25 years ago – 1996
PENRITH
Norweb’s high street shops in Penrith and Keswick are to close following the £29 million takeover of the electricity company’s retail business by rivals Comet earlier this week.
The closure will result in the loss of 10 jobs from the two shops and the loss of a personal service much valued by the elderly in particular. A spokesman for Kingfisher, the parent company of Comet, said the closures would not be until the beginning of next year.
David Dent, the farmer’s son from Bolton (Appleby) who is now secretary of the English Football League, told a Penrith audience of the vast changes which have taken place during his 37 years in the game.
He spoke of the huge amounts of money now involved, how grounds had been vastly improved after disasters and times of hooliganism and of a current crisis of discipline and authority.
STAINTON
The country’s first alpaca information centre could be set up in Stainton if planners give the go-ahead.
Mrs. Joy Stevenson, of Dalegarth, has bred a herd of the animals for around a year and two offspring have already been born. Now she is hoping Eden planners will approve a scheme for a new building at her Stainton home designed to house information on their potential.
THRELKELD
Threlkeld lost one of its best-known characters with the sudden death of Bunty Airey at the age of 74.
William Nicholson Airey, widely known as Bunty took part in many activities within the village.
He was a grocer for 25 years and also ran the Horse and Farrier pub for six years. At the time of his death he represented the Greystoke ward, which takes in Threlkeld, on Eden District Council, a seat he had held since 1987.
GREYSTOKE
Co-operation between communities has paid off in terms of pre-school nursery provision for the villages of Greystoke and Penruddock.
In a combined bid, residents have won funding to open a pre-school nursery group for three and four-year-olds. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays but the group are already so well subscribed that plans are in hand for a third day of activities for youngsters.
A family-owned Eden holiday village and leisure complex is up for sale with an asking price of between £2.5 and £3 million.
The Whitbarrow Village, at Berrier, near Greystoke, has been on the market for only a couple of weeks, but a national advertising campaign by the joint selling agents Savills and Knight Frank has already generated many inquiries.
The village was created by owners Dave and Megan Hill, who converted the 18th Century Whitbarrow Hall more than a decade ago.
50 YEARS AGO — 1971
PENRITH
The Penrith to Keswick railway service is to be withdrawn and Blencowe, Penruddock, Troutbeck, Threlkeld and Keswick stations closed.
No date has yet been fixed but the closure is expected to take place early next year.
British Rail say that it is costing £117,000 a year to keep the line open and that earnings from fares amount to only £14,000.
The decision has been made by the Minister of the Environment, Mr. Peter Walker. Writing to Mr. William Whitelaw, M.P. for Penrith and the Border, about his decision, Mr. Walker says the Haltwhistle to Alston line is a different matter and that he has no intention of consenting to the closure of this line until there are adequate alternative road services.
Seven sixth form pupils of Penrith Queen Elizabeth Grammar School have just completed a French lesson with a difference — a three-week stay with families in France.
And next year the girls who have been their hosts in the town of Evry, about twenty miles from Paris, will visit Penrith under an exchange scheme. The Grammar School girls — Helen Ballantyne, Vivienne Gaddas, Heather Taylor, Linda Brass, Vanessa Schepers, Celia Brailsford and Kathryn Holmes — were accompanied by their French master, Mr. Geoff Medland, but after settling them in he returned.
ASKHAM
A swimming pool ready for use next season. That is the hope at Askham following news this week of an £8,000 grant towards the cost of the project by the Department of the Environment. The grant virtually assures the village of a pool after three years of planning and fund-raising by people of the area.
100 YEARS AGO — 1921
PENRITH
Penrith Urban Council are so concerned about the unemployment situation in the town that they are to build underground public lavatories in the Corn Market at a cost of £1,600 which will provide employment for seventeen men for three months.
MARDALE
The annual shepherds’ meet at Mardale attracted a record number and sleeping accommodation at the Dun Bull and other houses in the dale was taxed to capacity.
A total of 69 stray sheep were in charge of the senior flockmaster, Tommy Edmondson, Flake How and Tot Greenhow, shepherd. Mrs. Daffurn provided the dinner and the evening was spent in toast and song.
150 YEARS AGO — 1871
MELMERBY
Hematite ore of an excellent quality has been discovered on Melmerby high common near what is commonly called Eglonby Beck. A mine has been opened and a line or tramway will connect the mine with the Alston turnpike road near Hartside.
