25 years ago – 1996
Penrith
She might never rival Carl Lewis or Bob Beamon, but Suzy the calf is hoping to set her own kind of long jump record soon.
As a new member of the Chariots of Fire display team, based at a farm near Penrith, Suzy will be hoping to rival her pony compatriots in the team by being one of the first cows to take part in a long jump.
The idea of a long jump for ponies and cows comes from Amanda Saville, who runs the display team from her base at Hornby Hall Farm, near Whinfell.
Keswick
The spirit of the stage adage that “the show must go on” was to the fore at Keswick Theatre Club when a member of the cast found herself on crutches during rehearsals.
Mrs. Melanie Fisher fell on some stairs and badly sprained her left ankle just days before the opening night of the club’s latest production, The Curious Savage.
Despite the role being one which called for her to leap on to a chair at one point, the club decided it was too late to find a stand in and Mrs. Fisher agreed to continue.
Plumpton
Model-maker Stan Threlkeld’s latest creation is a reminder of one of the most popular vehicles of wartime, the American Jeep.
Mr. Threlkeld, of Plumpton Hall, Plumpton, has turned out many classic models, such as his very own Red Arrows formation team, and he built the jeep in about a month with the help of his son-in-law, Stuart Brown.
The Jeep, worth between £500 and £600, has a four horse power Honda engine and runs on petrol.
Appleby
Members of Appleby Town Council this week voted against financially supporting the town’s jazz festival.
The ever growing event, which registers high on the jazz calendar, will cost an estimated £22,000 this year.
The town council were asked to make a donation of £500 – £300 more than last year.
Mayor Norman Mennie said: “This request has become an annual one and I think we have supported it enough.”
Appleby couple Dawn and Sam Robinson are to retire from business after running the town’s Copper Kettle cafe for more than 30 years.
The Robinsons are currently looking for a buyer for the Boroughgate property, which they bought in January, 1966, in partnership with Mrs. Robinson’s brother, Alan Birkbeck.
It had formerly been Miss Bland’s haberdashery shop. Mrs. Robinson paid tribute to staff who have worked at the cafe over the years, particularly long-serving helper Cath Sowerby.
“Cath came in as a customer one day as a customer, saw we were very busy and offered to help,” she said. “She has been an invaluable helper ever since.”
Staffield
The death occurred at his home at Old Hall Farm, Staffield, of well known sheepdog trialist Tom Hetherington, aged 68.
A member of the North Westmorland Sheepdog Society from the time of its formation, Mr. Hetherington always kept dogs and was a regular competitor at local events.
Only a fortnight before his death he took fourth place with his dog, Duke, at a society trial held at Old Hall Farm.
50 years ago – 1971
Penrith
Mrs. Pat Bulman, Alexander Road, has won the title Miss R.A.F.A. Penrith branch and will go forward in the area finals at Blackpool at the end of the month.
Mrs.Bulman, whose husband, Raymond, is treasurer of the Penrith branch, was one of eight contestants at the branch’s dinner dance at the Shap Wells Hotel.
Judges were Mrs. H. Keegan, Area Secretary; Mr. J. R. Donaldson, Penrith branch President; and Mr. J. Metcalfe, Shap Wells Hotel.
After an Easter holiday rush which shattered all previous records, one question has still to be answered: Was it the magnificence of the weather or the recent opening of the Westmorland section of the M.6 Motorway which accounted for the boom?
The answer is that both factors made massive contributions to a memorable holiday weekend for hoteliers, boarding house proprietors, garage owners, shopkeepers and many others.
Haweswater
Work is expected to begin next month on a feasibility study of a scheme to enlarge the capacity of Manchester Corporation’s reservoir at Haweswater by raising the present dam totwice its height or building a new dam some 200ft. high.
The study is being carried out jointly by the Corporation and Cumbria River Authority and a number of boreholes will be made to determine the strength of the ground.
The work is expected to cost about £40,000.
Alston
The North Eastern Transport Users’ Consultative Committee have told the Minister for the Transport Industries that if the railway line between Alston and Haltwhistle is closed there will be severe hardship to the people of the area.
The Committee report says that they have no acceptable assurances about road improvements and regard alternative bus travel as uncertain and undefined.
Closure could result in depopulation of Alston and spoil its tourist trade.
Ullswater
The Ullswater Foxhounds reached the end of an era as the Easter meets brought the 1970-71 season to a close, for both veteran huntsman Joe Wear and the Welshman, Maldwyn Williams, his whipper-in for the past ten seasons, are leaving the pack.
Apart from war service, Joe Wear has a remarkable 47 years’ connection with the pack, and so surpasses the 42 years of Joe Bowman.
100 years ago
Penrith
The site of the Castle Park War Memorial is the scene of considerable activity.
The castle moat is being excavated and work has begun on the foundations of the bowling green and four tennis courts.
The formation of the main terrace is also in progress.
Alston
Mr. Isaac Walton, London, a native of Alston, has offered a site on his land at the junction of the Penrith and Brampton roads for the proposed war memorial. A condition is that if the memorial costs £500, he will give £300.
150 years ago – 1871
Appleby
The recent rains brought down a fine river and all the crack fishers turned out.
Mr. Robert Holding caught over 30, Mr. Colin Winter 25, Mr. William Egglestone 30, and Mr. William Harland over 40.
The latter captured 104 fine trout in only three days.
