25 years ago – 1996
Catterlen
Still living life to the full is Catterlen man Jobby Ostle who celebrated his 90th birthday in the same pub in which he has been drinking since 1924.
The landlord of the Stoneybeck Inn, Penrith, David Harrington, said that Mr. Ostle still calls regularly at the pub, with his friend Jerry Harrison, of Penrith.
Mr. Ostle, who believes in keeping active, did not retire from Stuart Canvas Products, of Gilwilly, Penrith, until nine years ago.
Appleby
A wind farm could be built on a moor near Appleby if a Yorkshire-based company’s plans get the go-ahead.
A consultancy called The Energy Workshop, based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has applied for planning permission to erect a 30-metre high mast for two years on Maulds Meaburn Moor, near Crosby Ravensworth.
The company wants to carry out tests on the site, to measure wind speeds.
Penrith
A plan to hold a Sunday market on the outskirts of Penrith was delayed this week by councillors.
Following the success of the Saturday open air market at the Skirsgill auction mart site, site owners Penrith Farmers’and Kidd’s applied to Eden Council to stage a market on Sundays as well.
However, a meeting of the council’s planning committee decided to delay any decision for further negotiation, following a mixed reaction from councillors. One claimed the application was “rather greedy”.
Keswick
Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonnington marked the official start of work on a new headquarters for Keswick mountain rescue team.
Sir Chris, who is patron of the team’s £200,000 headquarters appeal, was due to cut the first sod on the site on the outskirts of the town, beside the Borrowdale road.
The team need a new rescue centre to replace their existing cramped premises at Keswick’s Central car park.
Kirkoswald
A couple who turned a dilapidated 18th Century Eden Valley farmstead into an award-winning hotel have retired and closed the business.
Isa and John Henderson put Prospect Hill Hotel, near Kirkoswald, on the market through specialist agents 18 months ago, but say that encouraging interest in the property was not matched by offers received.
The premises are now being converted into living units and the couple will occupy one of them.
Garrigill
The death of Ben Gill occurred suddenly at his home, The Old School, Garrigill.
Mr. Gill, who was 81 years old, was a highly respected member of the community of Alston Moor for the past 35 years, having identified himself with several local interests, including Alston Male Voice Choir and the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society.
50 years ago – 1971
Eden
Even after learning that most strikers will receive no allowances from Department of Health and Social Security sources, solid support is claimed in the Penrith, Appleby and Kirkby Stephen areas for the National Union of Postal Workers’ action.
Out of 196 Union members in the area only four have continued to work.
The Union wants a 13 per cent. wage increase and the Post Office has offered 8 per cent.
Mr. Gerald Binks, secretary of the Penrith branch of the Union, claimed the take-home pay of a postman in the area is no more than £17 per week and many telephonists take home much less than that.
Penrith
When a Penrith couple, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Messenger, Frenchfield Garden, Carleton, fancy an evening’s televiewing, there is no shortage of choice of program – they have already picked up seven different channels on their set.
Mr. Messenger received a B.B.C. 2 on his “623-line” set without an aerial and now, after having one installed, his picture is near-perfect.
He has picked up other channels including B.B.C. Scotland and three Independent stations.
Keswick
Plans are being made for a mammoth dual carriageway road beneath Skiddaw which would destroy the very setting which gives character to Keswick.
This claim is made by the Friends of the Lake District in their January Newsletter in which the plans for improving the road between Penrith and Cockermouth are criticised as damaging to the Lake District.
Northern Pennines
The Northern Pennines Rural Development Board which has its headquarters at Ormside, near Appleby, is to go out of existence.
This was announced in Parliament by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. James Prior, who said: “I do not see any sense in keeping in operation a Board whose compulsory powers of land acquisition I was not prepared to support.
To spend £67,000 as they did last year on providing about £4,000 worth of actual material help to the area did not seem a good return for money.”
Carlisle
The Government propose to introduce a Bill to wind up the Carlisle and District State Management Scheme.
A Home Office statement said the “experiment” – begun over fifty years ago – was no longer socially or economically justified.
“The management of the liquor trade in any part of Great Britain is not an appropriate activity for the Government,” it added.
100 years ago – 1921
Penrith
Defendant in a case at Penrith court was James Poole, aged 37, said to be better known as “Ruddy Mary’s son”.
Supt. Barron said the man travelled about the area with his mother, selling rud from a wheelbarrow.
The Castle Park War Memorial advanced another step towards completion with the adoption of plans for a new gateway which will cost in the region of £1,000.
The bowling green and tennis courts are beginning to take shape.
