Almost £1,000 was raised for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis in memory of well-known Penrith businesswoman Pat Newsham, who died of the disease towards the end of last year aged 82.
She was diagnosed in 2022 and knew it was a life-limiting condition, but she did all she could to manage the condition. However, life became more difficult last year and in September she was admitted to hospital for further investigations. Despite receiving good care at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary, her condition deteriorated rapidly and her death came suddenly.
Pat grew up in Shap, which remained a special place to her. She had friends there who she went to school with and enjoyed many social get-togethers over the years.
She attended Penrith Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, after which her first job was as a shop assistant selling fancy goods, toys and prams. She then trained to be a police officer and, after marrying, she and her husband opened a newsagent’s in Southport. During this time, their son Clive was born.
The family then moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, to where Pat’s in-laws had emigrated. However, sadly, after a short time, she and Clive returned to the UK.
Pat then worked at Carleton Hall police headquarters in Penrith doing admin duties and also did the accounts for her father, Fred Seagrave, who had an electrical contracting business in the town.
She decided she wanted to learn all aspects of the business and went out on site with him. Later she joined the business and subsequently opened her own shop in Penrith, Seagraves Electrical & Decorative Lighting.
In 1986, Pat was elected as president of Penrith Chamber of Trade. Being very competitive, she was proud to have won the Chamber’s annual Christmas window dressing competition more than once.
She sold the business in 2007, but the new owner, Kelvin Dixon, kept the family name going when he continued to trade as Seagraves & Dixon.
Following her retirement, she focused on her other interests, including voluntary and charitable work. She had joined Soroptimist International Penrith & District in 1980 and was a member of Pooley Bridge WI. She trained as a tour guide and worked at Dalemain Mansion, near Ullswater, which she said was a joy.
She gave talks on Dalemain and Lady Anne Clifford to WI groups — any fees or donations always went to charities she supported.
A member of the local Versus Arthritis Support Group for many years, she organised numerous events, such as coffee mornings and bingo evenings, and sold items such as preserves, baking and bric-a-brac at table top sales.
She had an interest in genealogy and researched her family tree extensively.
Pat loved her garden and polytunnel and was a good baker. She grew a wide variety of produce for her own use and made jam, chutney and pies not only for herself but to sell for charity. She won prizes at local shows, including for her marmalade at the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards and Festival.
She also looked forward to her regular bicycle rides with son Clive — those times together were very special to both of them.
A lifelong lover of cats, Pat adored hers, and Zoom meetings during lockdown always found her with one on her knee — sometimes causing havoc with her papers.
As an active member of Pooley Bridge WI she served as president, secretary and treasurer.
Soroptimist International Penrith & District was extremely important to Pat. She was president in 1990-91 and again in 2009-10 and took on many roles throughout her 44 years of membership.
She was a very active member of the club, particularly in the area of “programme action”. She was passionate about the environment, climate change and sustainability.
She also carried out a tremendous amount of work as treasurer of the Eden Forum Against Domestic Abuse on behalf of the club.
Pat was a tour de force. She was never one to give in to her health issues over the years and will be remembered with fondness by all who knew her and as a passionate, determined, tenacious and enthusiastic person.
