| Barrow Island | |
| Tenements on Barrow Island Barrow Island shown within Barrow-in-Furness |
|
| Population | 2,606 |
|---|---|
| District | Barrow-in-Furness |
| Shire county | Cumbria |
| Region | North West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BARROW-IN-FURNESS |
| Postcode district | LA |
| Dialling code | 01229 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Barrow and Furness |
| List of places: UK • England • Cumbria | |
Barrow Island is a built up island forming part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. It is counted as one of the Islands of Furness although it has not been a real island since the 1980s when part of the Devonshire Dock was filled in to provide land for the building of Devonshire Dock Hall. The population of the Barrow Island political ward was 2,606 in the 2001 Census, which makes it the 9th most populated island in England.
The name of the town of Barrow-in-Furness is believed to derive from the Norse word Barrae, meaning Bare Island, which actually referred to Barrow Island. Since the 1860s the island has been connected to the mainland as its channel was modified to form two docks, the Buccleuch Dock and the Devonshire Dock. The remainder of its channel has also now been developed as part of the dock system. The Island is also known as 'Old Barrow'.
The World War Two defences constructed around Barrow Island have been documented by William Foot. They included a number of pillboxes to defend the docks. The principal threat was seizure of the docks by airborne troops;[1] a seaborne landing was thought to be highly unlikely unless Ireland was occupied first.
The island is home to Barrow Shipyard, owned now by BAE Systems. Former owners include The Barrow Iron Ship-Building Company, Vickers Shipbuilding, VSEL and Marconi Marine (VSEL), which became part of BAE in 1999. The shipyard remains one of the largest in the United Kingdom, rivalled only by that of Govan. The island also forms a major part of the Port of Barrow, owned by Associated British Ports. A large portion of The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness is planned to be constructed on Barrow Island.
| Vital statistics [2] | Barrow Island | Barrow-in-Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious individuals | 78.41% | 81.61% | 77.71% |
| Non-religious individuals | 13.04% | 10.79% | 14.59% |
| Religion withheld | 8.55% | 7.59% | 7.69% |
| Individuals in fairly good to good health |
84.27% | 86.75% | 90.97% |
| Individuals in bad health | 15.73% | 13.25% | 9.03% |
| People aged 16-74 who are economically active |
61.19% | 60.84% | 66.87% |
| People aged 16-74 who aren't economically active |
38.81% | 39.16% | 33.13% |
| People aged 16-74 with no qualifications |
37.11% | 32.82% | 28.85% |
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