An exhibition featuring stories of people who’ve settled in the Cockermouth area from around the world opens at the town’s Kirkgate Centre next week.

'Offcomers: Celebrating stories of the many journeys to Cockermouth' will run from Friday, August 16 to Sunday, September 1.

The exhibition will look at more than 300 years of the town's history and will explore the reasons people have moved to the area - for family, work or because they 'had no choice'.

Charlie Zirins with his family, circa 1967 - used with permission of the Zirins family (Image: Zirins family) Kirkgate’s community projects officer, Helen Johnston, said: "For some, their stay in the area was for a short period of their life, whilst others made the town their long-term home and raised their families here.

"We have selected a few of their stories to give a sample of people’s different experiences.

"These stories are now part of our wider community’s stories, ingrained in our cultural consciousness."

One such story features Isaac Jarra, an immigrant from West Bengal, who lived in Cockermouth at the start of the 20th century.

He worked for families in Cockermouth as a cook and a butler, and in 1909 he married Margaret Harrison, with whom he had five children.

Three of these children survived childhood; Abraham, Miriam and Alicia.

His children attended All Saints School, in the building which is now the Kirkgate Centre.

Another story tells of Karlis (Charlie) Zirins, a Latvian man who fought for the German Wehrmacht against the Russian army.

He fought in modern-day Poland until surrendering to the Allies near Berlin.

He was unable to return home when the war ended as his country had fallen under Russian control.

He stayed at the former Moota Prisoner Of War Camp, which accommodated displaced people from across Europe from around 1947, and he worked at Ann’s Hill farm by day. 

He eventually married Nellie Bewley, raised their children in Cockermouth and settled in a house on Kirkbank.

Poster for the exhibition (Image: Kirkgate Centre) The exhibition will be open every day from 11am to 4pm, with the exception of August 31 when it opens at 1pm.

Alongside the exhibition will be a number of free events, including family storytelling sessions and a spoken word performance by Emma McGordon, a multi-award-winning writer and performer from West Cumbria.

The exhibition is a part of Kirkgate Art and Heritage’s In My Shoes project, made possible with funding from National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

For full details of the exhibition and events around it go to the Kirkgate Centre's website.