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
On the agenda – at last
Keswick campaigners, following the result of the recent town poll, have finally got their wish as Keswick Town Council were due to debate the issue of the future of the Tea Gardens site overlooking Derwentwater.
Councillors at their meeting last evening received an artist’s impression of how the cafe could be incorporated into the next door Theatre by the Lake to create a new studio facility and restaurant.
Following publication of the artist’s impression some two weeks ago, Patrick Gilchrist, the executive director of the Theatre by the Lake, said the drawing did not necessarily represent the architectural style of the building, but plans would show how cafe facilities and the theatre space might be set out within the footprint.
Despite the outcome of the town poll, in which 373 residents voted for the theatre extension and the loss of the Tea Gardens and 771 were opposed, Mr Gilchrist said he believed strongly that the development would be “to Keswick’s ultimate benefit” and would be accepted with the same sense of pride which the existing theatre enjoyed.
If Allerdale Council, owners of the Tea Gardens, assign the site to the theatre it will result in the replacement of existing buildings and the provision of a second theatre auditorium seating around 150 with a cafe.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, Over the months and years much has been said about retaining the inherent retailing character (charming, not necessarily cheap) of the centre of Keswick.
Regrettably, however, with every month that goes by the profile of this wonderful Lakeland town is being irrevocably damaged by the closure of yet another good, dependable ‘local’ store and the emergency of a ‘Cheap and Cheerful’ branch of a national chain (so far, dealing mostly with outdoor equipment and clothing). This is indeed very sad and ultimately dangerous to the future wellbeing of the town’s economy and its people. We are in serious danger of “killing the goose that lays the golden eggs”.
If all of us, living in and around Keswick, are really earnest about the future welfare of the town, then we must diligently follow a very basic and simple rule: Buty from our local shopkeepers every time. This not only allows local stores to prosper but also encourages other young people in town to take the risk of opening new businesses, ensuring a steady prosperity to all concerned. It is then, and only then, that shops offering items such as the ‘legendary’ underwear for Ray Trickey will begin to appear once again on the streets of Keswick!
Deip Guha
Grange
30 years ago
Railway station appeal decided
An Inspector appointed by the Minister for the Environment has upheld the appeal by Lakeland Plastics to develop the former railway station at Keswick – a scheme which could create twenty jobs.
Lakeland Plastics, who already have premises in Windermere, wish to have change of use permission for the redundant Keswick station, to form a shop and restaurant. The firm envisages spending at least £250,000 on building works and improvements and the Managing Director, Sam Rayner, has spoken of his delight with the Inspector’s decision to uphold their appeal against the refusal by the Lake District Special Planning Board to grant permission for the change of use.
A decision on whether Lakeland Plastics will be granted a lease on the building will be made by the owners, Allerdale Borough Council. Mr. Rayner said they were hoping for a quick decision from the Council as the matter has been held up since April and they would like to start work on the station before it deteriorates further.
Toytown Train
A road train scheme has been derailed by Keswick Town Councillors.
Hotelier lan Garside of Bowness on Windermere has requested permission of the Town Council to operate in Keswick a train similar to one which he already operates in Windermere. He envisages it running from the Moot Hall to the lake, and he needs the consent of Keswick Police and the County, District and Town councils before the scheme can be operational.
Despite a suggestion from Councillor Sean Crawford that they discuss the project with Mr. Garside and, perhaps, stage a pilot run, Town Councillors were strongly against the idea. Councillor Ron Munby said: “I have no wish to turn this town into a toytown”.
He was supported by Councillor Martin Jordan, who felt the town train would be ‘inappropriate’ for Keswick, any benefits being more than offset by the traffic congestion which resulted. Councillor Paul Buttle said the Council should be supporting more conventional means of public transport.
Police Inspector Kevin McGilloway told councillors that the main problems with the Windermere scheme had been caused by the 10 mph train speed, waiting on double yellow lines, and the traffic build up behind the train.
PUPs’ commemoration plaque
The achievements of the Keswick PUPs (Pushing Young People) during the 1930s and 1940s were many, and some of them last even today – the PUPs’ Clock at the Council Offices, for instance, and the shelter in the Wivell Memorial Park are just two.
Many people still remember the letters in the Keswick Reminder written by ‘T’PUP Chap’, Tom Wilson, all in dialect and probably totally incomprehensible to those not brought up in the area but which gave great pleasure to Keswickians at that time.
There aren’t many of the original PUPs left, unfortunately, but one well known PUP, Fred Aston, was invited by the Civic Society to unveil a plaque on Tuesday to record the town’s gratitude to those PUPs of days gone by. Also present were 93 year old Major Phil Davidson and 80 year old Wilfrid Ramsden who brought with him an early membership ticket and copies of the society’s quarterly magazine.
