Looking back through the archives of The Keswick Reminder from around this week 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.
20 years ago
Mystery flying object
The RAF has solved the mystery of an object which was seen falling from a massive transport plane as it cruised over a Cumbrian fellside.
Three golfers playing on the Keswick course at Threlkeld Hall all reported seeing what appeared to be a person or object falling from an RAF Hercules plane as it flew at low level over nearby moorland.
Local member Mike Clark said: “We watched the Hercules passing and suddenly something either fell or jumped out of the aircraft. We thought we were seeing things. We hadn’t even been to the 19th hole at that stage.”
But the RAF has solved the mystery. A spokesman for the RAF said that a plane from 30 Squadron RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire had been in the area on exercise at the time and had dropped a harness to some troops on the ground.
The incident was also spotted by another Keswick member John Fleet along with a visitor from Durham who was also playing golf at the course on Monday afternoon.
Mr Clark was curious to know if anyone else had seen the drop and could give any explanation.
“At first I thought it was a parachutist, but it was flying too low for that. Then I thought something could have fallen off the plane, although it flew along perfectly normally afterwards.”
The Hercules was flying above Wallthwaite across the A66 in the direction of Mungrisdale when the golfers saw the object fall.
The RAF spokesman said that the harness was recovered; the operation was completed successfully and this is the likely explanation of what the golfers observed.
30 years ago
High tea on Skiddaw
The Rotary Club of Bassenthwaite’s unusual fund raising venture proved so popular it could well become an annual event!
Some 800 people, both locals and visitors, climbed Skiddaw last Sunday on a glorious sunny afternoon to take ‘High’ tea with Rotarians on Skiddaw summit. Tea and scones with jam and cream were served between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. by Rotarians attired in dinner suits and bow ties, and certificates were issued on request to confirm ‘High’ Tea had been taken.
Many local people said they had not been up Skiddaw for years and this event had encouraged them to make the effort.
Bassenthwaite Rotarians had been granted access and car parking facilities by land owners and many local people had sponsored raffle prizes and contributed to the success of the event.
The magnificent sum of over £2,000 was raised and this will be split between local charities, the British Heart Foundation (a national charity), and the international charity Water Aid.
Threlkeld quarry housing
A low cost housing scheme at Threlkeld Quarry was officially launched last week by the chairman of Threlkeld Housing Association, Robin Harris, MBE., MC.
The Housing Association is a group of volunteers and specialist advisers in the development of a parcel of land which was given by ARC in 1988 for local housing. It is intended that 14 houses, 2 and 3 bedroom, be built, at the “lower end” of the property market scale, as part of a three-pronged Community Initiative.
The other two parts are the Blencathra Business Centre which comprises purpose built workshops, already built, and the Mining and Quarrying working museum.
The low cost housing project has received financial support from the Cumberland Building Society and this society has declared its intention to make mortgages available to those wishing to purchase the houses. The properties will be available to prospective buyers who have some direct connection, through relatives or by employment, within the parishes of Threlkeld and St. John’s-in-the-Vale, and the houses under construction will be sold from £37,500 to £42,000.
In his opening address Mr. Harris paid tribute to the volunteer support particularly from the parish councils, and the efforts of the housing officers of Allerdale Borough Council and Eden District Council.
It is anticipated that the first block of eight houses will be occupied by Christmas.
40 years ago
Golden wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Watson of 2 Embankment Cottages, Thirlmere, celebrate their Golden Wedding today.
They were married on July 1st, 1933 at St. John’s Church by the Revd, Lewin, and held their wedding reception at the Twa Dogs.
Their first home was No. 6, Brigham Row in Keswick, but they moved to Thirlmere in December, 1934,
Mr Watson worked for forty-one years for the Forestry Department of Manchester Corporation at Thirlmere, becoming Head Foreman. His wife, Jeannie, was the cook in the Legburthwaite school canteen for twenty years until the closure of the school, and both these records of service show the steadfastness and loyalty of this hard-working couple.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson have two sons, Danny and Malcolm, both of whom are married and live in Keswick, and three grandchildren. All the family are celebrating the Golden Wedding with a dinner party at the Kings Head Hotel, Thirlspot.
Petition against garage
Residents in the Skiddaw Street area have raised a petition against proposals by Robert Furness & Son to use the Skiddaw Street Garage, at one end of the street, for the storage and maintenance of vehicles.
Forty-nine signatures, representing 33 households, appear on the petition which claims that the use of the garage in this way would be “inappropriate” in a residential area, and there would be noise and traffic problems from the extra vehicles.
The petition and nine separate letters of objection were before this week’s meeting of the Lake District Special Planning Board’s Development Control committee.
Formerly used by a Keswick estate agent for the storing of furniture for auction, the garage was built in 1962 for a Keswick coach firm which has since ceased to operate.
Robert Furness & Son have told the Planning Board that they wish to use the Skiddaw Street garage to accommodate vehicles currently stored at their Tithebarn Street Garage which must be vacated at some future date to allow for a shops and flats development. They wish to garage their school mini-buses, new cars and light vans at Skiddaw Street, and to use the garage also for servicing and cleaning of these vehicles.
The Planning Board’s committee decided to make a site visit before making a decision.
50 years ago
Friends of Braithwaite Institute
A cricket match with a difference – Crazy Cricket – was played at Braithwaite C.C. ground last Sunday when a team of twenty-two ladies drawn from the villages of Braithwaite and Thornthwaite under the direction of their non-playing captain Mr. Ian Hindmarch met a team of eleven gentlemen under the captaincy of Mr. H. Garritty. Fancy dress was the order of the day and in some cases it was difficult to tell male from female. All the members of the ladies’ team were sponsored for varying sums from 2p to 10p per run, and they scored a magnificent total of 163 all out. The gentlemen, who were gentlemen in every sense of the word (one had only to see the number of dropped catches to realise that) managed to score 83 for seven wickets before stumps were drawn at 6p.m.
A pleasant and satisfying afternoon tea was served in the Institute by the catering sub-committee, and Mrs. Lynton Swift the co-ordinator and her willing helpers are to be congratulated on the attractive way in which the room was laid out and the efficient service. The charge for tea was inclusive of a dram ticket, the prize for which was a dinner for two at the Royal Oak Motel, Braithwaite, kindly donated by the Manager, Mr. A. Curry. This was won by Mr. Thirlwall of Keswick.
Letters to the Editor
Dear Sir, — I understand that the new Trinity School being built at Windebrowe Avenue is to be opened in September 1974.
Many parents feel strongly that we are being forced to accept the “open plan” system of education for our children without the opportunity to express our views on the method by which they are taught. Recent articles in the national press have shown that there is grave doubt about the advisability of “open plan” teaching, and we wonder if we are being asked to accept change merely for the sake of change, or change for the better.
Yours sincerely,
Worried Parent.
The previous week: When Keswick remembered an excellent rugby player
