Almost every place in the country seems to have at least one
claim to fame: the biggest, the smallest, the earliest, youngest, the
oldest. In the case of Workington, the
town was until recently home to Britain's
oldest barmaid. Minnie Johnston, who
sadly died last month aged 97, spent 80 years of her life pulling pints at the
George IV pub where she lived.
Ironically, she was a teetotaller; maybe it was all those years being
exposed to beer fumes that did it.
Minnie went out in style in a horse-drawn funeral carriage with hundreds
of people attending the funeral. So
let's raise a glass to Minnie, who I am sure is much missed.
Workington has a proud industrial past, but as is so often
the case the present is somewhat different.
Coal from the collieries that once surrounded the town used to be
shipped from the harbour, but this has now ceased. The other major industry which has since gone
is steel manufacture. One of the most
successful exports arising from the latter was the steel rails which were made
in the town and which were sent all over the world. Present-day economic activity includes
chemicals, recycling computers and the continued use of the docks which were
built during the steelmaking days. Workington
stands at the mouth of the River Derwent, and although much of it is industrial
in appearance Portland Square
with its 18th-century houses surrounding a cobbled area with trees is one of
the more picturesque spots. Workington has two theatres: the
Carnegie Theatre, and the Theatre Royal. There used to be an Opera House, but this is now disused.
On the outskirts of town is Curwen Park with the ruined Workington Hall. This was the last refuge of Mary Queen of Scots, who spent some time here during May 1568 after fleeing from Scotland, just before the imprisonment which led up to her execution. Opposite the Hall is a Georgian building housing the Helena Thompson Museum, which tells the story of Workington's past. Nature lovers should head a mile to the north, where the nature reserve Siddick Ponds provides a wetland habitat for wildfowl and other species and a chance for twitchers to watch the wildlife from a lakeside hide. There is another nature reserve south of the town at Harrington, with woodland walks and rare meadows.
On the outskirts of town is Curwen Park with the ruined Workington Hall. This was the last refuge of Mary Queen of Scots, who spent some time here during May 1568 after fleeing from Scotland, just before the imprisonment which led up to her execution. Opposite the Hall is a Georgian building housing the Helena Thompson Museum, which tells the story of Workington's past. Nature lovers should head a mile to the north, where the nature reserve Siddick Ponds provides a wetland habitat for wildfowl and other species and a chance for twitchers to watch the wildlife from a lakeside hide. There is another nature reserve south of the town at Harrington, with woodland walks and rare meadows.
Map of the area.
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| Workington Harbour - geograph.org.uk - 93670. Photo by Pat Pierpoint, via Wikimedia Commons |
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