25 years ago – 1997
Penrith
It is a mark of Alec Bleasdale’s total commitment to the game of Rugby Union that on his 60th birthday last year, he made a solo walk from Penrith to Askham, returning through Lowther Park, to raise money for the Penrith club.
Rugby men, young and old, were devastated by the news of Mr Bleasdale’s death in the early hours of Tuesday, for he was one of the game’s greatest servants.
He was a considerable player — a big, heavy man, prepared to take plenty of knocks — but, if anything, his main contribution was as an organiser and administrator.
Crosby Ravensworth
An Eden agricultural engineer has turned his mechanical skills to the production of a new vehicle designed to meet the demand from farmers for a diesel machine capable of doing the work of a petrol powered quad bike.
Howard Brass, aged 42, of The Mill, Crosby Ravensworth, has spent more than a year designing and building a prototype vehicle, which is largely constructed from widely available reconditioned automotive parts.
He is now set to start full scale production of the machine, which has been tentatively named the Fieldmaster.
Cumbria
The Cumbria Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs have announced that their professional adviser, Peter Hadwin, will take early retirement from Saturday, 1st April.
Mr. Hadwin, aged 61, started work with the Cumberland Federation of YFCs on 1st January, 1973, as county organiser.
In 1974 he became county adviser to the Cumbria federation.
Taking over from Mr. Hadwin will be Mrs. Janice Davinson, Gamblesby, who will have the new title of development executive.
Kirkby Stephen
Kirkby Stephen woman Joyce Hunter has been elected as a new vice-chairman of the Cumbria-Westmorland Federation of Women’s Institutes.
Mrs. Hunter has a long history of membership of the WI, having joined at the age of 14 and being a founder member of the institute at Nateby and Wharton.
While she was at teacher training college in York, her mother paid her WI subscription so that when she returned home to Low Farm, Nateby, in the holidays she could attend the meetings.
Little Salkeld
Production began again this week at the Thompson Board Mill, Little Salkeld, which was closed by administrators late last month with the loss of 40 jobs.
About 28 of the workers made redundant when the premises closed on Christmas Eve are to be re-employed at the mill, which makes solid fibreboard for the footwear industry, high quality board for bookbinding and painted and embossed board for stationer producers.
50 years ago — 1972
Penrith
A proposal to build a new health centre in Penrith to replace the present separate doctors’ surgeries is likely to be dropped by Cumberland County Council because of disagreement over the site.
Doctors in the town wanted the centre at the new hospital in Bridge Lane, but Penrith Urban Council and many of the patients thought this would be too far to walk and wanted the new building in the town centre.
The county council’s Health Committee is now recommending that the scheme should be dropped.
Hockey has been revived in Penrith by the formation of a new club which fielded two teams at the week-end. One was beaten 5-0 by visiting Kirkby Stephen.
Keswick
The 108-year-old Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line, which was cut to its present 18-mile Keswick to Penrith stretch six years ago, will finally close down on Saturday, 4th March, British Rail decreed this week.
With the withdrawal of the Keswick-Penrith service also comes the final closure of five stations — Keswick, Threlkeld, Troutbeck, Penruddock and Blencowe — which were reduced to unmanned halts in 1966.
Catterlen
A successful competitor at gymkhana events and horse trials for several years, Mr. George William Brough, Council Houses, Catterlen, took a last ride on his pony, Fury, before leaving home to join the Household Cavalry.
George, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Brough, is joining the Army on a three year engagement and will train at Purbright, Surrey.
His father bought the pony for him as a yearling at the last Cowper Day sale to be held at Kirkby Stephen and George has since won about 400 prizes and awards with it.
Mungrisdale
Daisy, the cow which asks to be milked, is well known to the people of Mungrisdale and the many summer visitors to the village.
Owned by Mr. Eric Davidson of the Mill Inn, she grazes happily on the village green during the summer but promptly at 5 p.m. every day she comes to the window of the inn, moos to attract attention and then stands placidly in the yard while she is hand milked.
She is a great attraction for the summer visitors and many family albums in many parts of the country must contain pictures of Daisy with children on her back.
100 years ago — 1922
Penrith
Penrith Fire Brigade were beset with difficulties when they were called out to a farm fire on the Lowther Estate at Rosgill on property occupied by Mr. W. R. Ostle.
Snow and ice on the roads meant that the driver, Mr. Clifford Jones, had to keep both hands on the wheel while another man worked the gears.
When they got there, a scarcity of water meant emptying two ponds into a stream and damming the latter. Damage to the property was extensive.
