25 years ago — 1997
Alston
When Val Jewitt’s Morris Minor broke down after serving her for 10 years, she took a firm grip of the reins and returned to the reliable donkey and cart method of transport.
Mrs. Jewitt, of Middlebayles, Alston, has become something of a tourist attraction as she drives her cart into the town centre to do her shopping. She has had donkeys Bronach and Breag for about six years.
The cart is now her only way of transporting shopping and hay for other animals back to her home, which is about a mile out of the town.
Appleby
There was an air of despondency in Appleby this week after the town’s biggest employer, The Cheese Company, announced a further cut in its workforce.
A further 12 members of staff have been made redundant only six months after 46 workers were laid off when the cheese making side of the company transferred to Lockerbie.
At that time the factory manager, John Bolton, told the Herald that he was sure the remaining parts of the plant would be secure as it was the only one in the UK which could produce demineralised whey.
Keswick
A team from Keswick leisure pool were invited to a charity swimming event in London, following their success in the BT Swimathon last year.
The four from Keswick had a chance to share the same water as swimming stars Duncan Goodhew, Mark Foster and Nick Gillingham.
Alan Taylor, the duty manager, made the trip to the Queen Mother Swimming Centre, along with lifeguard supervisor Peter Haley, instructor and lifeguard Lee Collins and lifeguard Andrea Balgue.
Penrith
Elsie Bell officially retired as senior shop sales supervisor with bakers Birkett’s 14 years ago — but she never left!
Now, at the age of 73 and in her 60th year with the Penrith-based business, she has finally decided to call it a day.
Since her “retirement” at the age of 60, Mrs. Bell has helped with the smooth running of 54 Birkett’s outlets as far afield as Peebles in the Scottish Borders to the south of Blackpool.
Warcop
There was a much larger gathering than usual at the annual parish meeting at Warcop, with many attending to pay tribute to Gilbert Hodgson for his long service to the community.
Parish council chairman John Heron said that after 45 years as parish clerk, Mr. Hodgson knew everything about the running of meetings and proper procedure.
He outlined Mr. Hodgson’s activities, including being scoutmaster and a keen member of the cricket team.
Kirkby Stephen
Popular Kirkby Stephen retailer Vince Watson has closed the doors on the shoe shop and cobbler’s business which he set up in 1964.
He said: “I took on shoes as a sort of challenge. I’d seen a pair of shoes that somebody else had mended and thought I could do better than that.”
50 years ago — 1972
Greystoke
After four years of fundraising and planning, villagers of Greystoke should soon be enjoying the facilities of their own £6,000 swimming pool.
Next week, the contractors for the scheme, Beacon Builders, Penrith, are scheduled to start work on the site which is part of the Greystoke Playing Field, and officials of the Swimming Pool Committee hope that by the end of May the project will be completed.
Penrith
Penrith Urban Council’s Easter gift to the town will be its new bus station off Sandgate, due to come fully into operation next week as a happy ending to a story which had a somewhat critical start for the Authority when it took over the premises of the late Mr. Ernest Harkness, the Penrith bus proprietor.
It is hoped on Wednesday to switch all the Ribble and other service buses from Sandgate into the adjoining new bus station area, where there will be stands for sixteen vehicles alongside bus shelters and conveniences.
Penrith Rugby Club’s free-scoring wing-threequarter Ian Davidson has been selected to play for the Cumberland and Westmorland under-21 team against Northumberland at Gosforth.
Ian, who is the 19-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Davidson, Lowther Street, Penrith, recently completed a “century” of points in games for the town’s first fifteen.
CUulgaith
The cricketing fraternity of Culgaith are annoyed at the “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” act in the creation of a bowling green adjoining the cricket field.
With approximately three weeks to go until the start of the cricket season, the powers-that-be agreed to an area of almost 150 square yards of turf being removed from the outfield of the cricket field in order to finish off the laying of the bowling green.
100 years ago — 1922
Penrith
General Robert Nicholl Dawson-Scott, Brent House, Penrith, who during his long Army career once had as subaltern the young officer who was to become Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, has died aged 86.
He began his training at Woolwich at the age of 14 and rose to command the School of Military Engineering at Chatham.
He succeeded to the Brent Estate at Penrith in 1872, on the death of Mr. Thomas Scott, a relative.
Alston
It has been decided to form a cricket club in Alston with a pitch on the Golden Lion Field.
Officers elected were: President, T. J. Storey; vice-presidents, J. R. Walton, H. Bell, N. J. Hall, J. G. McIntosh, Dr. Carson, the Rev. W. H. H. Royce and J. Hodgson; secretary and treasurer, T. Halden; captain, W. Lawson.
150 years ago — 1872
Penrith
The opening of the Boys’ National School was preceded by a church service when the Bishop of Carlisle was the preacher.
The Vicar, the Rev. S. J. Butler, reported that subscriptions had amounted to £710 and £200 had been received from the old school fund and £100 from the sale of old school materials.
