A Quick Reminder: Looking back through the archives of The Keswick Reminder from around this week 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.
20 years ago
Proposed merger of Keswick primary schools
Some 40 parents of pupils of Keswick’s two primary schools attended a meeting last week to discuss plans to merge Trinity and St Kentigern’s schools. Canon Brian Smith, chairman of both schools’ governing bodies, says he found this support, together with the positive attitude of the meeting, most encouraging.
County Councillor Joan Stocker chaired three meetings attended by teachers, governors and parents, as well as two other members of Cumbria County Council.
The need to discuss the possible merger of the two schools has been prompted by the falling numbers of primary age children due, in part, to the lack of affordable housing in and around the town for young people with families. In line with the national trend, it is probable that these numbers will continue to fall in the future.
In a ‘straw poll’ held at the meeting the majority, 85 per cent, of parents were in agreement with the proposed merger; the other 15 per cent abstained, but did not disagree with the plans. An interim governing body will be set up to look at the practicalities of merging the schools, which share the same site and are ideally situated to link the two buildings together, forming one new school.
Will is voice of the hills
A Keswick hill farmer has been named as the National Farmers’ Union’s official spokesperson for issues concerning less favoured areas of land in England and Wales.
Less favoured area land is mostly situated in the hills, which makes Will Cockbain, who owns Rakefoot Farm in Keswick, the ideal spokesperson on these issues.
Mr Cockbain’s role as official spokesperson will be to voice the views and concerns of farmers in less favoured areas at meetings held by organisations concerned with the welfare of farmers and the environment. He will also explain their views and concerns to a wider audience via regional and farming press.
He said: “The farming sector is facing huge changes with the common agricultural policy reforms and there is increasing input from other agricultural organisations and lobbying bodies. I see my role as making sure that the voice of grassroots farmers is heard on a national platform.”
30 years ago
King’s Head Court
Mr. Jackie Young and his son, John, owners of John Young & Son (Antiques), are considering a refurbishment scheme of one of Keswick’s historic town centre yards – the King’s Head Court Yard.
They have called in a firm of architects to draw up a suitable scheme and it is estimated this will cost £13,00, and they are seeking grant aid from organisations and local councils.
The project is being drawn up in consultation with the Lake District Planning Board and it is anticipated that reclaimed stone flags and cobbles will be used with beck stone edging to recreate the yard as it was in years gone by.
Theft at Whinlatter centre
Two stuffed badgers have been stolen from a display at the Whinlatter Forest visitor centre.
It is understood that one of the animals went missing at the end of last month; the other was taken last weekend. They were part of an outdoor display which is particularly popular with children. The animals were in a window and the display forced open.
40 years ago
Big turn out for round the houses race
Keswick’s revived “round the houses” road race was given a bumper send off on Wednesday evening when a field of about ninety runners took part in the helter-skelter dash through the main streets.
The winner was nineteen year old English Schools race walking champion Martin Rush from Cockermouth, who is son of Keswick Athletic Club chairman Frank Rush.
Martin, the current U.K. under 20s champion, was second in last Saturday’s A.A.A.’s 10 kilometre walk in Birmingham and has his sights set later this summer on winning one of the three places in the British Olympic walking team. Obviously there is a lot of competition for the team and Martin has it all to do, but he will be furthering his international experience in a fortnight’s time when he is one of the Great Britain representatives in the Spanish Championships which are being held in Barcelona.
Wednesday’s five and a half mile race round Keswick was the completion of a hectic day for young Martin who had already completed two stiff training sessions earlier in the day for race walking. His winning time was 26mins. 53secs.
First local runner home was Grant Horsburgh, in fourth place in 28mins. 29secs.
First lady to finish was former British Ladies Fell Running champion Pauline Howarth of Threlkeld who was 27th overall in a time of 32-58.
Awards were presented at the Pack Horse Inn by the Editor of the Keswick Reminder, Mrs. Pat Branthwaite, who had donated the first prize of an engraved tray, which was made at Keswick Industrial Arts.
Cool reception for high technology plan
There has been a cool initial response to suggestions for the setting up of a high technology complex in the Lake District, as near to Bassenthwaite and the A.66 as possible.
Workington M.P. Dale Campbell Savours and the chairman of Allerdale Council Planning Committee Mr. Bob Cattanach have been discussing the project for some months with English Estates also involved. The project would be similar to craft workshop units built by English Estates in another part of Cumbria.
Mr. Cattanach said that there was an obvious need to generate jobs in the area for a high technology complex dealing with computer software.
Coal merchants hand in petition
Coal merchants Mick Taylor and George Dover have handed over a petition to the Lake District Planning Board containing 1,700 signatures in favour of their bid to stay on a site within the town.
They are under threat of having to quit their present site on the station yard because the owners, the Planning Board, say they feel the coal businesses are incompatible with their future plans for a leisure pool, theatre and housing.
However Mr. Taylor said the coalmen had been pleased with the “tremendous support” received from people in Keswick and district. He said: “We have got about 1,700 signatures, but we could have added a lot more after we closed the petition.”
And he added: “I think a lot of people in Keswick are very concerned about the future of the coal service.”
Rock of Names – trustees of Dove Cottage respond
The following statement was issued last Wednesday by Mr. Jonathan Wordsworth, Chairman of the Trustees of Dove Cottage.
“We do owe an apology to Mr. Darrall and the Parish Council regarding the removal of the Rock of Names. We ought to have thought more considerately about the implications for people in the area. If the people of Thirlmere Parish wish to accept responsibility for it, raise money to embed the Rock in a rockface beside the lake and guarantee its future protection, then Dove Cottage would welcome that as a solution – perhaps the best. However, there are a number of reasons why Dove Cottage would be a good home for it; these are being submitted to the Revd. Darrall, and will no doubt be considered by the Parish Council.”
Mr. Wordsworth issued the statement after floods of criticism, especially from the residents of Thirlmere, that the Rock of Names had been taken away for cleaning and for re-siting at Dove Cottage, without consultation of any kind with the Parish Council.
The vicar of St. John’s-in-the-Vale and wythburn, the Revd. Geoffrey Darrall, wrote to the Keswick Reminder of his concern at the lack of consultation and he and other correspondents have stated that this rock should, if at all possible, be replaced where it has stood for so many years. The whole point of the rock was that it was inscribed with the initials of a group of people who met at Thirlmere, half-way between their homes at Grasmere and Keswick. The fact that those people included Wordsworth, his sister, his wife, and Coleridge, does not entitle anyone to remove it in such a high-handed way.
50 years ago
R.A.F. Association
A very successful year was reported on Monday evening at the annual meeting of the R.A.F. Association and the branch was congratulated by both the North Western Area Secretary, Mr. Harry Keegan, and by North West Area Councillor Mr. R. Griffiths, Penrith, who were present.
The annual report of the officers recorded that the branch won a trophy for attaining the second highest Wings Appeal collection in the area (£1,639) and two membership trophies, having a total of 211. Regular visits had been made to people in sickness or in need, whether members or not, and all applications for assistance made by the Welfare Officer had been approved.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Sir, I would like to make it known that the article in the “Sunday People” (17th March) about members of the Keswick Athletic Club streaking round the tearooms is totally unfounded and has nothing whatsoever to do with this club. The aim of the Keswick Athletic Club is to reflect credit on the good name of the town of Keswick.
Yours faithfully,
D. Ellison
Secretary
