25 years ago – 1997
MELMERBY
Plans by the Village Bakery to build a new production plant at Melmerby could lead to the creation of up to 40 jobs. Planning permission is being sought from Eden Council for the construction of a new bread production unit in a field to the north of the village. The 10,000 sq ft premises would also feature stores.
CATTERLEN
After racing to a spectacular victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase, Grand National hero Tony Dobbin has become a media star overnight — but the 24-year-old jockey is taking it all in his stride. Tony, who is stable jockey for Gordon Richards at Greystoke, woke at his Catterlen home on Tuesday morning to be greeted by reporters, photographers and cameramen from national newspapers, television and radio who all wanted to speak to the man of the moment.
APPLEBY
Appleby mayor Hughie Potts had to use his casting vote when councillors were equally divided over who should be the town’s new deputy mayor. Frank Graves and Bette Binney were proposed for office and a signed ballot of town councillors resulted in a tied vote. Mr Potts used his casting vote in favour of Mr Graves. He apologised to Mrs Binney, but said that Mr Graves was “keen as mustard” and had not done the job before.
KINGS MEABURN
The historic royal crowns which used to be part of the village signposts at Kings Meaburn are back for good. Parish councillor Gideon Booth was given the job of replacing the crowns after the village meeting decided they should be brought back. Mr Booth said the old crowns were stolen many years ago and never replaced.
MARTINDALE
Vera Overs, Martindale church organist for nearly 64 years, was a guest at Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE. Mrs Overs, aged 77, of Cumberland Close, Clifton, was listed in the new year’s honours list and awarded an MBE for her services to the community of Martindale. She has been the organist at the dale’s St. Peter’s Church since she was 13 years old and says she intends to keep going for as long as she can.
IVEGILL
Pony Club member Richard Nichol, from Ivegill, won the class for riders aged 14 and 15 at the annual roads and tracks cross country competition at Kinmount, near Annan. Richard, aged 14, won the class on a grey pony called Dappled Magic. Richard belongs to the Cumberland Farmers’ Hunt (South) branch of the Pony Club.
LANGWATHBY
Members and friends of the Kirkoswald Methodist Circuit gathered at Langwathby Chapel to celebrate 50 years of service as a local preacher by Arthur Kidd, of Glassonby, and welcome and commission Mrs Nancy Greeves, of Langwathby, as a fully accredited local preacher.
50 years ago — 1972
PENRITH
It might be faster by rail from Edinburgh to London but a train journey lacks the verve of a coach and four eating up the miles at a spanking pace along the Great North Road, and in June George Bowman, Penrith, will be recapturing the romanticism of a past age when he becomes the first person to drive a stagecoach over that 393 mile route since 1845.
Members of Penrith Urban Council are not being “monsters” in requiring tenants of Sim Court, the block of old people’s flats on the town’s Pategill estate, to hand back their outer-door keys each night as a security measure, claimed the Housing Committee chairman, Mrs M. A. Wilson, at Wednesday’s Council meeting.
An attempt to allow the old folk to keep their keys permanently, instead of having to apply to the warden if they were going to be out late, was made by Mrs J. Wilkinson, but she found only two supporters.
MAULDS MEABURN
A collection of 154 Oriental miniature paintings, which had lain forgotten in a trunk in an attic at Flass, Maulds Meaburn, home of Sir Robert and Lady Dent, was sold for £35,335 at Sotheby’s in London on Tuesday. The collection was discovered during preparations by Sir Robert and Lady Dent to move out of the mansion to a smaller, modern residence on the estate.
PLUMPTON
A Bronze Age grave with accompanying clay food vessel in perfect condition has been found on the eastern side of Brownrigg Fell, Plumpton. The find was made by James Chambers, Long Marton, while working at Glebe Farm quarry with a mechanical digger. Robert Todd, curator of Tullie House, Carlisle, considers the food vessel to be nearly 4,000 years old.
KESWICK
Cumberland County Council are seeking extensive compulsory purchase powers in Keswick to enable them to re-align the A66 road through the town in the area of Bell Close and Bank Street. Between “County Corner” and “Post Office Corner” has at present three right angled bends and the scheme is to by-pass these with a new road.
100 years ago — 1922
PENRITH
Penrith’s general rate for 1922 has been fixed at 4s. 3d. in the £ — reduction of 5d. The gas charges are also down by 6d. per 1,000 cubic ft. to 4s. 3d., but the poor rate is up by 2d. to 6s. 6d. and the water rate by 2d. to 1s. 6d.
150 years ago — 1872
NATEBY
Efforts are being made by the members of Kirkby Stephen Congregational Church to build a new chapel at Nateby, where for some years services have been held but no suitable place has existed. Sir George Musgrave, Eden Hall, has given a plot of land, a building fund has been formed and plans and specifications have been prepared.
