25 years ago – 1996
Kirkby Stephen
Government officials have urged Cumbria highways representatives to push ahead with plans for a bypass of Kirkby Stephen — in spite of two previous rejections of the scheme.
The advice to “keep trying” came from officers of the Government Office in the North West who met representatives from Cumbria highways and transportation department in the upstairs meeting room at Kirkby Stephen tourist information centre.
“We deliberately had their backs to the wall so they were looking out of the window and could see all the articulated vehicles ‘floating’ past at very regular intervals,” said Andy Wilkinson, the county’s team leader in transport programming.
A man recognised for his contributions to Kirkby Stephen search and mountain rescue team and to Eden District Council has died at the age of 69.
Peter Day was originally from Manchester and he came to Kirkby Stephen in 1960 as a teacher at the County Primary School.
Mr. Day’s strong interest in walking and outdoor pursuits led to the formation of the Kirkby Stephen group, the Bog Trotters, who went out walking on Friday evenings.
In 1968, Mr. Day, along with others, went to see the police about getting together mountain rescue facilities — and this led to the launch of the team at Kirkby Stephen. He was leader of the team for 23 years.
Penrith
Penrith Players Theatre Club are to seek more lottery cash after a study has led to the cost of their Playhouse restoration plans rocketing by more than seven times the original figure.
In October, 1994, when Eden councillors agreed some financial support for the project to revamp the Castlegate premises, the cost of work was estimated at £120,000.
Now, 16 months on, the project is set to cost £900,000.
Orton
A landscaping project for the centre of Orton’s village square has been presented to Eden planners for approval.
The application was made by Orton Parish Council and is aimed at brightening up the square with three raised borders of flowers and shrubs.
The borders will be accompanied by stone seating to create an amenity area.
Mungrisdale
All members were present at the January meeting of Mungrisdale Parish Council, chaired by Ronnie Wilson.
They were appalled to learn of a fourfold increase in water charges for drinking troughs on land let by the council.
From 1992 to 1995 the bill had risen from £24 to £95, an increase of almost 300 per cent. The council agreed to ask tenants to pay half of the standing charges next year.
Langwathby
The future of the Langwathby-based Fellrunner community minibus was assured with the hand-over of a new vehicle — the first to be fully owned by the charity.
At a ceremony at the village hall, Daniel Fearon, of Help the Aged, handed over the minibus keys to Bob Jackson, chairman of the Fellrunner committee.
The vehicle is the fourth to be operated by the volunteer charity but the first they have fully owned.
50 years ago – 1971
Penrith
The new President of Penrith Chamber of Trade is Mr. Thomas Gibson Arragon, who was educated at Creighton School, Carlisle, and came to Penrith to work in the Maypole grocery shop.
After being demobilised in 1947, Mr. Arragon returned to Penrith, being employed by Messrs. J. and J. Graham.
Nineteen years ago he went into business on his own account with a travelling grocery shop and then opened a grocery business in Castlegate.
Mr. Arragon took over the newsagents’ and confectionery business of Elands in Middlegate, later opening a similar business in King Street, and recently acquired the old-established cycle shop of J. B. Milburn in Middlegate.
Ullswater
A strong appeal to the Government for urgent action to find a substitute for the banned Dieldrin in sheep-dip to halt the return of the menace of the maggot fly to hill sheep flocks was made by an Ullswater farmer, Mr. George Wilson, Glencoyne, at the annual meeting of the National Farmers’ Union in London.
The Government has followed the example of the United States in deciding that Dieldrin is dangerous and withdrawing its use, after it had undoubtedly been effective in dealing with the maggot of blowfly.
Appleby
The Roman Catholic Priest who inspired and arranged the first meeting between gypsy leaders and representatives of Appleby Town Council during the controversy over the Appleby New Fair, Father Francis Leo Caton, is leaving the Church of Our Lady of Appleby for a new post in his native town of Preston.
His efforts in arranging the meeting between the gypsies and the town council enabled many of the problems of the New Fair, such as poor sanitation etc., to be settled and he received a letter of gratitude from the gypsies’ leader, Mr. Sylvester Boswell.
Kirkoswald
A duplicating machine in a garage is the “printing press” and the “despatch department” is a vicarage — but the monthly “Raven”, a brand new newspaper, is already a hit in the Kirkoswald parish.
Issue number three was due to appear yesterday with more than 24 pages of news about the activities of various organisations in the Kirkoswald and Renwick areas.
The publication is the brainchild of the Vicar of Kirkoswald, the Rev. Bryan J. Calvey. Before coming to Cumberland four years ago he spent 15 years in Rhodesia, where he started two similar papers.
100 years ago – 1921
Penrith
Among average food prices for the town and district of Penrith were: Butter, 3s per lb.; potatoes, 1s. 4d per stone; eggs, 4s. per dozen; beef. 2s. per lb.; kippers, 8d per lb., and chickens, 5s. each.
Derwentwater
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is to buy some land with an extensive view near Derwentwater as a memorial to the late Canon Rawnsley, who was secretary of the Trust and one of its founders. The cost will be £2,300.
