A short time later, Eric Kelly (of Kelly's music shop) thought it would be a good idea to get together to listen to recorded music - and so in 1939 the Society was born and the members began to meet above the music shop.

In the early days (mainly due to the war) the Society had a nomadic existence.   In 1940 they met in a room at the Barrow Arms, in Cavendish Street (Pat Smith's parents were the licensees).  Then they met at the Queens Arms in Rawlinson Street where publican Johnny Walker was a regular member.  When he moved pubs, so did the Society.  In 1942 they went to the Devonshire Arms in Barrow Island where they had to meet on Sunday afternoons due to wartime blackouts.  In 1944 the Society began a more settled existence in the John Whinnerah Institute where it stayed for 25 years.

Holder Street School was another home, followed by Thorncliffe School and the British Red Cross Centre before the Society settled in its present venue, Barrow Public Library in Ramsden Square.

This history of the Society was related to members by Jim and Wyn James who were involved with the Society in its very early days and have continued to be leading lights ever since.  The James' gave a presentation at a special meeting in December 1999 when the Barrow Classical Music Society (formerly Barrow Gramophone Society) celebrated its diamond jubilee anniversary.