25 years ago – 1997
Penrith
After 47 Good Fridays working on the production of hot cross buns, Penrith man Melville Clementson deserves the rest that next week will bring.
Mr. Clementson retires from bakers Birkett’s on Thursday — a move he planned specially to give him his first Good Friday off work since 1950. Now a bakery foreman, he began work for the bakers on 9th August, 1950.
Soccer giants Blackburn Rovers have netted three budding stars from Penrith’s Castletown Junior Football Club — and are planning not to let them slip through their fingers.
One of the Premiership club’s scouts, Joe Murray, is a regular spectator at Castletown games and he has invited the three young goalkeepers to attend training sessions at Blackburn.
They are Castletown under-12 ‘keeper Adam Collin, a pupil at Ullswater Community College, Penrith; the junior club’s under-10 ‘keeper Robert Fornear, a pupil at Temple Sowerby School; and Stainton School pupil Jonathan Ridley, of Castletown under-nines.
After 17 years as steward of Penrith Rugby Club, former captain Grahame Robertson is leaving to take over the licence of a town pub.
Mr. Robertson, the longest serving captain in the club’s history, with more than 400 appearances, and his wife, Sheila, took over The Grapes, King Street, on Thursday.
Warcop
A man who is thought to be Eden’s longest serving parish council clerk is standing down after 45 years in the job.
Gilbert Hodgson, who lives at Chester Cottages, Warcop, with his wife Madge, said he would be sad to retire from Warcop Parish Council at the end of this month.
Mr. Hodgson, who has worked under six different parish council chairmen, was also clerk to the burial board which was formed in 1884 before the parish council came into being in 1895.
Appleby
Appleby town councillors have refused by one vote a proposal to give funding towards the forthcoming jazz festival in the town.
Festival organiser Neil Ferber asked for council funding and Archie Spence proposed that they give a sum of £350, to go specifically towards publicising the town.
However, Norman Mennie said the festival should be self-financing.
Farmer turned hotel owner Bill Milsom is to be the next mayor of Appleby, following his election at the latest town council meeting.
The council unanimously voted in favour of Mr. Milsom taking over the office, after he was proposed by Mrs. Ella Langan and seconded by John Pope.
Mrs. Langan said he had become a “minor legend” since coming to Appleby in 1988, because of the wonderful work by he, wife Brenda and their three sons in making the Tufton Arms Hotel a “hotel par excellence”.
Skelton
The death on Saturday of Noel T. O’Reilly at the age of 90 brought a distinguished life to a close.
Mr. O’Reilly, who lived at Skelton, was a chartered accountant who founded the well-known firm of N. T. O’Reilly and Partners more than 60 years ago.
He was a former mayor of Carlisle, for many years a leading figure in the road haulage industry, a former chairman of the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald and holder of the OBE.
50 years ago — 1972
Shap
The new High Sheriff of Westmorland, Mr. Thomas Martin Heaton, Towcett House, Shap, maintains a notable family tradition, for his father and grandfather were similarly honoured.
Mr. Heaton, who has lived at Towcett House for the last year, is a member of a South Westmorland family particularly well-known in hunting circles.
Penrith
Mr. William Whitelaw, M.P. for Penrith and the Border since 1955, and Lord President of the Council since the last general election, is the new Minister of State for Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister, Mr. Edward Heath, announced in the House of Commons yesterday.
Mr. Whitelaw will be setting up a Commission in a bid to settle the Northern Ireland problem politically and Mr. Heath hoped that all interested parties would come forward to bring about a peaceful settlement.
Threlkeld
At a meeting at Threlkeld this week of the joint committee of Penrith and Keswick Round Tables, responsible for running the special last train on the Penrith to Keswick railway earlier this month, it was reported that the venture had made a profit of £419.
The committee hired the train from British Rail at a cost of £180 and there were also printing and advertising expenses amounting to about £80.
Tickets for the train realised £418 and £220 resulted from the sale of souvenir posters and brochures, while the raffle for station signs, catering and donation brought in £40.
Alston
The death took place last week of Mr. Tom Nicholson, Low Market Place, Alston, who until recently carried on business as a hairdresser in the town.
Born at Low Market Place, he was the youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Nicholson, whose business then was in the third generation of the family.
One of five brothers, Tom was the only one who carried on the family tradition as a barber.
Kirkby Stephen
At the annual meeting of the local government electors of Kirkby Stephen, Mr. F. W. Parrott presided and the meeting agreed to the Parish Council spending £400 for street lighting purposes.
After much discussion, it was decided to continue all night lighting all the year round except during June and July.
150 years ago – 1872
Temple Sowerby
A new Wesleyan chapel is to be built in Temple Sowerby and the contracts have been let to Mr. Stephen Sewell, Culgaith, masonry; Mr. Thomas Sewell, his brother, slating; Mr. John Hindson, Dufton, woodwork; and Messrs. Scott, Penrith, plastering, etc. The total cost — exclusive of site — will be about £500.
