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
Outrage at lakeside plans
The controversial plans for the development of the picturesque shores of Derwentwater have prompted a mass turnout at the annual town assembly. Normally only a handful of local voters go to the meeting, but almost 100 people attended this one, many to voice their disapproval of the Lakeside Tea Gardens proposals.
The multi-million pound plans for the future improvement of the foreshore area include the popular Tea Gardens cafe, with the nearby Theatre by the Lake taking over the lease of the business and creating a new auditorium and restaurant.
The level of concern about the proposed scheme has meant that ex-Allerdale and Keswick Town Councillor Mavis Clark has received the necessary backing from nine other residents to demand a town poll on the future of the site.
Residents are likely to be asked the question: It is proposed to extend the Theatre by the Lake, resulting in the loss of a historical local amenity, namely Lakeside Tea Gardens. Are you in favour of this?
Outdoor capital of Britain!
Is this an honour or a ‘sad situation” for Keswick, which has been handed the accolade of Britain’s outdoor shop capital?
At the town’s annual assembly it was claimed that Keswick has 26 outdoor equipment shops in its centre, with another couple set to open in the near future when established businesses close down.
Councillor Elizabeth Barraclough, one of Keswick’s three borough councillors, said that Keswick is losing its basic services: “We are essentially losing all the shops that are useful to local people, which is fine for tourists but miserable for us. And the council has no control over the situation, There is nothing we can do under the planning regulations. If you were planning to open an outdoor shop, where would you choose? Keswick obviously would be your first choice. This is a very sad situation, but I don’t know what we can do about it to help restore the balance.”
Michael Standring, proprietor of the world-famous George Fisher mountain shop in Borrowdale Road, the town’s best-known outdoor equipment outlet, admitted that Keswick’s shopping centre had lost its variety.
He said: “It’s a shame for Keswick. We are losing our variety and there’s a danger that it becomes a boring town. The Lake District is the one place where you can find virtually every brand of outdoor equipment between Keswick and Ambleside. Keswick has the quality shops for those who take their leisure seriously and we must have the best selection of outdoor shops in the U.K.”
30 years ago
Jemima’s family
The Keswick Reminder is pleased to report the arrival of fourteen ducklings to Jemima, c/o Keswick Leisure Pool!
Readers will remember that a few weeks ago we reported the arrival of Jemina for the second time at the Leisure Pool. She nests in the grounds – in fact, this time, right up against the window of the pool – in order to bring her family into the world and bring them up for the first few weeks of their lives.
A special fax message received this week assured our staff “mother and children all doing well and enquiring about times of Parent and Toddler sessions.”
Keswick Half Marathon
Over 900 runners took part in last Sunday’s Lifestyle Half Marathon, organised by Keswick Rugby Club and sponsored by Alan and Heather Dunn of Open All Hours in St. John’s street, Keswick.
Local runner David Swanston of Cockermouth was the winner in 1.07.01.
The first local runner came in fourth – David Ramsay of Keswick A.C., in 1.11.13. Keswick’s Dennis Hayes was once again first veteran over 50, in 63rd place, in a time of 1.21.06.
Other local runners were Keswick’s Duncan Frampton, 8th, Dave Troman 9th, John Curran 16th, David Loan 23rd, Michael Ward 34th, Chris Barron 96th and Chris Know 97th.
Sixth title for Keswick footballers
Victory over Netherfield last Wednesday gave Keswick their sixth Westmorland League title and their fifth in the last ten years. This, added to the High Sheriff’s Cup, gave them an excellent double in what may have been Keswick A.F.C.’s most successful season.
All this seems a long way from early August when they had lost their first three league games and were being written off as title contenders. It was a sunny afternoon at Sedbergh that was the turning point of their season; trailing 0-2 after ten minutes (a scoreline which would never have been imagined before the game), fortunes changed and Keswick went on to hammer home 10 goals to leave Sedbergh deflated. There can never have been a greater transformation of a team in the space of one afternoon.
This excellent form was to continue right up to Christmas, with the team regularly scoring 3 or more goals. After losing those first three games, Keswick were to lose only one of the next 23 although they never quite recaptured their pre-Christmas form, but they never gave in and battled that little bit harder for the results, which they achieved.
