The death has occurred of retired policeman Brian Wilson, formerly of Frenchfield Way, Penrith, aged 80.
Known for his generosity as well as his strength and determination, he spent his entire working life with the police service and suffered a number
of injuries in the line of duty, some requiring lengthy rehabilitation.
The only son of the late Ted and Lottie Wilson, he grew up in Seaton, near Workington, and attended the village school before going on to study at Workington Grammar School.
In 1958 he followed a family tradition — his grandfather had been a policeman in County Durham and Liverpool — by joining the force covering the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland as a cadet.
He served at Penrith, Whitehaven, Cleator Moor and Workington before taking on motor patrol duties based at the police headquarters at Penrith.
While serving at Whitehaven he met his future wife, Barbara, and the couple were married in 1963. They went on to have two daughters, Vicki and Sarah.
Brian’s motor patrol days were before the opening of the M6 motorway and at that time officers had to spend two years riding motorcycles on main roads before progressing to cars.
After he did this he spent two years on the force Land Rover which was sent to incidents across Cumbria, and also patrolled the A66 over Stainmore and the A6 near Shap during periods of bad weather.
It was in 1970 that Brian suffered severe injuries when a stolen car was driven into a road block he was manning. He was sent to an injury rehabilitation centre but it took him some time to recover.
He was then assigned to police headquarters where he trained as a driving instructor. His skill in this role was later recalled with gratitude by a number of the officers he instructed, who said they were better drivers as a result of his tuition.
During this period he also undertook duties including driving dignitaries such as Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Princess Diana when they visited the county.
He was the acknowledged expert on video and plan drawing and people would often visit his office to discuss these matters — and enjoy a smoke with him, since Brian was seldom seen without his pipe.
He was a good artist, with a number of his senior colleagues being depicted in cartoons he drew. His paintings were also of a high standard, and some of his drawings featured on greetings cards sold to raise money for Eden Valley Hospice.
He had a keen interest in steam trains and he shared this passion with his two sons-in-law, Antony and David.
He also loved shoes and had more than 50 pairs, all well polished and kept in neat lines.
His family meant a great deal to him and he greatly enjoyed meals with those closest to him. He also loved trips away with them, particularly caravan holidays in Cornwall which were an annual event for more than four decades.
In 2013 his wife, Barbara, passed away, which was a great blow to Brian but one from which he recovered with the support of his family and thanks to his own determination.
Following a spell in the Eden Valley Hospice, he was admitted to Lanercost Care Home, Carlisle, in March, 2021, where he quickly settled in, with his family praising the kindness of the staff there.
He retained his mischievous ways and keen sense of humour to the end, showing how happy he was at the home.
He is survived by his daughters Vicki Richardson, Stainton, and Sarah Jolley, Banchory.
He had four grandchildren, Rachel, Beth, Emily and April.
A funeral service was held at the Eden Valley Crematorium. Richardsons Funeral Directors, Penrith, had charge of the arrangements.
