25 years ago — 1997
Hartley
It has been a week to remember for Hartley couple Thomas and Ethel Harryman who, surrounded by family and friends, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, appropriately in the middle of National Marriage Week.
The couple, both aged 93, were married in 1927 by the Rev. Angel James at the Wesleyan Chapel, Kirkby Stephen, having met four years earlier at a Saturday night dance at the Oddfellows Hall, which later became the Walter Wilson store.
Stainton
Residents of an Eden village, sick of seeing snowstorms when they switch on their television sets, are taking action to put their village in the picture.
While television companies vie for multi-million pound contracts for cable and satellite link-ups, many villagers in Stainton still have to put up with terrible television reception because of a geographical quirk in the village’s location.
Residents have formed their own group to try and raise the £13,000 necessary to erect a booster mast which would solve Stainton’s reception problems.
Kirkby Stephen
With a record of 44 years’ total service, Kirkby Stephen postman Reg Metcalfe this week became the longest-serving “postie” in the Cumbria region.
Kirkby Stephen-born Mr. Metcalfe, from a family of nine children, began work as a telegraph boy with a Post Office issue bicycle. His first job was to light the five fires in the old building.
Penrith
Detailed plans for a possible new Penrith headquarters for the Environment Agency were unveiled this week.
The agency would like to site their new headquarters for Cumbria and the North West in the town.
If passed by planners, the agency’s new building will be on the strip of land known as The Lairage, next to junction 40 of the M6, bounded by the motorway, Haweswater Road and Ullswater Road.
Former Carlisle United star Paul Murray took a major step in his footballing career when he played a full game for England under-21s, who defeated Italy 1-0 at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate ground.
The 20-year-old midfielder, who is from Penrith, joined Queen’s Park Rangers last year in a £300,000 deal after signing professional forms with Carlisle United in 1994 — and has never looked back.
The former Ullswater High School pupil is more than happy with life at the Loftus Road club but has his sights set firmly on the Premier League.
Whinfell
The £100 million Oasis holiday village at Whinfell, near Penrith, could open on a trial basis in late April.
Operations director David Shelley said Oasis were now aiming for a completion date of 22nd April.
50 years ago — 1972
Penrith
Week one of power cuts has produced semi-chaos in many spheres of work and other activity; reduced output by some firms forced to lay off men by Government regulations for the emergency; a return of black-out conditions to the streets; and a big demand for candles and other alternative forms of lighting and heating.
Some branches of industry in the area have been badly hit.
Mr. Harold Edmondson, manager of the Penrith Employment Exchange at Voreda House, said: “I would estimate that 1,200 men and women in the Penrith area have so far been laid off in various degrees. And the position is getting worse every day.”
A farewell tribute was paid by Mr. John Pattinson, Chairman of Penrith magistrates, at Tuesday’s court to Supt. Ronald Emmerson, head of the Penrith police sub-division, who moves to Kendal during the coming week.
Mr. Pattinson thanked Supt. Emmerson for his courtesy to everybody connected with the court, his help to the Bench and for the careful way he had prepared his cases and the fair way in which he conducted them.
Alston
Power cuts in the Alston area hit one chief source of employment, Precision Products, a firm which makes castings for golf club heads.
Mr. Roger Ball, a director of the firm, said that on Wednesdays and Thursdays they were having to temporarily lay off all their eighty men and women and this, coupled with cuts on working days, was cutting output by at least fifty per cent.
100 years ago — 1922
Edenhall
The stately homes of England are passing to more utilitarian uses and Eden Hall is no exception, for it is likely to become a high-class school for young ladies.
Ancient home of the Musgraves, it has scarcely been occupied by the present baronet, Sir Richard G. Musgrave, and has been in the market since Mr. C. H. Shaw’s lease expired.
Negotiations for leasing the property are being conducted by Miss Bradford, the principal and proprietor of a private school for girls at Milton Hall, Brampton.
Kirkby Stephen
Dr. R. N. Gibson, son of Dr. T. H. Gibson, has been selected by the Scottish International Hockey Committee to play for Scotland when they meet Wales.
During the war he was a surgeon-lieutenant in the Royal Navy and he is at present resident physician in the Ministry of Pensions Hospital, Edinburgh.
Keswick
Mr. Fred Mallinson, one of Keswick’s best climbers, died aged 47.
Mr. Mallinson, who worked as a painter for Mr. T. Brown, once climbed Sty Head and the Gable 28 times in one year and was a member of the Rock and Fell Climbing Club.
