Family, work and sport were the cornerstones of the life of well-known Penrith man Bill Ellwood, who has died at the age of 90.
Born in Penrith, Bill was the middle child of 13 and spent his childhood years living at West Lane.
He attended the town grammar school before starting work in the office for the railway. He then worked for builder Bob Reay — again in the office — before joining Glasson’s Brewery, in Penrith, which was taken over by Dutton’s; and then Whitbread, for whom he worked for 34 years.
He was area manager, based at the company’s Penrith depot, covering the whole of Cumbria, but predominantly Penrith and Kendal. At that time there were 26 Whitbread pubs in Penrith alone. Most had darts teams, which Bill would help to set up, and he was president of the local league.
A keen sports fan, Bill loved boxing, rugby, cricket football and golf. He played football in his youth, appearing for Penrith FC first team in the Northern League on a few occasions, before a knee injury put paid to his career at the tender age of 21.
He was part of a successful Penrith under-18 team at the time, of whom his friend, Derek Snaith, is the last surviving member.
Bill played a few games of cricket for Lowther, including one in which they bowled Stainton out for 11, but still lost! On retirement, about 30 years ago, he started to play more golf.
He had been a member at the Penrith club for 40 years and, over a period of around 20 years, played three times a week with three former grammar school teachers, Brian McVey, Arthur Catterall and Peter Sutcliffe.
Both Bill and late wife Margaret, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary just a couple of years ago, were keen supporters of Penrith Rugby Club, watching the first team at home and away over many years. They also were regular spectators at Kendal Rugby Club, and Bill was well-known in the town.
They were also big cricket fans and enjoyed watching Penrith as well as Netherfield at Kendal, for whom their youngest son, Richard, played for several years.
Richard was also a regular in the Cumberland team, and Bill and Margaret would travel to watch him wherever he was playing. The couple met at a local dance and, after marrying, lived initially at Strickland Terrace, before spells in Leeds and Blackburn with Whitbread. When they returned to Penrith, they lived at Carleton Road, which is where Bill died peacefully.
The couple had three sons, Stephen, 65, and Michael, 61, who both live in Leicestershire, and Richard, 57, who lives at Tirril. They had six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Of his 12 siblings, Bill is survived by Gordon, of Barrow; Malcolm, of Carlisle; and David, of Penrith.
