25 years ago – 1997
PENRITH
Territorial Army member Howard Mills has qualified to be a physical training instructor — and won the award for best student in the process, beating off competition from 96 others, including SAS and Parachute Regiment members. The 29-year-old, who lives at Milner Mount, Penrith, has been with the TA for eight years, based at Grantham, Lincolnshire.
More than £380,000 is to be spent modernising the dairy unit at Sewborwens, the farm run by Newton Rigg College, Penrith. New silage barns and cow cubicle buildings are to be constructed at Sewborwens with the intention of expanding the dairy herd from 160 to 200 animals. Work on the unit should be finished by the autumn.
The Friends of the Lake District have vowed to continue their support of the local community in its opposition to the proposed visitor centre at Slapestones, near Penrith, which they describe as a “blatant and exploitative venture at the expense of those who seek enjoyment of the Ullswater area”. The Friends have consistently opposed the development, which they say is expected to generate an additional 250,000 visitors and their associated vehicles, many of which will then proceed to enter the narrow roads of the Lake District national park, particularly towards nearby Ullswater.
Joseph Fearon, who died at his home in Scotland, aged 71, was a well known figure in Penrith, where he lived for some 40 years. His wife, Sadie, ran The Toffee Shop on the town’s Brunswick Road and Mr. Fearon worked as an engineer at British Gypsum for many years. He was a long-standing member of Penrith Golf Club and a social member of Penrith Cricket Club.
RAVENSTONEDALE
Eden skier Angus Shedden has just returned from a highly successful season of Alpine ski racing in all four disciplines on the FIS international circuit in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. The 20-year-old, from Ravenstonedale, finished sixth overall in the British senior championships, held in Tignes, and won the prestigious Palmer Tomkinson Trophy as the first British non-team member in the giant slalom.
KIRKBY STEPHEN
Police spoke to a number of witnesses after burglars broke into the Midland Bank, Kirkby Stephen, and got away with what has been described as a “very large” amount of cash. The break-in was discovered when bank staff entered the prominent Market Square premises on Monday morning, but it is thought the raid was carried out on Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday.
50 years ago — 1972
PENRITH
The premises of an old Penrith coaching inn, the King of Prussia — which went out of existence about 100 years ago — are to be demolished as part of a modernisation and extension program being undertaken by the provision firm James and John Graham, Market Square. An old directory records that in 1834 Thomas Carruthers was the landlord of the King of Prussia which was one of many inns in that area. On the ground floor were stables, with rooms above where travellers fed and drank.
The rescue of three-year-old Paul Pattinson was a job for one of the slimmer members of the Penrith fire brigade, For Paul, whose home is in Brunswick Square, Penrith, had locked himself in the lavatory and the only access other than the door was a minute window. “The window was little more than a foot square. We didn’t think he would make it but Fireman Geoffrey Howe, the slimmest man we had with us, managed to wriggle through,” said Sub-Officer Bill Anderson.
Preparations for the acquisition of the 400-year-old Robinson’s School, in Middlegate, Penrith, are being stepped up, members of the town’s Publicity Committee were told on Monday. The school, which was closed down about a year ago, has long been considered ideal for future use as a town museum-cum-information bureau, and Mr. H. Hayworth, the Clerk, told Monday’s meeting that the District Valuer had agreed the price.
Penrith’s last remaining shoemaker, 72-year-old Mr. Hector Moor, is to retire next weekend and will end a family connection with the trade which has lasted over a century. He has worked in the trade for 58 years.
WARCOP
That Warcop-born and village school educated Edward Short should be a strong contender for the Deputy Leadership of the Parliamentary Labour Party is an indication of the esteem in which he is held in Parliamentary circles. In a first ballot, the result of which was announced on Thursday, Mr. Short polled 111 votes, Mr. Michael Foot 110 and Mr. Anthony Crossland 61.
100 years ago — 1922
PENRITH
Mr. John Richardson has been elected chairman of Penrith Urban Council. A councillor for 16 years, he has served for several years as chairman of the Gas and Waterworks Committee. Mr. Isaac G. Sim, chairman of the Housing Committee, was elected council vice-chairman.
APPLEBY
There was a large attendance of farmers and breeders at the annual parade of horses on the Sands, Appleby, followed by a parade of Fell pony stallions to the Broad Close where judging took place for the £60 premium. There were only two horses forward and Mr. Relph, Turnbank, Shap, gained the award with Blencathra. Mr. Tuer’s horse, Tuer’s Spring, Penrith, took the second place.
