25 years ago
Temple Sowerby
Parents, pupils and friends of Temple Sowerby School celebrated the official opening of a new classroom extension with a tea party.
The guest of honour, former pupil Jim Cleasby, aged 93, performed the official opening by cutting a ribbon and a special cake made for the occasion.
Barton
An Eden teenager this weekend faces the daunting task of feeding some 1,200 hungry walkers whose appetites have been charged by climbing the highest three peaks in Britain.
Tricia Walker, who is 18 and lives at Barton, is set to feed four waves of walkers arriving in Borrowdale today and tomorrow during the Raleigh International Three Peaks Marathon.
Tricia, the daughter of Geyve and Sherie Walker, has been chosen to travel to Malaysia with Raleigh International but, like all young venturers, has to raise £3,000 for the youth development charity.
Penrith
A painting worth £5,000 by one of Penrith’s best known artists could be returning to his home town.
Eden councillors are hoping to buy an example of one of Jacob Thompson’s later works for the town’s museum after his great-great-niece offered it to Penrith.
Known as The Close of the Vintage, it is a watercolour wash depicting a north Italian scene with a cart bringing the last of the grape harvest in, complete with views of the Alps in the background.
A group of Penrith technology students are providing a vital ingredient to ensure the success of a 900-mile Antarctic expedition.
Students at Ullswater Community College have given their support to the One Step Beyond south pole expedition being undertaken by Professor Robert Swann, Geoff Somers and Crispin Day.
Each day when the intrepid trio set out on yet another leg of their polar walk, they will be nourished by a special flapjack made by the students.
Alston
The Angel Inn Leek Club held their annual show at the Alston pub courtesy of Sue and Nicky Ashcroft, who were presented with a pot plant by Norman Hayton, the chairman.
A founder member of the club, Mr. Hayton finally won the show after 18 years of trying. He took the top honour with a pair of leeks measuring 104.90 cubic inches.
50 years ago — 1971
Penrith
The City Council of Penrith, Australia, has sent a gift of 100 dollars to the restoration fund of St. Andrew’s Church, Penrith, England.
In return it is hoped to send out to Australia, for use at the City Council meetings, a gavel made from oak roof timbers taken from the church.
Appleby
Controversy flared at the meeting of Appleby Borough Council on Wednesday, when it was suggested that the 160-year-old Cloisters, which form the entrance to St. Lawrence’s Church, should be pulled down!
The Property Committee had reported that it was going to cost £1,425 to carry out remedial work to the interior woodwork of the building.
Mr. S. J. Burns asked how they were going to get that money back and was it worth it.
He added that the Cloisters should be left as an empty shell or be done away with entirely.
Penrith Urban Council’s acquisition of the Crimean War medals of Trooper William Pearson, who took part in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, has brought us information that in the private ownership of a lady in North Westmorland is the medal of an Appleby man who was killed in the Crimea.
In the porch of St. Lawrence’s Church in Appleby is a tablet inscribed: “In memory of William Rowlings, a private in the 11th Company of Royal Sappers and Miners, who fell gloriously at the siege of Sebastapol June 18th, 1855, aged 33 years.”
His medal remained in the possession of his sister, grandmother of Mrs. M. K. Thompson, Long Marton, to whom it was handed down.
Dacre
For the second time this year, the Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, was in the congregation at the morning service at Dacre Church on Sunday.
He was attending with Mr. William Whitelaw, M.P., Leader of the House of Commons, and Mrs. Whitelaw, with whom he had been spending the weekend at Ennim, Blencowe, which is in the parish of Dacre.
100 years ago — 1921
Threlkeld
Threlkeld lead mines, which closed down recently, were the last of the Cumberland lead mines to cease work.
When the other mines closed down earlier this year, the Threlkeld mines retained a few men to continue the extensions, but, owing to the inability of the owners to find a market for blende, there was no alternative but to close down.
Penruddock
“Not sold — given away” was Mr. John Thornborrow’s comment on the sale of Penruddock Hall which he disposed of by auction at the George Hotel, Penrith.
The property, offered by instruction of the executors of the late Miss Sisson, Beaconsfield, Penrith, made £2,315.
The hall itself, farm buildings and 50 acres of land made £1,255.
Shap
A large congregation assembled at St. Michael’s Church, Shap, for the dedication of a new organ, gift of the late Mr. G. L. Topping and his nephew and niece, Mr. Richard and Miss Marsh.
The organ was dedicated by the Rev. Sydney Swan, Rural Dean.
