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
The final hunt
Thursday was a memorable but definitely sad day for one of Britain’s most famous fell hunting packs, the Blencathra, which turned out for its final hunt meet, as the ban on hunting with dogs came into force at midnight, after the Countryside Alliance lost its Court of Appeal case on Wednesday.
In excess of 200 hunt supporters, from all around the county and beyond, joined Blencathra Huntsman Barry Todhunter and Joint Masters Dr Jim Fox and Mr Michael Thompson at the kennels on the outskirts of Threlkeld village for the start of the final hunt on Thursday morning.
There was a mixture of sadness and anger as the Blencathra Pack set off up the mountains for its last official hunt and Dr Cox said although the occasion was historic and memorable, it was for the wrong reasons. The Court of Appeal backed the High Court’s original decision and threw out the Countryside Alliance’s case and the Alliance was also refused leave to appeal to the House of Lords, with the Lord Chief Justice ruling that this would create too much uncertainty around the Hunting Act.
However, although hunt supporters are downhearted, they say the legal battle is still not over and there is a belief that the case will end up in the House of Lords as Peers can still choose to hear the case.
Huntsman Barry Todhunter, only the seventh huntsman in the Pack’s history – which goes back to 1826 when Squire Crozier brought the hounds together for the Blencathra as a private pack — who has served the hunt for the past 32 years, faces an uncertain future, and certainly shed a tear as they set of up Blease Fell for the final day’s hunting.
Hunt supporters feel shattered that hunting, which has always been a part of their lives, has now been taken away from them; champion Fell Runner Kenny Stuart, who lives in Threlkeld, said he had hunted since he was 10 years old and feels the ban is “hypocritical” and “won’t save a single fox.”
Many feel the ban will have an effect on the local economy: supporters from out of the county who come regularly to hunt in Cumbria say it will not be as easy for them to visit the Lake District with no lure of the packs.
A large number of hunt supporters feel the ban is unpoliceable, although the majority will certainly abide by the law.
The Blencathra Hunt committee intends to maintain the kennels and hounds over the summer, in case the courts overturn the ban, and the pack is then in a position to commence hunting once again.
New football ground update
Depending on planning permission for the move from Walker Park, Keswick Football Club could be set to kick-off on the new Hospital Field ground for the 2006-07 season.
Following the long-awaited move a timetable has now been drawn up and planning permission is expected to be approved later in 2005, with work starting on the pitch during the winter months. Once Keswick footballers have been relocated to the pitch next to lower Fitz Park, Walker Park will be redeveloped into a high quality campsite by the Camping and Caravanning Club.
30 years ago
Business as usual
John Buckley, who has taken over one of Keswick’s best known businesses, says he is well aware that he has acquired a tradition and something of a tourist attraction.
Brysons bakery, with shops in Keswick and Cockermouth, was started after the war by Mr. John Bryson senior, who purchased the existing business of Heptinstalls. During the intervening years Brysons have won awards for craft baking and also for the architecture of their Keswick premises. In the past few years the business was run by Mr. Bryson’s sons, John and Neil, who are continuing to have an input into the business as advisors.
At present the business employs over sixty members of staff and Mr. Buckley has assured them their jobs are safe.
Mr. Buckley, who trained as an engineer, has been mainly concerned in the past years with food and consumer goods manufacturing, supplying supermarkets. Latterly he was operations director with a dairy firm in Skelmersdale. He is married, with two children, and his wife is a teacher.
Mr. Buckley stressed that all staff would be retained. “The people who work here have great pride and are genuinely concerned about the products. There will be no radical changes, more a steady development of the business.”
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,— At about 2-40 p.m, on 12th January I witnessed, with some friends, a propeller driven aeroplane suddenly climbing vertically and as it did so a jet propelled aeroplane roared through the space it had just left.
This incident occurred in the direction of Portinscale as seen from Caterite car park. It was also witnessed by a member of staff at Nichol End Marine.
After two phone calls from them and three phone calls and two letters from me, the RAF Regional Community Relations Officer has replied in writing: “In accordance with international agreements, it remains the pilot’s obligation to report as an Air Miss any incident which he or she considers has endangered his or her life or aircraft or the lives of others …
“I am unable to take the matter further other than to copy your letter and this response to the Ministry of Defence, Whitehall.”
