A Quick Reminder: Looking back through the archives of The Keswick Reminder from around this week 20, 30 and 50 years ago.
20 years ago
Asian tsunami appeal – an overwhelming response from Keswickians
This last week the people of Keswick have once again shown their deep concern for others with a massive outpouring of generosity towards the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster, through their donations to the various collections in and around the town.
The Oxfam Shop Manager in Keswick, Joy Strong, says: “One place where the force of this generosity has been keenly felt has been the Oxfam shop in Museum Square. By the close of trading on Tuesday, in just six days, Keswickpeople had donated almost £7,000 into the shop, all of which will go to the joint charities’ Disasters Emergency Committee Asian Tsunami Appeal. All of this was from individual donations (some of several hundreds of pounds) over the counter. More is expected from collections which people have been making elsewhere in the town and which will be paid into the Appeal via Oxfam.
“In my 20 years of working for Oxfam, I have never known giving like this. The scale of Keswick’s response reflects the scale of the disaster, and is truly humbling.”
Retirement of Mrs Carole Rael
The Editor has received a marvellous tribute to the pupils of Keswick School from Mrs Carole Rael, who retired after teaching in Keswick for 36 years — a record which few can equal. She writes: “Don’t let anyone ever tell you that the youth of today is thoughtless and uncaring after what I witnessed during my last week at Keswick School”.
Mrs Rael describes her final week as “quite a roller-coaster week of emotions”, and she says she had jotted down those events which she felt the people of Keswick (and beyond) just may like to hear about, to remind them of just what makes Keswick school so unique.
Carole was appointed by Nancy Chew, the Acting Head of Lairthwaite School at the time, to teach general subjects such as English, drama, needlework, PE/games, and of course music. When the two schools, Lairthwaite Secondary Modern and Keswick Grammar, joined together in 1980, she continued to teach Music and a certain amount of English, and in latter years citizenship was added to her programme. When Brian Spencer, Head of Year 7, took early retirement she took a sideways move to take over this role, making way for a new Head of Music.
“I have tried to calculate just how many children have, hopefully, enjoyed being taught by me and over the 35 years the number must be in excess of 28,000 — a very frightening number, particularly for people who don’t always understand how difficult teaching can be!”
Carole describes a special ceremony provided by members of the school choirs who sang a Beatles favourite of hers “With a Little Help From My Friends” before presenting her with flowers, cuddly toys, a memory book and a beautiful framed photograph of boats at Derwentwater taken by one of the Sixth Form choristers, Emily Thompson.
During her last week the Headmaster, Mike Chapman, organised a tea party at the school to which various ex-pupils and parents popped along to share special memories, including Harry Pridmore, a former Chairman of Governors — Mr Pridmore hasn’t been too well, and Mrs Rael says she appreciates he made the effort to attend this function.
Some of Carole’s teaching colleagues, especially Liz Swainson, Marie Lee, Janet Wilson and Chris Haslam, organised a superb farewell dinner with delicious food prepared by a former pupil, Richard Burton, and a mini “This is Your Life” presentation put together by Marie Lee, the Head of Music.
Carole writes: “Two final assemblies saw Messrs. Crossley and Noble leading the children in singing of ‘Oh Carole’ with suitably changed words.”
She concludes: “Children do care; they are thoughtful and considerate and I hope that in some small way I have been partly responsible for them continuing to be so. Keswick School is a very unique school and one with which I’ve been proud to have been associated for so many years. Long may it prosper.”
30 years ago
Rescued twice
A middle aged couple from Wilmslow, Cheshire were rescued twice earlier this week by members of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
On New Year’s Day a Rosthwaite resident saw a light flashing on the fellside and called out the Rescue Team thinking the light was a call for help. Two members of the Keswick Team found the couple making their way down the fell, having been overtaken by darkness.
At midnight on Monday the alarm was raised when a couple failed to report back to their guest house in Rosthwaite. Members of the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team turned out to help, and were surprised to discover they were called out to the very same man and woman from the previous night’s incident! This time the couple were located at 3-15 a.m. on Tuesday, stranded on a ledge on Raven Crag. They were winched to safety by the crew of an RAF helicopter from Boulmer.
Keswick Police said that, after the incident on Monday, the proprietor of the guest house where the couple were staying advised them to leave a card giving details of their intended route on the hills, but they had failed to do so.
Inspector Kevin McGilloway said: “Rescuers have no qualms about turning out to help climbers who may have had an accident that is not their fault, but when it comes down to bad planning it is a different matter.
“There is no suggestion the couple were not reasonably equipped, but they got themselves stuck by being caught out by nightfall and a route card would have made it easier to locate them.”
On Wednesday the man called a local radio phone-in to put his side of the story after criticism by the police that, in spite of advice after the first incident, he failed to leave details of his intended route and again had to be rescued, this time involving a helicopter. In his radio interview the man claimed the initial call out had not actually been a rescue. Someone had seen lights at Rigg Head above Rosthwaite and had raised the alarm with good intentions, but he and his companion had made their own way down.
He said he and his companion had become trapped on the second occasion while ice climbing at Raven Crag. The woman developed hypothermia and they had been lifted to safety by the helicopter which had earlier been called out by Keswick Mountain Rescue Team leader Mark Hodgson. He paid tribute to the team members who helped him and his companion off the crags.
However he claimed that the publicity which subsequently surrounded the double rescue story had been “inaccurate”.
50 years ago
Christmas at Blencathra
Although Blencathra Hospital, Threlkeld, is scheduled for closure within the next few months, patients enjoyed the traditional Christmas celebrations.
A pre-Christmas party was provided by Threlkeld Women’s Institute and the hospital chaplain, the Rev. J. H. Vine0000 Hall, and members of Threlkeld Mothers’ Union led carols. More Christmas carols and songs were presented by the Rev. John Dale of Keswick Southey Street, Methodist Chapel.
Gifts were received from the League of Friends of Blencathra Hospital, Keswick Catholic Ladies’ Guild, Keswick Inner Wheel Club and Keswick Rotary Club as well many individuals.
On Christmas Day, there was the usual meal of turkey and other festive fare. The Maton, Mrs. B. Scoon, and the chef, Mr. M. Hunter carved the turkey.
On Christmas Day and Boxing Day patients were entertained by Mr. James Rutland and his electronic organ.
New Year
New Year celebrations in Keswick were brought to an unceremonious halt in the early hours of New Year’s Day when the Christmas tree outside the Moot Hall broke.
A number of young men had been climbing the 20ft. high tree and it is thought that their weight caused it to snap in the middle. One young man was still detained in the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, yesterday where doctors said he was under observation for head injuries. The injured man had asked that his name should not be released.
Large crowds filled the Market Square to see in the New Year. One estimate of the number of people was as high as 700. Police reported that, apart from the collapse of the Christmas tree, there were no other major incidents.
On New Year’s Day Keswick Rugby Club played Penrith in the traditional holiday fixture, but were beaten by 9 points to 6 despite two penalty goals kicked by David Hume. The clash was switched to the Keswick School ground because of the waterlogged state of Greta Park following recent flooding.
- Unfortunately our edition from January 4, 1985 is missing from the archive.
