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
Flood photos snapped up
Several of local photographer Stuart Holmes’s flood night photographs appeared on the front page of The Keswick Reminder last week and now Keswick people are snapping up prints of his own panoramic view of the lakes joined by flood water.
Stuart took photographs all through the Friday night floods — and also helped the emergency services when he wasn’t behind his camera — and climbed Latrigg on Saturday morning to shoot his own pictures of Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake joined by flood water — an event which has not happened for over 50 years.
When Stuart’s pictures of the joined up lakes went on show at Derwent Picture Frames’ stall during last Saturday’s Market, people were queuing up to take a look and buy copies of this rarity.
Owner of Derwent Picture Frames, at High Hill, Sally Kidman, said: “It was a historic event and I suppose the picture has documentary interest. No-one seems to know exactly when it was the lakes last joined up. Some say it was probably in the late 1940s or around 1950.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
At last I can take time off from working flat out to begin rehabilitating after the recent floods in Keswick, reaching 2 feet throughout our house.
We have been overwhelmed by the fantastic help and support from neighbours and friends throughout the district. This has come from all quarters, even from people we hardly know, and not only from old friends but also from people who have recently moved into the area. These are some of the things they have done:
- Came to help for hours during the night of the flood;
- Swooshed out water from the house;
- Lifted out heavy sodden carpets and furniture;
- Cleared out flooded shelves and cupboards covered in slimy mud;
- Come armed with their own cleaning materials and cleaned out thick slimy deposits from house, garage, shed, paths, patios, driveway;
- Driven a flooded campervan a 40+ mile round trip for inspection;
- Made long inventories of items lost;
- Researched prices in shops for Insurance purposes;
- Brought full meals to the house as well as other goodies;
- Taken away filthy laundry as well as day to day items;
- Shopping;
- Loaned heaters, furniture, TV;
- Offered accommodation, storage space;
- Allowed us to telephone;
- Taken away a huge collection of records to dry out.
Our mayor called twice to see how we were getting on and, as well as all the above help, we cannot praise too highly the care and concern of our local plumber, electrician and builder who came out several times during the weekend and evenings to help. The council swiftly and efficiently moved our damaged possessions.
I am writing this letter to make public all the kindness and goodwill there is in abundance here in Keswick. Words cannot express adequately what we fell, but we know for sure, it will never be forgotten.
Chris and Sylivia Pilling
High Hill
Keswick
Fairtrade status for Keswick
Following the decision of Keswick Town Councillors at their December meeting, Keswick has now been awarded Fairtrade Town status.
The official declaration will be made at a special event at the Theatre by the Lake on 8th March, at which it is hoped that Tadesse Meskela, an Ethiopian coffee farmer, will be here as part of a tour of the country in Fairtrade Fortnight.
Speaking of her pleasure at the granting of the award, Mayor Elizabeth Barraclough paid tribute to the many guest houses, hotels, hostels, cafés and restaurants that are making Fairtrade products available to their guests and customers in and around the town.
She said: “There is no point in having Fairtrade Town status unless people are actually implementing it, shops selling it, people buying it, and tourist businesses serving it. What is happening in Keswick ought to be happening everywhere!”
Echoing the Mayor’s comments, Bob Bryden, Chair of Keswick’s Fairtrade Campaign, expressed his great satisfaction with the award: “We have been campaigning for this for 18 months and it is a real achievement for the town and people of Keswick. We really do believe Keswick deserves it, because there is probably more happening in Keswick on Fairtrade than in any other town in the country of comparable size.”
30 years ago
Keswick School wins ‘Anthem for Cumbria’
Judges of Cumbria Tourist Board’s 1995 Festival of Arts and Culture music competition for schools have unanimously chosen “Cumbria Boogie” by Keswick School to be the new Anthem for Cumbria.
Composed by 15 year old Sian Hellier, “Cumbria Boogie” tells the story of God’s creation of Cumbria and a group of sheep’s appreciation of it!
“My aim was to compose a catchy tune to attract people to Cumbria, with lyrics that were easily recognisable and made people think,” said Sian.
