25 years ago – 1996
Brough
One-year-old Nicole Allison is at the head of a petition at Brough calling for the erection of signs warning motorists of ducks crossing the road.
Nicole’s mother, Mrs. Anita Allison, said that her daughter, who visits the ducks daily, became worried for them as they crossed the road. “A lot of motorists just fly through Brough,” said Mrs. Allison. “We want them to be aware of the ducks.”
Maulds Meaburn
The Eden village of Maulds Meaburn is seemingly the ideal place for twinning — but not of the community link-up kind.
Childhood friends Janet Newhouse (nee Ewin), Jane Strong and Wendy Maudsley (nee Shepherd) have all given birth to twins within the space of three weeks.
The three women have known each other since childhood, having lived a few doors away from each other in Maulds Meaburn.
Penrith
A former Penrith hotel has now been run for a year as a hostel for homeless youngsters without causing the locality any trouble.
Yvonne Sanders, manager of Pategill House, in Carleton Place, told a meeting of Penrith Rotary Club that when she came to launch the scheme for Impact Housing she was rather taken aback to discover there had been considerable local opposition.
“Since then we have worked hard, there has been no trouble from anybody staying with us and I think that Penrith people are now at least willing to give us a chance,” she said.
Having helped build the first of Penrith Rugby Club’s two clubhouses, life member and former president Albert Boak cut the first turf as work began on the latest development.
Mr. Boak, aged 87, of Holme Riggs Avenue, Penrith, has been involved with the club since 1923 and committee members felt it was only right that he should be involved with the ceremony to begin the new complex at Winters Park which is expected to cost in the region of £600,000.
Former Penrith licensee Sylvia Ingham this week received the charity fundraising top award for the Roy Castle Cause for Hope Foundation.
Now chief executive of the foundation, Mrs Ingham was presented with the 1996 Execucare Professional Fundraiser of the Year Award.
Well known in Penrith for the period when she and her husband, Peter, ran the town’s Gloucester Arms Hotel, Mrs. Ingham set up the Cumbria Cancer Scanner Appeal in 1979. She joined the foundation in 1993.
Appleby
Appleby’s doctor, Pauline Coulthwaite, has swapped medical equipment for garden tools as she settles into retirement. Dr. Coulthwaite has been a doctor in the town for the past 30 years and she remembers times before computers, appointments and the acceptance of female doctors.
She lives at Barrow Coombe, Appleby, with her husband John, a veterinary surgeon in the town and surrounding district.
50 years ago – 1971
Hunsonby
Hunsonby’s annual swimming gala at the village pool proved a “field day” for nine-year-old Diane Wilson, who went home staggering under the load of boxes of chocolates and other prizes she had received for winning the ladies’ open diving, open race across the pool, two-length and back-stroke events and second place for the junior members’ cup.
Crosby Ravensworth
The Chief Fire Officer for Cumberland, Mr. H. J. Porter, has awarded a commendation to Leading Fireman J. F. Dawson of the Penrith Fire Station for his prompt action when fire broke out near his home at Crosby Ravensworth last month.
He was home on leave and when told of the outbreak, he notified the Fire Service, then found a ladder and searched part of the first floor, only to be driven back by dense, acrid smoke.
Penrith
On the evening of his recent departure from the Mitre Hotel, King Street, Penrith, where he had been the popular host for thirteen years, Mr. George Cranswick was presented with a barometer from the Penrith Town Band.
The gift, inscribed “Penrith Town Band President and Mine Host 1961-71,” was an acknowledgement of Mr. Cranswick’s interest in the Band, which has used his premises — actually the old changing rooms of the town’s Football Club in years past — for a bandroom ever since it had to leave Bluebell Lane.
Murton
The little Thwaites School at Murton, Appleby, with its “population” of seventeen five to eleven-year-olds, reached the end of a long road when the bigger boys and girls helped their mistress Mrs. Judy Welch to load a lorry with the school furniture, which was being moved to the County Primary School in Appleby.
With Mrs. Welch were Mrs. E. Dent, the school cook, and Mrs. Mary Hogg, the caretaker.
100 years ago – 1921
Penrith
Following a meeting in St. Andrew’s Parish Rooms, Penrith, it was decided by an attendance of twenty enthusiasts to continue with the Penrith Swimming Club.
The meeting was presided over by Mr. W. H. B. Leech and the treasurer, Mr. R. Howe, presented his report, which showed a deficiency of £1 12s.
Clifton
A baby show — followed by tea and a whist drive — was held in the grounds of Clifton Rectory, and was judged by Dr. Stephenson, Temple Sowerby, assisted by Nurse Skillen, Lowther; and the Temple Sowerby nurse, Mrs. Tatters, Abbot Lodge, presented the prizes and was thanked by the Rector, the Rev. W. M. Key-Wells.
