Looking back through the archives of The Keswick Reminder from around this week 20, 30 and 40 years ago.
20 years ago
Joker with a fetish
Keswick police are searching for a prankster with a peculiar habit of removing people’s garden gates.
A spokesman said there have been a number of recent reports from householders whose front gates have gone missing. Sometimes the gates turn up a few streets away where they have been abandoned.
However, the owner of one property in Blencathra Street, where the gate was removed in the early hours of Sunday, is still looking for it. “It’s probably a practical joke, but it has annoying consequences for the people whose gates are lifted off their hinges and removed,” said a police spokesman. “It looks like it’s someone with a fetish for gates.”
More cars of the stars
The owner of Keswick’s famous Cars of the Stars exhibition spent a cool £200,000 on the Aston Martin Vanquish driven by Pierce Brosnan in the Bond film “Die Another Day” recently at the Bonhams auction held at the Aston Martin factory.
The car is destined to become one of the star attractions of Peter Nelson’s exhibitions – at Keswick, and at Edinburgh where he is about to open a new display. The hammer came down at £190,000 but with commission to the auctioneers the final price topped the £200,000 figure.
Peter admitted: “I am shaken and stirred after that. It has basically accounted for four years worth of funding for Cars of the Stars, but I think it will turn out to be a good investment. When one of the Bond vehicles from Goldfinger was stolen a while back the insurers forked out over £4 million in compensation which shows just how sought after 007 memorabilia has become.”
There are some 20 Bond vehicles in Peter Nelson’s Stars collections in Keswick and Scotland, and he says the Die Another Day car is one he feels he just had to have to stay up to date.
His new museum at Ingliston is set to open next weekend and Mr Nelson, a former dentist who also runs an art gallery in Keswick featuring his own work, says it is a fantastic museum. The latest Aston Martin will be taken up there before going on to a national film exhibition in Cornwall. Later in the year it will be brought back to Keswick.
30 years ago
“Bishop” file submitted
A file has been submitted for the question to be considered of prosecution for damage in the case of the four people interviewed after the painting of a well known landmark near Keswick at the weekend.
The white painted Bishop of Barf, situated on the hillside opposite the Swan Hotel at Thornthwaite, is thought to have been painted blue on Sunday. Police at Keswick confirmed that a painting incident had taken place and following inquiries a number of people were interviewed.
Keswick half marathon
The Keswick half marathon road race has had a remarkable good weather record throughout its twelve year history, but that record was drowned in the torrential rain which hit runners on their 13 mile trek round the Newlands Valley and Derwentwater — normally one of Britain’s most scenic events when the mist is not shrouding the fell tops.
Despite the weather conditions, which were cool enough to suit the fast men, entries were up and there were over 750 finishers.
Sunday’s Lifestyle Half Marathon was sponsored by Keswick’s Open All Hours shop and proprietor Alan Dunn said that they had been thrilled with the success of the event despite the rain.
The race was started by the Super Mario Nintendo games character which had been signed up because of Alan’s other business interest, the Keswick Home Entertainment Centre, which stocks videos and computer games. To complete the sponsor’s involvement, Alan’s wife Heather ran the race in a time of 1hr 49mins.
Overall victor was Andrew Fair from Teviotdale Harriers in 71mins 52secs who finished nearly twenty seconds ahead of Richard Byers of Trafford A.C. Past winner Tony Okell of Stockport finished third, The Grant Horsburgh Memorial Trophy for the first local runner went to Duncan Frampton of Keswick A.C. in a time of just over 75 minutes.
40 years ago
Champions
Keswick Athletic Club’s fell runners are feeling on top of the world, for at the week-end they filled the major positions in the Northern Counties Fell Race championships from Honister. Keswick easily took the team award.
Winner was local gardener Kenny Stuart. The former professional, who regained amateur status last summer, made his strength and class tell on the steep climb up Causey Pike, drawing steadily clear of his closest rivals.
Second place went to club-mate Billy Bland and third was another Keswick runner Jon Broxap.
Keswick half marathon
Royal Marines captain Barry Heath marched off with Keswick’s big half marathon road race on Sunday. Barry, who just over a year ago was fighting in the Falklands, is a captain in the marines stationed near Arbroath in Scotland. He came home unchallenged in a time of 70mins 36secs., just a handful of seconds outside Aussie Steven Poulton’s 1982 record.
