A popular Penrith man who “brightened up people’s days” after becoming a professional dog walker following 50 years as a welder, has died aged 75.
Mike Holland, of Bath Terrace, was born at Newton Road to Marjorie, of Penrith, and Tom, who hailed from Cambridge.
He was educated in Penrith at the County Boys School before going on to Tynefield.
After leaving school at the age of 15, he did an apprenticeship at Gush & Dent, a Penrith-based agricultural welding and manufacturing firm, before going on to work for Dousetts engineering when the M6 motorway was being built from Penrith to Carlisle in 1968 to 1969.
After meeting wife-to-be Cathleen, of Penrith, in about 1969 at a Saturday night dance at Penrith Rugby Club, the couple got married in 1971 at St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, and their first married home together was at Bath Terrace.
In 1980, along came their only son, James, and in June, this year, Mike and Cathleen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Before setting up his own business, MEH Engineering, at Gilwilly, in 1995, Mike worked for British Gypsum, at Kirkby Thore, where he was involved in fabrication work for 22 years.
After branching out on his own, Mike did a lot of work for Eden District Council and his handywork can be seen all over the town.
His many projects included restoration work on the well near the former Robinson Infant’s School, which is now Penrith Museum, which the council wanted covering.
The council got Mike involved and Penrith schoolchildren were asked to draw a picture of what they wanted the well to look like. The winning design, picked by Mike, featured lilies.
“Wherever you go in Penrith there’s always something that Mike has done or welded, from people’s railings to hanging basket holders. He also did work all over Eden. People liked to come to him for the crack,” said Cathleen.
After he retired from work, Mike started his own dog walking business, of which he loved every minute.
He went all over Penrith, walking with dogs, and would always stop and talk to folk he would meet along the way.
“Everybody knew him,” said Cathleen. “He always had a smile on his face. He would say hello to anybody.”
In his younger days, Mike set up darts exhibitions at the former Royal Hussar Hotel, where Marks & Spencer is now, with all the top names including John Lowe and Eric Bristow. He also enjoyed playing darts on a Friday night at Beacon Social Club.
In addition, cricket was a life-long interest of his and in his youth he also liked to fish.
Mike also spent many years on the touchline following his son, James, who was Penrith FC’s goalkeeper for a number of seasons.
When he was younger, he was a keen cyclist and took part in time trial events and would sometimes bike to work at Kirkby Thore on the back roads.
Mike also loved his gadgets. He had a little gadget to do everything, which even led to him earning the nickname of Inspector Gadget.
After hanging up his welding torch for work purposes, he turned his hand to creating works of art.
It was while working as part of the maintenance crew at British Gypsum’s works that he first started tinkering with little figures made of nuts and bolts.
He would make figurines, including sportsmen ranging from footballers to snooker players, as presents, but following retirement he expanded his range.
In late 2011 people started coming to him and challenging him to make various items, from motorbikes to a dog with a waggy tail and commissions even included a life-sized fox.
Mike, who is survived by Cathleen, son James, daughter-in-law Toni, and four grandchildren, Carmen, Gracie, Ronnie and Vinnie, will be remembered as an outgoing, fun-loving man, who brightened up people’s days and lived life to the full.
The funeral service was held at St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, followed by interment at Penrith Cemetery, and Walker’s Funeral Directors of Penrith, had charge of the arrangements.
