25 years ago – 1996
PENRITH
Details of the much debated £10m underground Hills of the North visitor centre near Penrith were finally unveiled this week.
The centre, to be situated at the Slapestones roundabout on the A66 near Stainton, has been almost 10 years in the making and has involved a public inquiry, where developers Westmorland Motorway Services gained planning permission on appeal.
They hope that construction will begin next year and the centre will be open by 1998.
One of the most charismatic figures in Rugby Union at Penrith, Harvey Askins, has died after a long illness, aged 64.
A powerful forward, with a tremendous appetite for the game and for sport in general, he was held in such high regard that when he finally hung up his boots in 1975 after completing 28 seasons with Penrith Rugby Club, a match was held in his honour at Winters Park.
MATTERDALE
Former Ullswater outdoor teacher Robin Barratt has been elected as the new chairman of one of Lakeland’s foremost environmental groups.
Mr. Barratt, aged 64, is the new chairman of the Friends of the Lake District, replacing Graham Jackson after his three years at the helm. A resident of Matterdale, Mr. Barratt hails from Scarborough in North Yorkshire.
STAINTON
An Eden woman has raised £750 for Oxfam by completing a six-day sponsored walk involving as much ascent as the climbing of Mount Everest.
Mother-of-two Gill Hunter, aged 43, of Orchard Cottage, Stainton, covered a distance of 83 miles during the Oxfam Everest Challenge walk and climbed a total of 29,575ft. In the process, she took in many of the Lake District’s major mountains.
LANGWATHBY
Eden motocross racer Paul Bird is half way to winning a major national championship. The 29-year-old, from Langwathby, followed up his success in the first round of Ulster’s annual P&O super moto winter series in County Down with victory in the second round, held near Belfast.
KESWICK
Rawnsley Hall will be made available for use by the whole community of Keswick following the sale of the former Keswick School site this week.
The organisers of the annual Keswick Convention have bought the site for an undisclosed sum from the school trustees and have submitted a planning application to the Lake District Planning Board.
50 YEARS AGO — 1971
PENRITH
Although the final decisions have yet to be made nationally, the Penrith Presbyterian and Congregational Churches have voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of their union.
The major decision will be made by the Assemblies of the respective Churches next May — and in the same month the General Synod of the Church of England will vote on the scheme for Anglican-Methodist unity already approved by the Methodists.
Pennine League cricketers will be in trouble again next season with their wives and girlfriends, who claim that the game is ruining their Saturday nights out.
At the league’s annual meeting in the George Hotel, Penrith, a move to shorten the games from 45 to 40 overs was thrown out despite protests from Temple Sowerby and Culgaith that late finishes were robbing them of players.
GREYSTOKE
Village communities who take on the task of providing swimming pools are to be commended for their courage, determination and far-sightedness, said Major J. C. Knox, Hutton, who, with Mrs. Knox, opened the second Christmas fair in aid of the Greystoke Swimming Pool project, held in the Village Hall.
Mr. J. H. Millican, chairman of the pool committee, said it was a matter of satisfaction to report that a pool had been ordered and the go-ahead given to the local firm who were undertake the construction. The pool would be 60ft. x 24ft., with a learner pool, the cost being in the region of £6,000.
LAZONBY
The film “Kelly’s Heroes,” showing in Carlisle this week, holds special memories for Mr. and Mrs. Keith Harrison, Town Foot, Lazonby, for when in Yugoslavia three years ago, they became friends with one of its stars and visited the set.
In 1969, Mr. Harrison went there on behalf of his firm, Edenhall Concrete Products Ltd., and was joined by his wife, Kathleen.
Staying at the same hotel at Novi Sad was one of the stars of the film, Telly Savalas.
An American, Mr. Savalas struck up a friendship with the couple and invited them to dine with him, also taking them to the film set and introducing them to other members of the cast, including Clint Eastwood.
100 YEARS AGO — 1921
ALSTON
The Alston Post Comrades of the Great War held a variety concert in the Town Hall, preceded by a torchlight procession, and introduced to the town “Big Lizzie” — a giant lady standing 10ft. 3in. tall!
She led the procession with Mr. Tom Haldon and Mr. Hugh Kearton as marshals, while an improvised brass band brought up the rear.
DACRE
Parishioners of Dacre combined very enthusiastically in an effort to pay off a debt of £195 on the Church incurred by the renewal of heating apparatus. They held a sale of work in Stainton Institute which raised £252.
150 YEARS AGO — 1871
APPLEBY
Meetings have been held in the Appleby circuit in connection with the Wesleyan Missionary Society, but one or two meetings have been marred by village barbarism.
On a recent occasion “certain lewd fellows of the baser sort” assaulted the home and interrupted the service, causing the preacher to remark that, although he had often preached the Gospel to tribes in Western Africa, he had never experienced such unseemly interruption at a religious service.
