25 years ago – 1996
Kirkby Stephen
The novelty of Kirkby Stephen’s first large supermarket brought out crowds of shoppers on Tuesday morning as the Cumbrian Co-op’s new £1.3 million store opened its doors.
A queue formed along the street before customers were allowed into the new shop. Such was the interest that it took about an hour to reach the checkout tills.
It was also a special occasion for 11-year-old Mark Richardson, Croft House Farm, Ravenstonedale, who was given the honour of officially opening the store after winning an essay-writing competition run by the Co-op.
Kirkoswald
Members of Kirkoswald Methodist Circuit are seeking to raise £32,000 towards the cost of redevelopeing the village’s 19th Century chapel.
It is estimated the scheme to update the chapel will cost £125,000 but the circuit has already accumulated £87,000 through grant aid, donations, local fund-raising and from its own reserves.
The aim is to transform the chapel, built in 1871, into a multi-purpose facility, suitable for worship and social use.
Glenridding
The only doctor serving patients in the village of Glenridding is retiring in August. Dr. Elizabeth Bruce, whose single-handed practice is one of the smallest in Cumbria, will have to stop practising on her 70th birthday, and the Cumbria Family Health Services Authority will be replacing her with another lone doctor.
According to the authority, no existing practice could provide proper care for local patients because Glenridding is so isolated.
Newby
Bill Bentley, from Newby, travelled to London to receive his OBE with his wife Pat, elder daughter Judith and grandson Joe.
He was awarded the OBE in the New Year’s honours list for his contribution to the prison service.
Aged 63, he has been a non-executive director of the service since 1991, having spent 33 years working for Shell International Petroleum before that.
Penrith
Twickenham beckons for Penrith-based rugby star Dale Siddle, who will line up for the under-21 combined services against England under-21s later this month.
The 20-year-old full back, who serves in the Scots Guards, featured in the national services side which recently defeated Middlesex under-21s 12-10 at Colchester. Dale, of Park Close, Penrith, was part of the Penrith team which won the county under-17 cup.
He also played for the Colts and still plays for the under-21s when he is at home.
Millhouse
Residents of Millhouse and district braved the elements to discuss the future of their village hall. The chairman, Mr. T. Little, opened the meeting and invited Gordon Savage to take the chair for the evening.
After a long discussion on what to do with the old hall, originally erected for use by farm workers almost 70 years ago, Mr. Savage asked for a vote on whether to repair it or go for a new building.
It was unanimously agreed to go for a new hall and Suzanna England, of Voluntary Action Cumbria, gave advice on how to go about obtaining grants.
50 years ago – 1971
Borrowdale
The “midnight cowboys” who split the peace in a Lakeland village have led to a group of residents banding together to press for a ban on Friday night “pop” dances which, in the past, have attracted hundreds of young people, many from West Cumberland.
The annual meeting of Borrowdale Institute in the Borrowdale Valley attracted one of the largest attendances in years.
About 80 per cent of them were from the pressure group in a bid to put a stop to the dances, which they claim are not only causing a nuisance for local people but damaging the area’s tourist trade.
Penrith
There is no prospect of a revival of Penrith’s agricultural show in the next few years, agreed the sixteen people who attended Tuesday night’s annual meeting of Penrith Agricultural Society at the Rugby Club.
However, in the meantime the Society is to continue in being and the meeting set up a working council of ten members to arrange events of agricultural interest and possibly assist other bodies.
The President and Chairman, Mr. J. S. Slack, Brougham Hall Farm, who was persuaded to retain the chairmanship, said the Society’s total cash assets were £1,806, and there were 129 paid-up members.
The new leader of the Penrith Mountain Rescue Team is 25-year-old Mr. Gordon Collinson, religious education master at Penrith Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. Mr. Collinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Collinson, Tyne Close Terrace, Penrith, succeeds Mr. Colin Griffiths, founder-Leader of the Team which was formed from the Penrith Rambling Club eight or nine years ago.
Mr. Griffiths recently emigrated to South Africa.
Cumberland
Cumberland’s record of support by Post Office workers for the strike action, which has now entered its sixth week, is claimed to be one of the best in the country.
In the East Cumberland and North Westmorland area of the Penrith branch of the Union of Postal Workers, 96 per cent. of members continue to stay off work.
This week saw another measure by the Union to increase the effect of the strike, when members decided to hit the manual telephone exchanges where, until now, full staffs have been allowed because all calls have to be answered in order to cover emergencies.
100 years ago – 1921
Keswick
Turner’s drawing of Derwentwater, which measures about 10in. by 17in. and originally belonged to Ruskin, has been sold for £2,000 at Christie’s, London – 100gns. more than it realised nine years ago.
Alston
The opening of Alston Comrades’ newly-acquired premises was performed by Sir Cecil Lowther. Dr. Carson presided.
The building is of historical interest, for it was formerly the armoury of the old Alston Mountaineers and later the headquarters of the 1st Company of Alston Volunteers of the Border Regiment.
The cost of the premises was £700, the billiard table and other furnishings making a total of £860.
150 years ago – 1871
Appleby
The first locomotive for use on the Settle and Carlisle Railway has arrived and was drawn through Appleby to Messrs Firbank;s works at the Helm.
It weighed about 18 tons and took 21 horses to mount the steep hill at Appleby.
