A Question about The Fernilee Worker's Village

In the 1930s when the Fernilee Reservoir was under construction in the Goyt Valley, large numbers of workers were recruited for the project. In order to house them, a temporary village was constructed using pre-fabricated buildings.  The village included a canteen and licensed bar.

The 1932 photograph, from Tony Beswick's collection shows the line of wooden buildings, and waiting alongside, a North Western bus, which no doubt provided transport for the "villagers".

Tony poses the question, "When the job was completed what happened to the temporary structures and where did they end up?"

Chris Simpson has provided the following story: 
"Most of these temporary buildings were sold off on completion of the work; incidentally Jack of Jack's cafe fame had a small wooden shop whilst all the construction was going on that provided essentials to the workers and their families which was situated at the top of The Green (opposite the village Hall). One day a local lad was given a beating by some of the children from the site Jack closed his shop and refused to re open until the culprits were found and made to apologise, apparently it didn't take long. There was another wooden structure which stood on the left hand side on old road above the village hall which was used by the Manchester Jewish community as a holiday home only seen a picture of it from a distance so you never know someone may have a photo?"

Several people responded by mentioning that at least two of these buildings ended up at Cadster.  Tony Beswick explains the fate of these structures:

Chris Wilman is nearly correct regarding the ones in the field at Cadster but they were not built round. The 2 new bungalows were built to the rear and when the people moved out into those new houses the temporary huts were then demolished and carted away.

Further up the hill, just on the WB site was Rookery farm and there were 3 up there. Peter Hodgson lives there now but it was formerly owned by his Dad George and his Mum Nora. After Nora died Peter lived in the prefab with his Dad but got planning permission to demolish it and build a stone bungalow. He built around it up to floor level and as soon as George passed away he built his new home.

There was still another one up Diglee Road in Furness Vale. It was down the side of that marvellous house Heatherby and there was a long track down to it wide enough for a car. The place and the land went up for sale eventually and the owners of Heatherby bought it, demolished the prefab and built a new house on the site. It was sold under sealed bids and I went to have a look at it and it was obvious that someone lived there until just before it was sold but I have no idea who that person was even though I lived very close to the property..

Before I go; remember that there was a café where Roland Melland's house is now. Roland lived in one of the stone cottages and the filling station sold Jet petrol. Remember that all you older motorists? And behind the filling station was a huge café called The Jet Café which stood on the site of Roy Melland's bungalow and a very interesting place it was as well.

Tony Beswick.

The following photograph shows one of the last pit ponies to work at Furness Clough Colliery. Behind can be seen the ex Fernilee hut in the Diglee Road location mentioned by Tony.