Jim Goggin 1989

My memories of school are still vivid. I first ventured up that impressive drive in 1962 to begin a period which would mould and prepare me for things to come.

The friendships I made at school have been cemented over the years - David Hardy, Peter Goude, John Whelpton and Bob Crosbie. All of them were academically successful and possessed natural talent on the sports field. My natural abilities took me towards the cricket field, football pitch, and running track. Martin Bellarby and Bernard Eales have a lot to answer for! School colours won for football and cricket held as much pride of place as my 'O' Level Certificates. The Old Barrovians' cricket bat, presented by Sam Price himself, was the pinnacle of my sporting achievements during my time at school.

I must say that I did not spend all my time on the sports field when I was at Barrow Grammar School although it would certainly appear so. My thanks to Messrs Otto, Sharpe, Teague, Birrel and Loten, to name but a few, for their patience, fortitude and teaching abilities.  They were able to impart sufficient knowledge and teaching abilities to enable me to leave school with a sound education in preparation for what was to come.

 I joined Martins Bank in 1967 and stayed for 5 years before the attraction of employment with the rapidly expanding Furness Building Society finally lured me away.

Five years' working at the Head office in Barrow gave me the opportunity to take on my first managerial as Branch Manager of the Society’s Ulverston Branch, at the age of 28. During that time, I was most fortunate in that I had a branch area which covered virtually the whole of the Lake District, Kendal and Grange-over-Sands.

 Further promotion followed some years later when I was appointed Head office Manager based in the Society's Head office in Barrow. This appointment gave me the opportunity to work in an area best known to me - Barrow in Furness. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and made many friends in local professional circles. 

I have, of course continued to maintain a keen interest in sport, particularly cricket, having played 25 years' League Cricket for Furness Cricket Club and one season with Vickers Sports Club. I have endeavoured to put back into cricket what I have taken out and enjoyed so much. I qualified as a cricket coach to Advanced Level, coaching cricket throughout the Furness peninsula. 

All of these sporting activities would not have been possible without the total support of my wife Diane, a Grammar School pupil, and two children, Joanne and Stephen. Golf now takes up some of my time. I suppose it was a progression from cricket.