It was the town’s biggest-ever participation sporting event, and 35 year old Heath dominated from the early stages. Nearly 1,000 athletes and fun runners took part, coming from all over Britain to run in what must be one of the most scenic road races anywhere.
Second home was M. Teasdale of Cramlington in Northumbria, two minutes adrift of the winner, while D. Sykes of Leeds was third. Bill Todd of Bootle was the first Cumbrian in fourth place and D. Anderson of Bingley won the veterans over 40 award with his 10th place overall. Gilbert Scott of Maryport took the over 50 prize in 68th place, with a time of 83 minutes.
Several local runners made their bid for glory. Duncan Frampton and David Wilkinson of Keswick were in the leading pack from the gun, while Grant Horsburgh had a very good run, eventually taking fifth place.
School teacher Jane Croft, fromSheffield, crowned a holiday in the Lake District by winning the ladies’ race. Petite Jane’s slim build belies her distance running strength – she recently ran a three hour marathon in London – and her time on Sunday was 88mins. 21secs.
Second lady was Gill Wilkinson of Keswick, whose husband David was eighth overall.
There were some cracking performances by local runners, many of them having their first taste of racing. The young runners gave some particularly creditable times.
One of the best double acts was by Dennis and Chris Hayes of Keswick. Father and son both finished well up with the leading group, Chris 16th spot and his father 91st.
One of the most deserving rounds of applause was reserved for Keswick’s mayor Sean Crawford, who trotted home fresh as a daisy in 1hr. 46mins., winning his “civic duel” with deputy mayor Martin Jordan, who finished in 2hrs. 5mins.
50 years ago
Death of Mr. B. G. Pattinson
The death occurred suddenly at his home at Peat Howe, Borrowdale, on Saturday, of a well-known figure in hound trailing and hunting circles, Mr. Benjamin George Pattinson. He was 75.
Mr. Pattinson was born at St. John’s-in-the-Vale but the family moved when he was a boy to Longthwaite Farm, Borrowdale, which he himself later ran until he retired nine years ago. He had trained trail hounds since 1925 and he had many well-known hounds and several champions through his hands. He was also a keen follower of the Blencathra foxhounds, despite the loss of a leg at an early age, and he walked hounds for many years.
Mr Pattinson is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Edmondson of Seathwaite, and Mrs. D. Lamb, Rosthwaite, and Mrs. P. Hosley, Peat Howe, and by two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
At the funeral at Borrowdale Church on Wednesday, the Blencathra Huntsman Mr. John Richardson, the Whipper-in Mr. Stanley Mattinson, Mr. V. Brownlee and Mr. P. Jenkinson were bearers.
Death of Mr. A. Birkett
Mr. Alan Birkett, Helvellyn Street, who died in Keswick Hospital on Saturday at the age of 59 was a member of an old Keswick family.
After leaving school he worked for a short time with his father, a dry stone waller and on the boats at the lake, and he was for fourteen years in the Horse Guards, serving with them through the 1939-45 war and attaining the rank of C.S.M.
Later he became licensee of the Oddfellows’ Arms but after his wife died some eighteen years ago, he rejoined the boat company and became secretary in succession to Mr. Walter M. Walker. He was also a member of Keswick British Legion and was standard bearer for a number of years.
Mr. Birkett is survived by his son Russell and by two brothers and four sisters.
Death of Mr. T. W. Bragg
A well known Keswick businessman, Mr. Thomas Wilson Bragg of “Idwal,” Chestnut Hill, died suddenly in Keswick Hospital on Saturday morning after being taken ill the night before. He was 70 years of age.
Mr. Bragg, a Keswickian by birth, served his time as a tailor and cutter with Messrs. Tyson in Keswick and subsequently worked in Bowness before returning to establish his own business in Main Street in 1932.
In the mid 1950s he moved to the present shop in St. John Street above which he and his wife lived until they recently moved to Chestnut Hill where the house had been converted and where Mr. Bragg’s son, Mr. Peter Bragg, who joined him in the business, also lives.
Mr. Bragg was throughout his life a keen sportsman. He had captained Keswick at football, his major interest, but he had earned medals for playing rugby and cricket; he went on to play golf, and, later in life, bowls, and he also enjoyed a game of billiards or snooker.
Mr. Bragg is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Eunice Snaith of Bowness, and his son. The funeral took place at St. John’s Church on Tuesday and was conducted by the Rev. V. M. Spencer Ellis.
