25 years ago — 1997
Penrith
Penrith traffic warden Jim Venables, whose record of catching criminals would do justice to a serving police officer, was commended for a second time this week.
Mr. Venables, aged 52, who has served as a traffic warden with Cumbria Constabulary for eight years around the Penrith division, received a certificate of merit from Chief Constable Alan Elliott, four years after being given his first commendation.
His actions have, on several occasions, amounted to a lot more than keeping motorists on the straight and narrow.
The owner of a cabin selling meals on Penrith’s Gilwilly industrial estate has been given permission to carry on trading.
Members of Eden Council’s planning committee finally approved the application by Doug Bain for temporary permission for his Doug’s Diner.
He can carry on selling food from the diner for five more years after gaining the support of councillors.
Stainton
Rural affairs minister Tim Boswell visited Stainton at a new free range egg grading and packing plant.
Mr. Boswell’s host at the £220,000 operation was former RAF pilot David Brass, the man responsible for developing the plant at Meg Bank, which has just received vital financial support from a European development fund.
Mr. Brass told the minister that 10 full-time and two part-time jobs would be created in the next two to three years if egg sales expanded as planned.
Westmorland
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Michael Jopling is in intensive care in a London hospital after an accident during a Commons v. Lords charity go-kart race.
Mr. Jopling, aged 66, was taken to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after his go-kart hit a wall.
Alston
Alston-based Wildcat Films have won the award for best television drama at the prestigious San Francisco international film festival for their first televison drama, An Angel Passes By.
The half-hour program, made for ITV at a cost of £50,000, tells the story of a family coming to terms with bereavement in a small fishing village in Scotland.
It was directed by David Baillie and written by Langholm writer Ian Fenton.
50 years ago — 1972
Kirkby Stephen
A Kirkby Stephen representative on Westmorland County Council since 1957, Mr. Frank W. Parrott, Brougham House, was on Friday elevated to the aldermanic bench of the Council.
His nomination, proposed by Miss F. G. Smith, Shap, was the only one.
There will now be a by-election for another Kirkby Stephen representative on the Council.
Crosby Garrett
The “battle” which has gone on for eighteen months to keep open the little village school at Crosby Garrett was finally lost at a meeting of Westmorland County Council.
The final impassioned plea for a “pardon” for the school, which now has a dozen pupils and one teacher, was made by Mr. Raven Frankland, Ravenstonedale, who warned that the closure of such schools would mean that in North Westmorland people would no longer go to live in the villages, which would become a collection of week-end cottages.
Keswick
After a considerable effort over a period of years to provide Keswick with a golf course, work began this week on the first stages of the course which members of Keswick Golf Club are to create at Threlkeld Hall.
The Club bought 200 acres of land following a campaign in the town which resulted in considerable financial support and the promise of a £10,000 grant from the Government.
Westmorland
The Social Services Committee of Westmorland County Council, which has decided to stop free sweets and tobacco allowances to residents of the Council’s old people’s homes, felt it was a practice which smacked of the situation in homes in the Poor Law days, said the Committee Chairman, Miss F. G. Smith, Shap.
The saving would be £1,480.
100 years ago — 1922
Penrith
With the take-over of Lazonby Auction Mart, the five marts in the locality — Penrith, Lazonby, Appleby, Troutbeck and Southwaite — are now under one controlling authority, the Penrith Auction Company Ltd.
Mr. J. C. Kidd, who is chairman and managing director of Kidd’s Auction Company Ltd., will be general managing director and Mr. William Hutchinson, who has been managing director of the Farmers’ Auction Company for twenty years, will be given a seat on the new board of directors and will act as managing director of the Penrith Mart.
Greystoke
Lady Mabel Howard presided at the annual meeting of Greystoke Cricket Club when it was decided to join the Penrith and District Combination.
Mr. W. Titterington resigned as secretary and treasurer and Mr. J. Mounsey was elected in his stead.
Mr. J. Longrigg was re-elected captain, with Mr. T. Mounsey as vice-captain.
