As the badge suggests Barrow AFC were founded in 1901, and although the kids today may never have heard of this football club, they did, in fact, spend over 50 years in the Football League, from 1921 until 1972. Now they are back and have achieved an even greater feat by making it on to these hallowed pages. Well done “The Bluebirds”. Nicknamed bluebirds due to the colour of their kits, the club’s badge is loosely based on the coat of arms of Barrow-in-Furness. (PIC 1)
The shield is halved and on the top, or chief, as the top of a shield is called, is a submarine. BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines is the shipbuilding arm of BAE Systems, and is based in Barrow-in-Furness. Submarines are often thought of as modern weapons of war, but Barrow has been launching them for the Royal Navy since 1901, the same year as the club were founded. Below the submarine on the right-hand side of the shield is a rather clever play on words. An arrow with a bee sitting on it, making the name Barrow. On the left-hand side of the shield is a red rose, the floral emblem of Lancashire. Below the rose is an old panelled football, and I much prefer these old footballs on badges because they conjure up a sense of history. In the club’s colours of blue and white the badge is finished with the club’s name in a banner. For those of you reaching for the comments icon to tell me I do not know my left from my right, hold up one minute. In days of yore when shields were used as a form of defence, a way to identify the knights in shining armour was to put the family coat of arms on the shield, and in heraldry they are described from the side of the wearer.
The arms the badge is based on were first granted in 1867. In the chief is a steamship, alluding to Barrow’s shipbuilding and maritime-related industry. The bee and arrow as explained is a play on the name Barrow. The stag and the serpent are from the family arms of the Duke of Devonshire and the Duke of Buccleuch, who were the main landowners in the district at the time of Barrow’s early growth. The first Mayor of Barrow, Sir James Ramsden, is represented by the ram’s head on the crest. The Latin motto “SEMPER SURSUM” translates as, Ever Onwards. Barrow play at the Holker Street Ground, and have been doing so since 1910. The ground holds 5,045 fans. The name of Barrow-in-Furness originates from the Norse word, Barrai. Barrai Island can be traced back to 1190, and Barrai is Norse for an island off the mainland. Furness is a little harder to track, but it is also Norse from the word Fuðar. It meant rump, and is now a regional name given to a headland. Across the water from this headland is Morecambe, so that will be the local rivalry come derby day. To find out more about Barrow dive, dive, dive to www.barrowafc.com