40 years ago
Rock of Names restoration
The Trustees of Dove Cottage have assured St. John’s, Castlerigg and Wythburn Parish Council that, even though they will be Officially receiving the restored Wordsworth “Rock of Names” today (Friday), they are still willing to discuss its return to Thirlmere if satisfactory arrangements can be made for its protection.
Today Mr. Michael Berry, Managing Director of English Lakes Hotels Ltd., who has had the “Rock’’ restored by a Windermere stonemason, will be officially presenting it to the Trustees of the Grasmere and Wordsworth Museum, Grasmere, on the first day of their exhibition, “S.T. Coleridge – Poet and Explorer”.
William Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy, his wife Mary, her sister Sarah, his brother John and his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge are believed to have carved their initials on the rock by the side of Thirlmere in 1802. When that was blown up in 1886 to make way for the reservoir, Canon Rawnsley, Vicar of Crosthwaite Church and Founder of the National Trust, built the initialled fragments into a cairn on the east side of the road. The removal of the cairn eleven weeks ago without consultation caused much concern and annoyance.
Mr. Jonathan Wordsworth, chairman of Dove Cottage Trustees, has invited the Parish Council to see the restored rock and the chairman of the Parish Council, Mr. Robert Welsh, said the Council will be discussing the matter at their next meeting.
Local runners in London Marathon
Keswick sportswoman Lyn Thompson hopes to have raised in excess of £400 for the Calvert Trust Adventure Centre for the Disabled by pounding the streets of the capital city in Sunday’s London Marathon.
Lyn was a trifle disappointed with her time of 3hrs. 36mins., but it should be remembered that it was achieved on just twelve weeks’ training after she was laid off all winter with injury. She said: “I suppose I shouldn’t feel too disappointed in view of the lack of -background training. It was a fantastic experience just to be part of the event and I would love the chance to have a go again.”
Said Lyn: “The crowds were wonderful. There were pop groups, military bands and dancers out on the streets and the people just willed you to get across the finish line.”
Similar comments came from first time marathoner Mrs. Sarah Miller of Thornthwaite who clocked 4hrs. 15mins. and finished without any undue difficulty.
Sarah has been running for nearly three years so she was well prepared for the race unlike many of the competitors who set off too quickly and paid the penalty later in the heat.
Election of Town Mayor
Councillor Eric Impey was on Thursday elected as Mayor of Keswick for the coming year. He was handed the chain of office by his predecessor Mr. Martin Jordan, and Mrs. Ann Jordan presented the Mayoress’s chain to Mr. Impey’s wife Dorothy.
Boxing tournament a “sell out”
Keswick’s first amateur boxing tournament for several years, held last Wednesday in the Royal Oak Hotel, proved to be a huge success with a “sell out” audience. There are now plans in the pipeline to stage a repeat venture in the town later thai year, probably in September or October.
And prospects of the formation of a boxing club in Keswick are gradually taking shape , thanks to the help which is being given by Mr. Peter Reynolds, coach to the Ambleside Amateur Boxing Club, and the national authorities.
The only Keswick boxer in last week’s tournament was David Rose, who made it three wins out of three bouts he had had with a majority points verdict at welter-weight level.
50 years ago
Churchill Fellow
P.C. Geoffrey Reid of Millbank Cottages is one of the Churchill Fellows who will receive medallions from the Prince of Wales at the Royal Festival Hall today, together with a resume of the projects they carried out to achieve this award.
The occasion is being combined with the first-ever reunion of all Churchill Fellows to celebrate the centenary of Sir Winston Churchill’s birth, and over a thousand people are expected.
P.C. Reid, who is treasurer of the Search & Rescue Dogs Association, carried out studies on the provision and training of search and rescue dogs in other European countries last year for his Fellowship.
Bursting at the seams with memories
Reader Raymond Credie recently got in touch to say how much he enjoys seeing the old advertisements republished every week in A Quick Reminder.
However, he was disappointed that we had yet to feature any examples from his Gypsy menswear shop.
As it turns out, his Southey Street business traded during the late 1970s and early 1980s – so it narrowly falls between our current look back to 1974 and 1984.
So breaking with convention, here are a selection of Raymond’s distinctive adverts published in the Reminder in 1979 and 1980.
