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Fairfield House, was built as a residence in 1868. Three Mitchell brothers born there married three Peacock sisters from the Globe Hotel. The building was sold to the Council who used it as a food rationing office during the 1939-1945 war. The company bought it back in 1964 to convert it into offices and a flat. Later it was sold by the auction company to a kitchen fitting supplier and later used by variou antique dealers but has since been converted back to a private residence.
This photo of Station Road Fairfield is pre 1914 because that was when the Grand Theatre was built and would show on the right. The horse and cart is on his way to the railway station with luggage from one of the hotels. pre 1914
Station Road to Station Street, note number 23 Public Hall with its imposing facade. On the left of the picture are Mitchells Auction cattle pens. The ladies at that time protected their apprearance with a parasol so they would not get a tanned skin because such tanning was associated with the outdoor working class. c 1899
Station Road railway station front view with war memorial in foreground
Fairfield House, was built as a residence in 1868. Three Mitchell brothers born there married three Peacock sisters from the Globe Hotel. The building was sold to the Council who used it as a food rationing office during the 1939-1945 war. The company bought it back in 1964 to convert it into offices and a flat. Later it was sold by the auction company to a kitchen fitting supplier and later used by variou antique dealers but has since been converted back to a private residence.
This photo of Station Road Fairfield is pre 1914. The man is on his way to the railway station with luggage from one of the hotels and is having a breather on the way uphill. The shop with the sun blind on the right of the corner was built by WH Smith then they moved to the railway station, then moved to Station Street at Cumberland House which is now Lindsays delicatessen. When WH Smith left the railway station Rymans took over the railway newsagent until the railway closed in 1966, and Mr & Mrs Hughes who had the newspaper shop at the railway, at the closure, moved to Cockermouth Main Street in what is now the Cockermouth Paper Shop.
Fairfield House, Kittyson Lane on the left, was built as a residence in 1868. Three Mitchell brothers born there married three Peacock sisters from the Globe Hotel. The building was sold to the Council who used it as a food rationing office during the 1939-1945 war. The company bought it back in 1964 to convert it into offices and a flat. Later it was sold by the auction company to a kitchen fitting supplier and later used by various antique dealers but has since been converted back to a private residence. Kittyson Lane came up the hill to join The Level ie the level road adjacent to Mayfield School. pre 1844 when the railway was built and Station Road was then built. The building on left was Mitchells Auction and is now Sainsbury store. c 1950
Fairfield House and Mitchells Mart. Mitchells Mart became Sainsbury store.
Fairfield House was built as a residence in 1868. Three Mitchell brothers born there married three Peacock sisters from the Globe Hotel. The building was sold to the Council who used it as a food rationing office during the 1939-1945 war. The company bought it back in 1964 to convert it into offices and a flat. Later it was sold by the auction company to a kitchen fitting supplier and later used by various antique dealers but has since been converted back to a private residence. The buildings on the right were Mitchells Auction and is now Sainsbury store. c 1950
Station Road with Fairfield on left entrance to railway on right with the Waugh memorial fountain on the right that mysteriously disapeared, it had been built with the surplus money from the building of the Waugh Memorial Clock in 1893 that used to be off centre on Main Street at the junction with Station Street. All Saints spire behind but in front is the small spire of the top of the auction mart. You can speculate why the auction mart had a tower that looked like a bell tower. Perhaps, and unknown, the bell ringing in its tower might have a significance similar to the bell in the Market Place which had to be rung before the Market could take place – anyone got any other ideas? The photo is after 1893 when the clock tower was built on Main Street, and the surplus money built the drinking fountain on the right of this photo, and before 1914 when the Grand Theatre was built opposite the bottom lamp on the left. c 1900
Station Road West Cumberland Farmers now Lidl supermarket. The building was demolished c 2018 This photo 1983
Station Road from war memorial looking to All Sainst spire
Station Road New Road is a private road beyond Lidl but is a public footpath that leads to one of Cockermouth’s delightful woodland and river walks:
Between Lidl and Lakes Electrical on Station Road go down the road to the end wall at Rubbybanks Road overlooking the river Cocker. Pause here and look over the Cocker river where a heron often stands fishing below the Tom Rudd waterfall.
