Looking back through the archives of The Keswick Reminder from around this week 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.
20 years ago
Million pound stars return
Forestry Commission chairman Lord Clark believes Cumbria’s favourite birds have helped attract in the region of two million pounds into the local economy since they first nested and successfully reared chicks high on the fell side above Bassenthwaite Lake.
One half of the famous osprey tourist attraction family has returned to prepare the Lake District nest for the summer – a male osprey is now back at Bassenthwaite looking for its mate to return from its winter quarters in Africa to begin breeding chicks. A female was also seen in the vicinity last week, but it is thought it was a bird of passage en route to its breeding grounds in the North of Scotland.
The return of the ospreys to Lakeland after more than 100 years provided the area with its most unexpected and welcome tourist boost. The presence of the birds has created jobs and last year alone attracted almost 110,000 visitors to the viewing areas at Whinlatter Forest and Dodd Wood.
STOP PRESS
The female osprey returned to the Bassenthwaite area on Wednesday evening, and both birds have been doing a spot of spring cleaning, bringing new sticks and fresh moss to their treetop nest.
30 years ago
Keswick school on the move
After nearly one hundred years on its present site, Keswick School is preparing to move. Headmaster Howard Allen said this week: “Ever since we merged with Lairthwaite School in 1980 we have been operating on two sites which are half a mile apart. This has created many difficulties for staff and pupils who often have to move from one site to another. Now we have the opportunity to move the whole school to Lairthwaite where we can all be together.”
With pupils now numbering 950, a total which is expected to increase in September, the Lairthwaite building will have to double in capacity. Mr. Allen continued: “Our plea to the Department for Education has been answered. We have now been allocated funds to build new classrooms and laboratories at Lairthwaite. The Governors’ plan is for the work to begin in September 1993, and to be completed by August 1995. This is a tight timescale but we think we can meet it.”
40 years ago
Half marathon for runners only
Five Keswick youngsters wanted to put their skates on for charity, but they will not be permitted to take part on roller skates in next month’s Keswick Rugby Club half marathon.
Adrian Holmes, Mark Cockbain, Andrew Swift, Kevin Hodgson and John Kearney, intended to don their crash helmets and protective arm and knee pads and show their expertise on wheels over the 13.1 mile course.
The proprietor of the Keswick Skating Centre in Station Road, Mr. Alan Dunn, stated in a letter in last Friday’s Reminder they wanted to raise money, through sponsors, for the Variety Club of Great Britain, who do a lot to help under-privileged children. The youngsters have already practised on the more difficult parts of the route, which goes up Newlands and around Derwentwater, and were willing to set off behind the runners.
However the race secretary Malcolm Craghill, said: “We certainly aren’t killjoys, and indeed a lot of people are running for the fun of the event and to raise money for good causes. If these lads had entered as runners it would have been different, but we have to draw the line somewhere.”
The race is held on public roads which, although supervised, are not closed during the time the run is taking place.
The referee for the race, Mr. Ross Brewster, said: “The event is registered as a road running race under Amateur Athletic Association laws. It is unfair to suggest the organisers are preventing people making money for charity. Under the rules, they have no discretion. It is a race specifically for runners competing on foot and they are simply abiding by that ruling.”
Mrs. Florrie Bowe
By the death of Mrs, J, Bowe, Meadow View, at the age of 83 years, Threlkeld has lost one of its oldest residents.
She is survived by her brother Mr. Ernest Stuart, and her sister, Mrs. Elsie Jackson both of Threlkeld, and many nephews and nieces. “Florrie,” as she was widely known, had spent the most of her life in the village and surrounding area.
She was associated with a number of village activities, and was a member of St. Mary’s Church.
She took a keen interest in gardening and helped her late husband, Joe, to exhibit at local flower shows. During the 1914-18 War she worked at the Threlkeld Lead Mines in various capacities.
A large number of relatives and friends attended the funeral and interment service at St. Mary’s Church, Threlkeld, last Wednesday. The service was conducted by the Revd. R. S. Woodall, and the Revd. W. H. George of Bassenthwaite.
St. John’s vicar appointed
The successor to Canon Michael Spencer Ellis, who has been vicar of St. John’s Church for over thirty years, has been appointed.
The congregation of St. John’s on Sunday morning heard that Canon Richard Watson, vicar of St. John the Baptist, Upperby, and Rural Dean of Carlisle, had accepted the churchwarden’s invitation to be their next vicar.
Richard John Sutton Watson is a Cumbrian born in Penrith in 1938. His father’s family farmed at Skelton, and his mother’s family were also farmers, in Matterdale. After leaving Penrith’s Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, where he was head boy, he served his National Service in the Border Regiment.
Mr. Watson’s wife, Heather, was born in Aberdeen but she was brought up in Maryport. She is a Health Visitor and a magistrate.
BBC’s “advert”
Keswick shopkeeper Lindsay Temple has been elevated to the top bracket thanks to two showbusiness stars.
In fact he must be the first trader ever to get an advert on BBC television – and a free one at that.
The plug came during last week’s Hinge and Bracket show and it came about because of the popular pair’s links with the Century Theatre, of which Mr. Temple is chairman. Hinge and Bracket have been to Keswick a couple of times, and on the last occasion they spent a morning shopping in the town and called in on Lindsay’s shop.
It was during a reminiscence sketch on their TV programme that they referred to “Temple’s hat shop in Keswick.”
Mr Temple said: “It just goes to prove how mu8ch publicity Keswick gets through having a theatre.”
50 years ago
Cumbria Elections
Keswick is to be represented on the new Cumbria Authority by its existing representative on Cumberland County Council since 1961, Mr. T. Martin Brannan who, on Thursday, was returned to office by 1,539 votes as Conservative Candidate compared with the 809 gained his Socialist opponent, Mr. J. E. Fryer.
Mrs. B. D. Iredell, Braithwaite, who is also a member of the Cumberland COunty Council was elected to the authority to represent the Buttermere/Brigham Division of which Portinscale is the Eastern boundary and she had 1,236 votes, standing as a Conservative, against the 885 of Mr. J.B. McCarron, Socialist.
Another standing member of the County Council, Mr. E. C. Hicks, Borrowdale, contested the Dearham and Bothel district as an Independent against Labour candidate Mr. W. Dobie, who was also a member of the Council and Mr. Dobie had 1,581 votes compared with Mr. Hicks 836.
On the East side of Keswick Mr. Stafford V. S. Howard, an Independent, was returned unopposed to represent the Greystoke/Mungrisedale area.