Mr. Aston said the PUPs were a group of young people who were “young at heart” and who had the interests of the town at the forefront of their efforts to do something in return for the privilege of living in “this beautiful little town”.
The commemorative plaque is on the wall of the Council chambers, beneath the clock which has recently been repaired and refurbished.
40 years ago
Staff lay-offs at Honister quarry – but future hopeful
The remaining 25 workers at the Buttermere and Westmorland Green Slate Quarries at the top of Honister Pass in Borrowdale are being temporarily laid-off today (Friday) because of a decline in orders during the past two months. Last weekend a further six men were finished and all workers had a £5 per week deduction made from their wages.
However the Managing Director of the quarry Mr. Bernard Moore, who took over 2½ years ago when the place was under imminent threat of shutdown, remains hopeful that work will recommence in the future.
He said: “We are far from finished yet. I have put too much into this quarry to walk away now. The position is still hopeful as we have the best slate and more reserves than all the others put together. We have a large serious inquiry for roofing slates from abroad which is worth £1.3 million. If this is successful work will continue normally immediately the order is received.”
Since taking over at Honister Mr. Moore has invested around £60,000 in new machinery and development. At one time he had built up the work force from ten to thirty-three.
The current problems are blamed largely on the depressed state of the home market. Local authority new building schemes are at a virtual standstill. But Mr. Moore believes the quarry could have continued working for several more months if it had been given grant aid by the County Council at the time of the new development work.
He revealed that the company had had to turn away orders worth up to £1.5 million because they did not have the capacity at the time to meet them.
About 65 per cent of the quarry workers come from Keswick and the remainder live in Borrowdale. Since taking over the old-established Honister quarries, Mr. Moore has been living and working on the site seven days a week. It’s against that background as very much a working director that he said: “I intend to stay here and keep fighting.”
Sponsored cycle ride raises over £600 for B.M.X. track
Young Keswick B.M.X. cycle enthusiasts did their bit to raise money towards the provision of a track in Fitz Park by raising over £600 on a sponsored ride on Sunday.
The Youth Club’s ride attracted 45 young riders, all of whom completed the ten mile circuit round Derwentwater, and they raised individual amounts ranging from £1 to nearly £100.
There were marshals in attendance at all twenty-two checkpoints along the way and two local police officers were present at the Youth Club to give the bikes the seal of roadworthiness before they started off. Riders from 8 years old upwards took part and there were even a couple of three year olds going round as passengers with mum and dad.
The riders were started by the Mayor, Mr. Eric Impey, from the Youth Club. And half way round they were entertained to refreshments by Mr. and Mrs. Impey at their home, Fellside, Manesty.
The biggest single earner was Kathryn Wilson, with £97 worth of sponsorship. Brothers Gary and Stephen Horne made a total of £56 and other leading money raisers included Darren Brown £32, Scott Thwaites £41, Scott Richardson £40, Chris Thwaites £31 and Duncan Booth £34.
50 years ago
Inquiry
With 15 caravan sites within six or seven miles, Keswick is in danger of being “submerged in these shanty-towns,” it was suggested at an inquiry in the Council offices on Tuesday.
A document bearing the signatures of 38 people, most of them resident on the Briar Rigg estate, was presented by Mr. John Morrison of Greta Street, opposing a plan for a caravan site on Archery Field, to the north of the town.
The inquiry was into the appeal by Mr. John Fryer-Spedding of Mirehouse against the refusal by the Lake District Special Planning Board to permit the development of about four acres as a site for some 60 caravans, a third of them permanent.
“I am very sympathetic to Mr. Spedding and do not dispute that as caravan sites go this would be one of the best-concealed, but you can walk on any eminence around Keswick and see three or four of them, ” said Mr. Morrison, claiming that caravans on Archery Field would spoil a pleasant country walk.
Mr. Spedding’s plans had been rejected because the Board felt that caravans on the site, immediately adjacent to the urban area, would detract from the character of an attractive open area. It would also be contrary to the Board’s policy, which preferred any such development to take place on the periphery of the National Park or on the approach road to it.
BBC film unit visits pencil mill
A production unit of the B.B.C. television programme ‘Play School’ together with film crew spent a whole day last Tuesday, October 22nd, filming the pencil manufacturing process at the Keswick factory of The Cumberland Pencil company Limited.
The completed film, which is being made under the direction of Peter Charlton, will be screened at a later date in ‘Play School’ the highly popular children’s programme which whilst mainly aimed at young viewers up to the age of 5 years is also watched by children up to 7 years of age.
