A new book celebrating the history of the 'barrow boys and girls' of the Yorkshire Coast is being launched today at Bridlington railway station.
The Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership (YCCRP) is holding the launch event for its book, titled ‘Carry Your Case, Sir?’, at 11am this morning, Friday 3rd October.
The book tells the stories of the young people who used to transport holidaymakers' luggage from railway stations to hotels using homemade barrows at seaside resorts along the coast. This follows the unveiling of a much-loved Barrow Boy statue at Bridlington station last year, which sparked considerable public interest.
Community Rail Officer Rachel Osborne explained the motivation behind the book project.
"We're following on from our wonderful Barrow Boy statue that we unveiled on Bridlington Station last year.
The interest in Barrow Boys is such that we've had a book written about them. Our Secretary Denise has actually brought memories together of different people who were barrow boys in the past and the book tells the stories of these amazing youngsters who used to make their pocket money from transporting people's luggage from the station.
So, we're really excited about that. We've not done a book before."
The YCCRP said that many former barrow boys and girls attended the statue unveiling, all with interesting stories and memories to share. The organisation stated it wanted to capture these memories and keep them alive for future generations in the form of a book.
The book's author, Denise Dunnington, has brought together memories from these former barrow boys and girls, weaving their stories with details of local railway history and the growth of the seaside resorts. The YCCRP also credits Faith Young with providing significant research assistance.
In a statement, Ms Dunnington said,
"I hope the book, full of wonderful memories, will keep the story of the Barrow Boys and Girls alive".
The book also contains a chapter detailing the creation of the Barrow Boy statue, from its initial concept to its final installation, with help from its sculptor, Stephen Carvill. The YCCRP has noted that the statue, which was funded by Yorkshire Coast BID, Community Rail Network, and Bridlington Town Council, as well as the YCCRP itself, has become a much-visited attraction at the station.
Today’s launch event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend. It will be held beside the statue, with tea and coffee available. According to the YCCRP, copies of the book will be on sale after a short talk by the partnership's Chair and a former barrow boy. For those unable to attend, the book is also available to pre-order on Amazon.
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