The funeral has taken place of Robert Youdale, a man who once described himself in interview as a ‘Cumbrian curiosity.’
He was certainly an accomplished fellow who was able to turn his hand to almost anything. Robert died at his Main Street home on March 4 aged 66, just five months after his retirement from running his business selling newspapers, tobacco and fishing tackle.
The Youdale name and family has a long association with Keswick, dating back to the 1700s. Likewise, over the years, newsagents have become synonymous with the Youdale name.
Robert’s grandfather was born and bred in Keswick and worked as a newsagent, and was followed into the family business by Robert’s father, Peter Youdale.
Robert, however, did not start life out as a newsagent. He left school at 15 in order to learn a trade and worked for I & R Hodgson’s, Keswick, as a joiner.
Watching Robert work with wood was a sight to behold, and he was almost able to make it come to life.
He could achieve in minutes what would take others days to accomplish. He loved working with wood, and had plans to return to joinery after his retirement as a newsagent and had already accumulated a large list of jobs to tackle.
Before Robert joined the family business in 1982, he worked over in Teesside as a joiner and builder for various firms. Robert had only intended to help out in the Main Street shop for a few weeks whilst his mother Marjorie recovered from surgery, but a few weeks turned into 40 years!
Due to the nature of the business, Robert had a strong work ethic, and never took time off sick and he had few opportunities for holidays. Robert was proud to have passed this work ethic to his children, Lucy and Bobby, and enjoyed sharing their success in their chosen careers.
In his rare spare time, Robert was an accomplished sportsman, playing rugby for Keswick and Redcar. He also played cricket for Saltburn. He took up golf in the 1980s and captained Keswick Golf Club in 1995.
But Robert’s greatest passion was for fishing, and he would spend most of his free time on the banks of a river or lake or preparing to go angling. He began fishing at the age of four with his dad, Peter. He describes becoming hooked on it after catching his first fish, a 1.5lb lake trout.
The hobby led to Robert starting to sell fishing tackle and bait in the newsagent’s shop, which helped the business survive in a world where you can now buy newspapers in every supermarket and corner shop.
Robert was known in several fishing circles across the north east and north west, and was respected as being one of the best match fishermen in the region, and always known for his good humour and wit.
One of his fishing friends recently said he had at least one fishing pole and rod for every day of the week and for every possible fishing scenario, and there wasn’t anything he couldn’t or wouldn’t fish.
Robert loved to head up high and fish in a mountain tarn, and he was equally happy on a riverbank or lake. He taught his children and nephew to fish, and was happy to mentor other young people and share his passion for the sport. He was looking forward to teaching his grandchildren how to fish in the coming years.
Robert shared many other interests and used to be in a quiz league and a darts league. He could be relied upon for his sense of humour, and people often popped into the shop, not to buy anything but to have their spirits lifted by the craic and banter they would share with him. If he was able to, he would help anyone and he would often check in on elderly or vulnerable customers.
Robert also supported many charities, and he raised thousand of pounds for Guide Dogs for the Blind over the years, and also pulled a Mini around Derwentwater for charity.
Music was another of his interests, and he had a wide and eclectic collection. He shared his love of music and appreciation of great guitarists with his children, Lucy and Bobby, and they are all self-taught musicians. Robert played the guitar, and had recently bought himself a ukulele, although given how busy he was, no-one quite understands where he found the time the play.
Most of all, Robert loved becoming a grandad, and the shared love of cricket across four generations of the Youdale family brought a closeness and a bond that cannot be matched. Robert loved opportunities to coach his grandsons at cricket with his son Bobby, and was looking forward to playing a more integral part in all their lives on his retirement.
He will be sadly missed, not only by his children, parents and family, but also his loyal customers, friends, anglers, and the many dogs he used to love to give treats
when they came into his shop.
