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Plank Lane bridge - Abram child’s shocking death & British airship

 

On the 22nd January 1915, two year old Annie Leecay, daughter of Richard Leecay, a private in the South Lancashire regiment was watching a boat passing through the locks when she got caught between the uprights of the swing bridge as it opened. A man shouted that there was something underneath and the winch was stopped but it was too late, Annie was dead. Her father was stationed in Barrow at the time and would have received the sad news before he was even posted abroad. Perhaps it made him even more determined to return safely home to his family as his name does not appear on any local war memorials.

 

Also in Barrow was the Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd company who began work in 1909 to build Britain's first major airship. Unlike the rigid frame German Zeppelins, Britain favoured the non-rigid dirigible often called a ‘blimp’. Both used Hydrogen gas to make them rise and fall. Zeppelins first raided the east coast in January 1915 and quickly became known as “baby killers” due to the indiscriminate nature of their aerial bombings. Therefore, on Tuesday 4th May 1915 there must have been great concern in Plank Lane when an airship was seen passing over.

 

It may well have been the same one noticed by the residents of Bletchley in Buckinghamshire earlier that day: “A large vessel loomed into view. A flag fluttered from each end of the car, but because the detail could not be distinguished the police were called out. Then, as the airship descended towards Bletchley, it became clear that the flags were Union Jacks, and after remaining over Bletchley station for a few minutes the airship slowly gained height, and, as though following the railway line, made off in a northerly direction.’ The airship continued in the direction of Lowton and we will now follow its path and proceed to Lowton St Mary’s Church.

 

Image of Plank Lane canal bridge taken on the 16 December 1909.

 

Click here for a map for this part of the tour.