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 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 is moored in the Alexandra Dock. The River Freshney runs through the West Marsh. Situated alongside the river, off Corporation Road, are the Duke of York Gardens, known locally as the 'Boulevard'.

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 been granted funding to produce a book about the history of that part of the West Marsh between the River Freshney and Cromwell Road.

There is a quarterly community magazine called 'Riverside', which is distributed free to 5,000 homes in the West Marsh area. The Friends of the Freshney was set up in 2004, and holds litter-picks and other events to help improve the park and river. Two churches are within the West Marsh area, the Haven Methodist 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.

[edit] 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. This 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, the first on the West Marsh, was laid and the following year the school began admitting pupils. The Duke of York Gardens were opened in 1893. 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 terminous near 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. The last tram ran from Corporation Bridge in 1956, however a bus route continued to serve the area.