25 years ago — 1997
Penrith
A lack of custom is being blamed for the demise of the Penrith Sunday market at Skirsgill, less than a year after it opened.
The market, which began last March following the success of the event held on Saturdays, has been wound up by organisers Spook Erection, who said the custom they had anticipated on Sundays simply never materialised.
The Sunday event had a troubled journey past planners at Eden Council, with councillors debating the matter twice before giving permission.
Two Penrith hairdressers are a cut above the rest, after college honours placed them among the best in the Borders.
Lynsey Bulga and Louise Bamber, who both work at Visions Hair Studio, in St. Andrew’s Churchyard, won competitions staged at Carlisle College.
Lynsey has been named Hairdresser of the Year and Louise was nominated as Job Link top student.
Kirkby Stephen
The two-week inquiry into the proposed Kirkby Stephen bypass ended with both sides confidently claiming they had the stronger cases. Cumbria County Council’s barrister, John Holroyd, said a bypass would free the historic market town from the problems of inappropriate through traffic.
However, the Friends of the Lake District’s barrister, Philip Norman, said the environmental disadvantages of the road outweighed any advantages and the barrister for local pressure group SOLAR, Jonathan Powell, said the county council had engineered support for the road and played on it.
Appleby
Appleby town councillors and their wives, past councillors and friends met at the Tufton Arms for dinner and fellowship to mark the retirement of Charles Hirst after 10 years as town clerk.
The evening was arranged by the town mayor, Hughie Potts, and his mayoress and wife, Anne. Deputy mayor Bill Milsom gave the Loyal Toast and the “father of the council”, Gordon Walton, was the first to pay tribute to Mr. Hirst.
Brough
Brough man Jack Bamford, known throughout the area as a keen gardener, has died at the age of 90.
Mr. Bamford was born in Brough in 1908. His parents were the local cobblers and his grandfather was the local policeman.
50 years ago — 1972
Penrith
A case of smallpox involving a 12-year-old boy has this week led to a large-scale operation, involving vaccinations, and daily medical checks in some instances, on the Penrith school campus where 1,400 pupils attend the neighbouring Ullswater and Tynefield Schools.
The situation, without precedent so far as Penrith is concerned, is being watched with extreme care not only by the medical authorities of Cumberland and Westmorland — the schools draw pupils from both counties — but at national and, indeed, international level.
For it was 13 days after his return from a brief family holiday in Tunisia that the boy was taken to a special isolation hospital near Durham as a suspected smallpox case.
A young man who was born in Penrith and spent his early childhood in the town, is competing in the Winter Olympic Games, which began in Sapporo, Tokyo this week.
He is 21-year-old Andrew Barron, a University of Alberta student, who is skating for Canada.
Andrew is a grandson of former Penrith dentist the late Mr. Sydney Barron. His father is Dr. W. J. A. Barron, also a former Penrith dental surgeon.
Portinscale
A march through Portinscale village by members of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, as part of their dispute with the Cleator Moor thermometer manufacturing firm of S. Brannan and Sons, turned out to be a smaller affair than villagers had expected after earlier reports that there would be a minimum of 200 people present and support would be forthcoming from other parts of the country.
In fact, there were about a hundred demonstrators, many of them the 70 or so people directly affected by the seven-month-long dispute.
Their demonstration, outside the homes of Mr. Kenneth Brannen, a director of the firm, and his brother, Mr. Anthony Brannen, lasted about an hour.
Alston
At a meeting of the Alston Moor Swimming Pool Committee details were given of activities by the various sub-committees working towards the creation of a swimming pool for Alston Moor.
The Finance Committee announced a revenue of £761 after just over a year of fund-raising.
The Technical Committee reported that the Swimming Pool Committee now has options on two sites, one on Tyne Willows and the other at Fair Hill.
Renwick
Mr. Alexander Stewart, Fell View, Renwick, formerly for 33 years headmaster at Renwick School, died in hospital, aged 78.
He was appointed headmaster of the school in 1925 and held the appointment until his retirement on 30th June, 1957.
100 years ago — 1922
Kirkoswald
Lingering snow at Kirkoswald has given youngsters nearly a fortnight’s sledging on the Bell House Hill, from time immemorial the favourite rendezvous for Easter eggs and oranges.
The run of 150 yards starts near the belfry with a short, steep send-off that gives the impetus for the following gentler, longer slope, and the gradient ends in a rise that ensures safe, automatic stoppage.
150 years ago — 1872
Appleby
The newly-erected St. Lawrence’s Girls’ and Infants’ National Schools have been opened by the Archdeacon of Carlisle, the Vicar of Appleby, who was accompanied by the Rev. R. J. Gorman, Vicar of Milburn; the Rev.
Maudsley, curate of Appleby; and the Rev. O. I. Lewis, curate of Long Marton.
