Upon starting at Hart Jackson in early August, I was in awe of the history that filled the building. For me, this is what a law firm should be, steeped in local history and overflowing with books and maps and photos dating back to the early 1900s and beyond. Personally, I believe that local history is one of the most rewarding of topics to explore as you can see the physicality of a landscape or the intricacies of a building making it much easier to comprehend than thoughts of a King and his knights hundreds of years ago. Ultimately, however, Ulverstonian history was something I had yet to consider. Of course, I have spent a lot of time in Ulverston but to an extent, the history rich streets are taken for granted. They just are.
© Stephen Hart Jackson Memoranda
Nevertheless, our New Market Street home sought to remind me that there is more to Ulverston than cobbled streets and the history here should be explored. Starting small, I sought to gather information on our founder, Stephen Hart Jackson Snr, who completed his articles in 1857 and opened the firm in 1858 at the grand old age of 23.
The firm, understandably, started small in Soutergate in a building which became Walker’s Leather Warehouse (I do admit I’m unsure what this building is now). It then moved to premises under the Commercial Inn in Upper Brook Street, conveniently located down the road from his father’s bank (which I do know is now Chippy Bank). And, by 1878, the firm took up residence in the Savings Bank Buildings in Market Street where it remained until around 1928 when the firm moved to its permanent residence in New Market Street.
8-10 New Market Street was purpose built in around 1900 as a Post Office, House and adjoining shops. The main door which we now use to come and go from the office was the entrance to the house, with a separate entrance straight into the post office on the corner of the building. This corner later became a post box. It was this corner that I found most intriguing as now it is simply a bricked-up wall that doesn’t quite match the rest of the building.
Finding photographs of the north end of New Market Street has proved rather difficult and so finding a photograph of the strange wall seemed nearly impossible. But thanks to Susan at Barrow Archives, I was able to find the original plans of both the Post Office and the conversion into an office for Stephen Hart Jackson Jnr. And thanks to Images of England: Ulverston by Peter Lowe and Carol Bennett I found a photograph of the outside of the building in c. 1907.
© Peter Lowe Collection
Perhaps, the most intriguing mystery was not the strange bricked up wall, but the moose hidden in the attic. On my first day, I had the pleasure of a tour around the building and hiding among archive boxes and books there sat an exceptionally large moose head with an uncertain history and confusion as to just how it arrived here. It turns out that this moose is not only exceptionally large but also exceptionally old- shot by Stephen Hart Jackson Jnr in 1912 in New Brunswick, Canada the moose and his mate travelled across the Atlantic settling in Ulverston. Its friend was gifted to Barrow Public Library and Museum in 1913 where it remained hanging above the entry until the late 2000s. Now it forms part of a collection in the Dock Museum and the mystery of the moose has been solved for both us and for the library.
© Barrow Archives
There is so much more to learn and explore and I am excited to start my career in such a prestigious and intriguing company and I am excited to join the team as part of the history of this grand profession.
Alexandra Fox
With special thanks to the Peter Lowe Collection and Barrow Archives.
