25 years ago — 1996
Penrith
Workers at the Inland Revenue office in Penrith are calling for the support of the public in their efforts to stave off a threat to the town’s tax office at Voreda House.
The Inland Revue this week told staff at Penrith of the intention to create an integrated office at Carlisle by the year 2002 – meaning a move for the Penrith staff and function 18 miles down the road.
A new technology room at St. Catherine’s School, Penrith, was officially opened on Tuesday.
The £47,000 extension to the Roman Catholic primary school on Drovers Lane has been dedicated to the late John Stewart, of Warwick Place, Penrith.
Mr. Stewart, who died in February aged 67, left £20,000 to the school in his will to be used for trips for pupils.
Crackenthorpe
An Eden couple have won a national award for their devotion to foster caring and looking after children.
David and Lorna Graham, from Crackenthorpe, won a family life award from the Family and Youth Concern organisation after their 25 years of work with children.
In addition to raising a family of four themselves, the couple have looked after more than 100 children.
Nenthead
Eager beaver Ray Hall was welcomed with champagne as he arrived at the Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre last week.
Ray is an unpaid volunteer at the centre who has clocked up a staggering 3,000 hours of work there.
Emphasising his dedication his dedication to his task, Ray walks the 12 miles to and from the centre each day to his home at The Firs, Alston.
Keswick
The new head of the Keswick police station wants to maintain the close links between the police and the local community.
Inspector Julie McFee took charge of Keswick and Cockermouth police stations this week, succeeding Inspector Kevin McGilloway who has moved to a new job at the force headquarters in Penrith.
Appleby
One of Appleby’s best known charity fundraisers, Molly Sprott, died at the weekend aged 93.
She was a governor of the town’s grammar school and served as a magistrate. She also ran the Appleby brownie pack for many years.
50 years ago – 1971
Penrith
Penrith and Cumberland cricketer Mr. Malcolm Beaty had to turn out in his practice gear when the town club’s first team played at Windermere on on Thursday evening.
His own equipment, plus items belonging to the Penrith club, was in Mr. Beaty’s blue Mini – and that had been stolen from a Newcastle-on-Tyne on Wednesday.
A change in Government policy means that development can go ahead on the Myers Lane industrial estate at Penrith and work is expected to begin in the near future on an advance factory on the site.
The previous Government refused to allow the development because they believed it might affect the flow of new industry to West Cumberland.
The opening next Thursday by Mr. Graham Page, Minister for Local Government and Development, of the 12-mile Penrith-Carlisle section of the M.6 motorway will complete a 260-mile route stretching from Houghton at the Northern end of the Carlisle bypass to just South of Gloecester.
The twelve miles of motorway have cost £6,942,790 – £578,566 per mile – including 19 bridges, one culvert and four miles of single carriageway side-roads and crossings.
Appleby
The Borough Council is trying to restore Appleby to the bustling little market town it was, by allowing five stalls and two mobile shops on one of the town’s car parks on Saturdays.
The car park, between the Moot Hall and Loe Cross, is the original market square where the country-folk plied their wares, bulls were baited and the cheese fair took place on the Low Cross steps.
Kirkby Stephen
In spite of early forebodings the weather conditions turned out favourably for the ninety second Demonstration of the Vale of Eden Band of Hope Union on Saturday.
It took place this year at Kirkby Stephen but could not be held on the Hills Botton ground which has been the venue for over 60 years and so arrangements were made for it to take place on the Bridge End field.
100 years ago – 1921
Plumpton
Sergt. Bertram, Penrith, was one of three police officers invested by the King at Buckingham Palace with the King’s Medal for their bravery in catching the murderer Toplis at Plumpton just over a year ago.
The others are Insp. Ritchie, Cleator Moor, and Sergt. Fulton, Silloth.
Alston
The shortage of coal appears to have revived a practice very common half a century ago – the peat-cutting industry.
Quite a number of Alstonians have been occupied during the dry weather cutting and drying peat, which makes excellent fuel.
Kirkoswald
Colonel Fetherstonhaugh, The College, has presented to Kirkoswald parish a handsome metal drinking cup to replace the missing one which had also worn out, having been given over 60 years ago by the late Col. Maclean, Lazonby Hall.
It is for public use in drawing water from the small, perennial pure stream which, believed to start at Old Castle, from time immemorial run six feet or so below the floor of the church emerging on its way to the River Eden beneath the West window, where it is accessible from the churchyard.
150 years ago – 1871
Kirkby Stephen
A hen belonging to Mr. James Purchas, Kirkby Stephen, laid an egg nine-and-a-half inches in circumference which also had the peculiarity of containing four yolks.
