Residents of Motherby and Penruddock lined the streets to pay their final respects, as the funeral procession of Fred Nanson made its way to Matterdale.
Fred, who died, aged 91, was born at Beckses Farm in 1929. He was the second child of Joseph and Frances Nanson.
His father died in 1931, aged 39, when Fred was only two years old. His mother’s brother, Wallace, moved in to help run the farm.
Fred attended Penruddock Primary School and left in 1941 to attend Briggs Commercial School, Penrith.
When he left school, he began work on the family farm, but then took an apprenticeship as a joiner for Walton Wilson, Penruddock, earning 7s 6d a week, which subsequently rose by half a crown each year until he qualified.
After Fred qualified as a joiner, he did two years of National Service in the RAF, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
He was based at RAF Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, and during this time, he became a carpenter on an RAF yacht, which was used to train RAF flight crew how to sail, should they need to during an escape attempt.
They won the Cowes to Dinard yacht race in 1951.
After demob, Fred returned to Walton Wilson’s within two days and remained there until he started his own business as a joiner and builder in the early 1970s, working in and around Eden until his retirement.
In 1956, Fred married June Holliday, from Burnbanks, Haweswater.
After their marriage they lived at Troutbeck until 1960, when they bought Croft House, Motherby, which has remained their family home.
Fred farmed 25 acres of land a week, as well as his normal day-to-day work.
Fred and June had two sons, Alan and Leslie, who both went to Penruddock Primary school and then to Ullswater Boys’ and then Queen Elizabeth Grammar schools.
Alan trained to become a chef. He married Linda Dent from Stainmore and they have two daughters, Eleanor and Elizabeth.
Leslie qualified as a chartered accountant and has a partner, Nicola.
Fred was a country man at heart.
He loved the Lake District and especially the areas around Motherby, Penruddock and Matterdale. His hobbies were many and included country walks, birdwatching, photography, local history. He was also a devoted family man.
Fred loved nothing more than stopping for a good chat and sharing his knowledge of the area and its people, past and present.
He will be missed by many and remembered fondly by all.
Fred is survived by his wife, June, sons, Alan and Leslie, daughters-in-law, Linda and Nicola and granddaughters, Eleanor and Elizabeth.