Turning right takes you along the river under the old railway bridge, and if you continue you will arrive at one of the entrances to Harris Park.
Turning left takes you along the Rubbybanks Road with the river Cocker on your right, you will pass under the Queen Victoria Jubilee Bridge and continue until you come to South Street where left returns you to centre of town, or turn right over the Quaker bridge (South Street footbridge) – then either continue up the hill to Cocker Lane and Kirkgate, or turn left into the Town Hall car park and arrive at the Market Place.
In this photo the Methodist Church is on the right. In the distance are the spires of Christchurch. c 1950
Turning right takes you along the river under the old railway bridge, and if you continue you will arrive at one of the entrances to Harris Park.
Turning left takes you along the Rubbybanks Road with the river Cocker on your right, you will pass under the Queen Victoria Jubilee Bridge and continue until you come to South Street where left returns you to centre of town, or turn right over the Quaker bridge (South Street footbridge) – then either continue up the hill to Cocker Lane and Kirkgate, or turn left into the Town Hall car park and arrive at the Market Place.
In this photo the Methodist Church is on the right. In the distance are the spires of Christchurch. c 1950
Station Road Ellwood garage moved from Market Place in 1991-1992, where they used to have a swing arm pump and cars parked on the road. (see Market Place 33 JW Bowe 35 Ellwood Shell petrol station lorry with trees fuels 37 Coopers c 1960 p3).
When the railway station closed in 1966 the land around it was no longer in use. An area adjacent to the Cockermouth railway station had cattle pens, but some cattle that had to be stored overnight were allowed to graze on land below the station forecourt. After the railway closed, this land became available to be developed and in 1991-1992 Ellwood saw the opportunity to move their filling station from Market Place to land with an entrance off Station Road. They also were able to expand their business and they built a car repair building and small car showroom.
After a fire in the workshop the establishment was closed and the whole site, including Ellwood’s, West Cumberland Farmers, and Walker Bros builders merchants, were redeveloped into today’s West Cumberland Farmers and Lidl store. This photo is taken from what is now the exit from Sainsbury car park. This photo is before the canopy was built over the filling pumps. c 1995
Station Road Cockermouth Mountain Rescue HQ opened in 2002 after moving from Fairfield car park. This is built on what was part of the Cockermouth railway station, and the adjacent buildings were the Fire HQ which are now called The Sidings. 2002
Station Road Cockermouth fire brigade with horse drawn fire engine. The fire engine was kept in the building now used by Goodfellows garage business. The building behind was part of Mitchells auction buildings and was demolished for Sainsbury store which has been built in a sensitive design that repeats the stone work and the arched window. The photo is taken from where we now park at Sainsbury car park. c 1899
Station Street Rampant Bull corner of Lorton Street and Station Street. Built by Mitchells Auction Co. The Rampant Bull was in Lorton Street to the right. Note the weather vane of the Rampant Bull ! c 1950
Station Road 49 Mitchells Auction Mart
The original buildings were originally built by a farmers cooperative in the early 1900s then amalgamated with Mitchells. These buildings were built in opposition to Mitchells Auction Company by the Cockermouth Auctioneering Estate Company Ltd, formed in 1873, which erected a mart with a sale ring, stalls for 50 cattle and sheep pens. In 1921 Mitchells Auction Company took over this company which had earlier changed its name to Halls Farmers Auction.
c 1960
Station Road 49 Mitchells Auction Mart
The original buildings were originally built by a farmers cooperative in the early 1900s then amalgamated with Mitchells. These buildings were built in opposition to Mitchells Auction Company by the Cockermouth Auctioneering Estate Company Ltd, formed in 1873, which erected a mart with a sale ring, stalls for 50 cattle and sheep pens. In 1921 Mitchells Auction Company took over this company which had earlier changed its name to Halls Farmers Auction.
c 1960