25 years ago — 1995
Great Asby
Lunchtime drinkers at the Three Greyhounds, in the normally serene village of Great Asby, were just settling down to a quiet game of pool and a pint on Friday when their peace was shattered, along with a window in the pool room.
Licensee John Hughes said: “A tup ram got over the wall from where it was supposed to be and saw its reflection in the glass of the window in our pool room.
It thought it was another ram. It is the tupping season so it came charging straight through the glass window into the pub.”
The ram, an eight-year-old Swaledale, suffered slight cuts to its back but was otherwise unhurt.
Appleby
Appleby town councillor Joe Reynolds is regretfully stepping down after nine years due to ill health.
Originally from the west of Ireland, Mr Reynolds has lived in Appleby for 33 years. It was an interest in the town’s affairs which led to him joining the council.
Penrith
A “special ingredient” seems to have played a part in the success of the staff of a bakery shop in winning the 1995 Penrith Chamber of Trade Good Service Award.
Not only do manageress Anne Labram and her staff provide a prompt, courteous and helpful service at the Devonshire Street shop of Bell’s, the bakers and confectioners, they also like a good laugh with their customers.
Officials of the British Heart Foundation are to renew discussions with Eden planners with the aim of coming up with a more subdued colour scheme for the charity’s new shop in Market Square, Penrith.
“Although planning permission was obtained for the BHF’s standard shop presentation, remarks made by residents suggest that local taste may prefer something more conservative,” said Colin Sandford, chief executive of the charity’s shop division.
Portinscale
A Cumbrian hotelier’s trip to Israel to collect a top environmental award was overshadowed by the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.
Ian Aston, managing director of Derwentwater Hotel, Portinscale, arrived in Tel Aviv just hours after the Israeli Prime Minister was shot by an assassin at a peace rally in the city.
Mr. Aston was attending the annual congress of the International Hotel Association, which had the theme “tourism provides peace”, and was earlier opened by Mr. Rabin.
Little Salkeld
Eden motorcycle star Tony Baker has qualified for the world sidecar championships.
Tony, of Little Salkeld, and passenger Ian Stapleton finished second in this year’s hard fought European championships to earn a place in next year’s world championships.
50 years ago — 1970
Penrith
At the annual conference of the “Save the Children” Fund in London this week two Penrithians had the honour of being presented to the President, H.R.H. Princess Anne.
They were Mr. F. C. Martin, the Cumbria Regional representative on the U.K. Committee and Chairman of the Penrith Branch, and Mr. G. Radcliffe, Cumbria Regional Organiser.
Penrith’s proposed new Magistrates’ Court in Hunter Lane, shelved in May, 1968, when, originally a £45,000 project, it was one of the victims of the Government cuts, is being recommended again to Cumberland County Council, this time as a £68,000 scheme towards which the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works will pay £10,000 for inclusion of a suite of offices for the County Court staff.
The new building on which work was to have started in March, 1968, is expected to replace the present single courtroom in the Hunter Lane police premises with tow courtrooms, adult and juvenile, occupying most of the first floor.
Donna Thomson, daughter of Penrith Golf Club’s professional Mr. Bryan Thomson, is only five, but already she is a golf addict.
When Mr. Thomson and his wife, Susan, play a round Donna is often there with them thumping the ball down the fairway with the sawn-off clubs her father has made for her.
Last Friday, in the Members’ dining room of the House of Commons, 150 men who succeeded in the first three open examinations for appointment as established clerks to “surveyors of Taxes”, held in 1915 and 1916, attended a reunion dinner, and among them was Mr. John G. Molyneux, Wordsworth Street, Penrith.
Mr. Jack Molyneux, well-known, of course, for his work in many other spheres — cricket, Toc H, music and the Spastic Society, to name but a few — moved from Liverpool to the Income Tax office in Penrith in 1925.
Newton Rigg
At their meeting on Wednesday, the Governors and Joint Education Committee of the Cumberland and Westmorland College of Agriculture and Forestry, Newton Rigg, received, with considerable regret, the resignation of their chairman, Mr. J. F. Herdman, Garrigill, Alston.
Alderman J. W. Dent said that during the past 33 years Mr. Herdman had served the county, and Newton Rigg in particular, over a period when agricultural education in the two counties had shown tremendous development.
The College had grown in size and in status and, more recently, had been given the responsibility for forestry education at the supervisory level.
100 years ago — 1920
Penrith
What might have been a serious outbreak of fire occurred in the Corn Market shop of Mr. T. Edmondson, chemist.
One of his apprentices, John Kitchen, was mixing a powder containing chlorate of potash in a large mortar when the contents exploded and the shop was filled with dense fumes.
The counter and some goods on it took fire, but, thanks to Mr. Edmondson’s assistants, Mr. W. T. Gavin and Miss Wilson, the fire was extinguished before the brigade arrived.
Caldbeck
The old-established Court Baron for the Manors of Caldbeck, Upton and Underfell was held at the Sun Inn, Hesket-new-Market.
The Lord of the Manor, Lord Leconfield, was represented by his stewards, Mr. G. F. Saul, Carlisle; Mr. G. Banks, Estate Offices, Cockermouth; and Mr. Jos. Ivinson, bailiff.
A capital dinner was supplied by the landlord, Mrs. Richardson.
150 years ago — 1870
Ravenstonedale
The Townhead estate, comprising 53 acres with farm buildings, was sold by auction at the Black Swan Inn.
The property is tenanted by Mr. John Beck at £85 per annum.
After some spirited bidding, between Mr. A. Metcalfe, Park House, Ravenstonedale, and Mr. Thompson, Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen, the latter became the purchaser at £4,100, exclusive of timber valued at £89.