Her winning entry was recorded and sung with the help of fellow students Carrie Burbush, Kate Green, Rachel Davis, Sarah Watmough and Jeremy Shaw.
The judging panel, whose chairman was Renna Kellaway of the Royal Northern College of Music and Lake District Summer Music’s artistic director, thought the winning anthem had shape, lots of life, its own style and popular appeal.
“The judges felt that ‘Cumbria Boogie’ was something other schools would love to sing, and people would hum in the street,” said Cumbria Tourist Board’s Lorna Jones who organised the competition. “The Tourist Board was looking for an anthem which was a celebration of Cumbria – this is definitely it!”
40 years ago
Off to the “Do” – by veg. van
That great Keswick tradition, the Old Folks’ “Do,” was celebrated for the 112th time in the Royal Oak Hotel on Wednesday, when 245 old folk braved the snow and ice to meet up with old friends for chat over a cuppa.
For one small group of wheelchair residents at the town’s Ravensfield Old People’s Home the problem of getting to the hotel on time was solved in a somewhat unusual way.
When local firm Caterite heard about the difficulty they came up with the answer in the shape of one of their vegetable vans.
The old folk were duly delivered to their party in this rather novel transport.
Amazingly the numbers attending this year showed an increase on the 1984 figure despite the adverse conditions. Maybe some people made a special effort in view of the question mark surrounding “Do” number 113 in 1986.
Treasurer Mr. Routledge said the event had taken place at the Royal Oak for the last thirty years, but the organisers were aware the hotel was in the process of changing hands and they would have to await developments.
There would be real problems finding another local venue which could seat up to 250 folk for a meal. The only alternative would probably be to bring in caterers, but the essence of the Old Folks’ Do is the special atmosphere of the present venue. Mr. Routledge summed it up when he said: “People enjoy the style and quality of the event. Anything else would not be quite the same.”
The oldest lady attending on Wednesday, Mrs. Nellie Dixon (92), of Helvellyn Street, received a bouquet of flowers while a gift of whisky went to the oldest man, 93 year old Mr. Fred Bowness of High Hill.
Vandals hit railway society
Vandals have caused over £300 worth of damage to a Keswick tourist attraction. But worse than that, they have tried to-destroy a Cumbrian model making enthusiast’s labour of love.
During the past two summers over 11,000 people have visited the Derwent Railway Society’s museum at Keswick station and marvelled at the intricate skills which went into the rail layout.
This was the work of the late Mr. Bill Kellett of Newton Reigny, and all the more marvellous because he suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis. After he died, an article in a newspaper about the model layout attracted the interest of the Society and two members bought it for display at Keswick.
Intricate bridges, part of the Canadian rocky mountain setting of the layout, had been damaged as well as snow sheds, a loco, trees, figures and other small items.
Keswick Police confirmed that they were aware of the break-in at the railway station and a spokesman said they were also investigating a break-in at the cricket pavilion Fitz Park.
50 years ago
Presentation
The Chief Scout’s medal of merit was presented to Miss Nancy Longbottom in a special ceremony at the Keswick Scout and Guide Centre on Monday night. Miss Longbottom recently retired after having been associated with both Cubs and Scouts in the town, in various capacities, since 1940.
She received the medal from the County Commissioner, Mr. J. A. Rawlings, and a stainless steel dish was presented on behalf of the Keswick Scout Group Council by the chairman, Mr. K. Nicholson.
Reference to Miss Longbottom’s long association with Scouts in Keswick was made by the former District Commissioner, Mr. J. W. Slee, and tributes to her work were paid by Mr. Rawlings and Mr. Nicholson.
Storms
The heavy rain and strong winds brought problems for many householders in the surrounding areas earlier this week.
There were several reports of trees being blown down by Monday night’s gale force gusts. These included a tree on the Whinlatter road and another at the bus turning place in Portinscale. Another tree was sent crashing near Mr. E. Phillips’s garage at Thornthwaite which broke the pole carrying low voltage electricity lines and about ten consumers in the area were without power until Tuesday.
An Electricity Board official said later: “It has not been as bad as the great storm last year, but it seems that the area worst affected has been the belt from Cockermouth to Keswick.”
