A kind and well-known family man who ran a longstanding Penrith business has died at the age of 95.
William Irving who passed away peacefully at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, became a prominent member of the Eden community, known for owning the Camera Shop in Penrith.
However, photography was not his original calling as he was born into an agricultural family at Kirklinton where his grandfather and father farmed.
He had an idyllic childhood, playing on the farm and fishing in the River Lyne. Before attending Gregg School in Carlisle he was educated locally.
Upon leaving school, his first job was in the office of a Carlisle building firm, but this did not last long, and a day after his 18th birthday, in 1945, he joined the Royal Artillery and was posted to Egypt.
Rising to the rank of battery quartermaster sergeant, it is thought William was the youngest non-commissioned officer in the British Army at that time. He spoke fondly about his time in the Army, even climbing the Great Pyramid of Giza at Cairo.
In 1948, he returned to this family farm, specialising in poultry and pigs, which he became responsible for. Through his farming roots he became involved in organising local agricultural shows and here he exhibited his prize-winning photography.
As a Young Farmer, William attended the Farmers’ Christmas ball in 1954 where he met his wife to be, Maureen. During their courtship they attended village hall dances, cinemas and spent many hours fishing in the warmer months.
William then branched out on his own, building a large piggery unit on land at Brunt Hill, to where Maureen would often cycle, to help William with his fledgling business.
In 1955 the pair became engaged and a year later married at St Martin’s Church, Brampton. While building a bungalow for themselves, William and Maureen lived in an old farmhouse with crumbling clay dabbin walls, no running water, no electricity and just a pound of candles a week for light and a cold outdoor tap.
Alongside producing top quality bacon pigs for Cavaghan and Gray, William became the parish clerk for Kirklinton and also raised funds for various charities.
During this time he was also able to spend more time learning about photography and printing techniques.
In the winter of 1963 disaster struck and William’s pigs contracted swine flu. He was forced to dig a 6ft trench by hand in the only ground that wasn’t frozen – the greenhouse. Without compensation in those days, he endured some very hard times, but his determination shone through and, with the help of a supportive bank manager, he rebuilt and expanded his business.
In 1960 and 1962, William’s children Elizabeth and Richard were born – helping him develop his photography business as he started taking wedding pictures and portraits of babies and children.
At the age of 40, William’s life took a dramatic change of direction when he gave up farming and purchased Topaz of Penrith, in Little Dockray – a photographic business.
Eventually becoming known as The Camera Shop, William worked hard to build the business and every Friday after supper he could be found in his darkroom processing passport photos.
He became the main dealer for all the major camera manufacturers, with his sales figures rewarded with all-expenses paid trips to the USA and USSR.
The family eventually moved to Greencroft, in Great Strickland, after Maureen was appointed head of art at Tynefield School. William would sleep on a camp bed in the newly bought property during the week as they transformed the jungle of a garden.
With the business now becoming established, he began to travel more widely, including Scotland, France, Switzerland and Austria. Never one to sit still, he then developed an interest in antique clocks and watches, becoming an expert in antiquarian horology. This also developed into a business and he later opened the Clock Shop.
At this time Richard was asked to join the business and William patiently and kindly showed him the ropes – one exception being when Richard bought the wrong clock at an auction he had been sent to — William had never been so furious.
His kindness did not end with his son. During this period William raised large sums for a local blind charity, even receiving a trophy in recognition. Customers would often ask how much they owed, only to be told to put some money in the charity pot. William also became a great friend to many, helping those in need however he could.
When The Camera Shop relocated to one of William’s properties, an army of friends moved everything over in a weekend and not a day’s trade was lost. At this time he bought a Kodak mini lab for processing films and printing. He built up a wonderful team and would pop down to King Street at the end of each day to check in.
Beyond work he loved reading, collecting art and gardening – which he took up after retiring, becoming an accomplished gardener’s assistant.
A loving family man, William enjoyed being involved in the lives of his children and was a proud and interested grandfather, even meeting his first great-grandchild, Rosa, in November.
He was a true gentleman who will be missed by many. He is survived by his wife Maureen, children Elizabeth and Richard, as well as six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