I think it is important that your readers are made aware of the fact that it appears that if a pilot does not report an Air Miss, then it did not exist.
Ray Trickey
Keswick
40 years ago
Closure date for Ratcliffe Place Post Office
The Post Office this week announced that the Ratcliffe Place sub post office in Keswick would be closing in May.
The news signalled defeat for local residents and organisations who have been fighting for the retention of the facility. Local Councillor Chris Burns said it would have a major impact on the community, and he added: “It’s a great shame. It looks as if we have lost the battle. It will hit residents hard in that part of the town, especially pensioners who will have to trail into the town to go to the main post office for their pensions.”
Mr. Burns sees it as another instance of cost-cutting coming before service to the community which seems to be part of a trend affecting small retail units in areas outside town centres.
“Ratcliffe Place used to have a shop and post office and there is at this moment a grocery business for sale in the same area of the town,” he said.
South Lakeland “no objection”
South Lakeland District Council are to raise no objection to Keswick Town Council joining their area if they wish.
Keswick Town Council is investigating the possible advantages of joining with Eden or South Lakeland, but South Lakeland’s Chief Executive Mr. Alan Winstanley told his Policy and Resources Committee on Tuesday that although the Council should feel “flattered by this approach,” he did not think there was much mileage in it. There were parishes between Keswick and South Lakeland and there would have to be similar approaches made by those parishes.
However, Councillor Peter Crabtree said: “If Keswick are so unhappy with their masters. There is no reason we should not encourage them. If we have a claim to administer planning policies in the National Park, the acquisition of Keswick would strengthen our case.”
And Councillor Mrs. Elizabeth Braithwaite, of Grasmere, pointed out that her ward was nearer to Keswick than to Kendal. “I don’t mind looking at it,” she stated. “There is a lot of common ground, particularly tourism.”
Cream of the cake makers
Catering supervisor at Keswick School Mrs. Christine Stockdale can claim to be the cream of the cake makers of west Cumbria. For Mrs. Stockdale was the first winner of a rose bowl presented at Keswick’s big catering trade fair on Wednesday for her gateau.
Two dozen entrants took part in the contest organised by food firm L. E. Pritchett and Co. in conjunction with the fair organisers Caterite and the Hotels and Caters’ Association.
Second and third prizes were awarded to Mr. Burton, a student at the West Cumbria College, and Mrs. Isobel Birkett of Threlkeld.
50 years ago
Mr. Ronald Mustchin
Last Saturday evening a most enjoyable dinner was held at the Thornthwaite Gallery in honour of Mr. Ronald Mustchin who, to the great regret of all his pupils and friends, children and adults alike, has decided to retire from his musical work at the end of this term. Mr. Gordon Bessey, Director of Education for Cumbria, and Mrs. Bessey together with some twenty personal friends and colleagues from Keswick and much further afield, were able to share this occasion with ‘Ron,’ and Mr. Ian Carswell, until recently Music Adviser to Cumberland, summed up everybody’s feelings in a short speech of appreciation.
On behalf of all the gathering he then made a presentation of an album of gramophone records of Beethoven Quartets, and Mr. Mustchin responded with a characteristically brief and amusing reply. The enjoyment of the evening owed much to the delightful surroundings and excellent meal provided by Mr. and Mrs. Gilboy and their family, and the one regret was the absence through indisposition of Mrs. Mustchin.
Keswick Festival
A two-week Festival is to be staged in Keswick in June. A series of events, many of them featuring established local organisations and societies, will be staged to attract and cater for tourists to the area during his period.
The Keswick Festival will run from 14th-28th June. A further meeting is to take place in the
Council Chamber on Friday, 21st February, at 7-30 p.m., when it is hoped enquiries regarding a Morris Dancing Group, a Brass Band Concert and other events may be to hand.
Associations responsible for organising their own events will be: – Keswick Operatic Society, Round Table, R.A.F.A., Mountain Singers, Chamber of Trade, Century Theatre, Hotels & Caterers’ Association, and Crosthwaite Handbell Ringers.
Dr. G. J. Phillips has agreed to arrange two musical evenings and the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra will be in Keswick during this period.
Mr. Michael Pearson will arrange slide shows and it is hoped that Mr. Boustead will arrange a folk evening. Mr. Michael Bott is to explore the possibility of holding an exhibition of local arts and crafts.
