25 years ago – 1998
Penrith
All but one of a new terrace of five houses in Beatham Court, Scotland Road, Penrith, are to be demolished because diesel fuel spilled on to the site from a neighbouring garage during construction work. The spillage which caused the problem occurred in February last year, at which time developer Peter Tolmie, Penrith, had already completed much of the work on the terrace.
A Penrith youngster with the gift of the gab has been making a name for herself after securing a regular Friday night slot on the local radio airwaves. Chloe Jackson, four-year-old daughter of Stuart and Jacqueline, Canny Croft, again entertained listeners last night with her topical views and a joke as the guest of Charlie Thompson on his CFM evening show.
Penrith Golf Club members have overwhelmingly rejected plans for an £800,000 development of the clubhouse, to be financed partly by an annual levy of up to £108 for up to 20 years, paid for by all full and lady members. A postal ballot saw 685 members polled and 510 papers had been returned by Friday’s closing date, of which 413 were against the plans and 97 in favour.
Patterdale
After a lifetime’s involvement with the youth hostelling movement in the Lake District Margaret Boothroyd has finally decided to take a back seat. Mrs. Boothroyd’s love of the countryside and the Lake District in particular led her to a 40-year career with the Youth Hostel Association. Now she has finally decided to relinquish the reins at Patterdale Youth Hostel, which she ran for 27 years, and around 200 friends and colleagues gathered at the hostel to give her a send-off to remember.
Alston
An Alston teacher has been selected to represent his country in kayaking championships. Tom Hughes, a teacher of history at Samuel King’s School, has been picked for the Welsh rodeo kayaking squad. He will represent Wales for the first time at the Cork Rodeo, in Ireland, at the end of the month.
Greystoke
There were welcome signs this week that Gordon Richards’s Greystoke team are returning to form. Stable star One Man, reunited with Tony Dobbin, got back to winning ways at Ascot on Wednesday in the three-runner £40,000 Comet and Sony Chase. And on Monday the stable’s Cheltenham-bound Edelweis du Moulin won the opener at Newcastle.
Kirkby Stephen
With two shops named Robinsons already in the town of Kirkby Stephen, Mike and Denise Robinson, new owners of the former Mounseys newsagency, have decided to name their shop Robbos. Mr. Robinson was, 30 years ago, a paper boy at the shop he now owns.
50 years ago – 1973
Westmorland
The population of Westmorland in 1971 was 72,838, the highest figure ever recorded, but the 8.4 per cent increase since 1961 was due to migration into the south of the county and the population in North Westmorland again showed a drop. The figures from the Westmorland county report from the 1971 Census also show that 53 per cent. of all houses in the county are privately owned while 21 per cent. of families live in council houses.
Penrith
Trapped upstairs by fire, a Penrith mother dropped her four-year-old son twenty feet to safety from a bedroom window into the arms of a neighbour on Monday morning. Little Wilfred Ripley was caught by Mrs. Frances Bond, who had run across to the house in Tyne Close Terrace after seeing black smoke billowing from windows on the ground floor.
The man who preserved the atmosphere of the Penrith Gas Works by making tape recordings, Mr. Harry Robinson, The Crones, Scotland Road, died on Sunday, aged 52. Just before the demolition of the works in 1970 he made recordings of the crackle of white hot coke, the hiss of steam, the throb of engines and even the shouts of the workmen.
Milburn
There have been Robinsons at Crossfell House, Milburn, for at least 280 years — and probably much longer — which makes the recent move from the fellside village by Mr. and Mrs. John Robinson the end of a remarkable record of residence. Mr. Robinson, who is now living at Dunfell House, Cliburn, with his wife Marion, cannot say when the family link with Milburn began, but there are records going back to the 1600s.
Keswick
Former Laithwaite (Keswick) schoolboy Stephen Litt recently made his first appearance for Luton Town, the Second Division Football League club. Stephen, 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Litt, Latrigg Close, Keswick, has now had associations with three League clubs — Carlisle United, Blackpool and Luton.
100 years ago – 1923
Haweswater
Manchester Waterworks Committee is to purchase land for gathering grounds at Haweswater from the Trustees of the Lowther Estate, at a cost of £175,000.
150 years ago – 1873
Appleby
The ceremony of fixing the last brick in the Helm Tunnel on the Carlisle and Settle Railway was performed by Mr. W. S. Fulton, Cumberland Union Bank, Appleby. He was watched by a large crowd. The tunnel, which is 600 yards long, was brilliantly lighted. It has taken two years to build and was completed without any loss of life or any serious accident.
