parishes, A Quarter And A Tail explains the origins of the village and describes how various aspects of his history can still be seen today. In the foreword, the authors tell us that Beckermet is “divided into several parishes, St John’s, St Bridget’s and the tail end of Haile. Beckermet is also closely allied in Braystones in the parish of Lowside Quarter, hence our title.”
The book illustrates how geology played an important part in the history of Beckermet, as the settlement was built upon the mineral deposits of sandstone and iron ore. Sandstone was used for building houses and many examples of this style still survive today in West Cumbria. Iron ore was a valuable commodity for many years, used in the production of steel and in the jewellery trade. In addition, the mining industry provided work for local men for almost 70 years. It was not the only source of employment, however, as in the 20th century the village also supported farms, a blacksmith’s forge, a cobbler’s shop, a coal merchant, a sawmill, a post office and a Co-operative.
Various local characters feature in the book. Alan Read, one of our foremost historians, and Michael Moon, the Whitehaven bookseller, both give an account of life in Beckermet. The tale of Maggie Wilson, one of the last local farm servants, is a fascinating description of labour history during the 20th century. The tradition of standing for hire at hiring fairs is almost forgotten now in these days of job centres and back-to-work schemes, but Maggie’s story illustrated how hard people had to work just to gain employment.
The book offers a fascinating view of Beckermet as it used to be and as it is now. Along with the text, an impressive collection of photographs show the history of the village in detail. The authors mention that they felt it was important to preserve the documents and photographs which provided them with such striking material. In particular, their attention to detail stands out as they have evidently put a great deal of time and effort into their research. Although your correspondent has never been to Beckermet as a tourist, reading this book made me want to visit it so that I could discover what inspired the Local History Group to produce such a vivid portrait of these parishes.