150 YEARS AGO

RUNAWAY SERVANT

Farm servant, John Branthwaite was charged by his master, Joseph Borthwaite, with having deserted from his service.

Borthwaite went to Egremont hiring fair where he engaged Branthwaite at the rate of £10 per half year. He was employed at Stonywoth Farm, Lamplugh, and was sent out to plough, which he did, up to about 6pm the same evening. He then put the horses into the stable and decamped.

Borthwaite had been put to great inconvenience as a result, but he did not want to press charges if Branthwaite would return to his service. This he agreed to do, and was set free.

CAUTION TO CARTERS

William Hunter, iron ore carter, was charged by P S Howard with allowing his horse and cart to proceed along Scotch Street, Whitehaven, without anyone to take care of it.

The defendant said he was in a yard getting another cart loaded with timber, and one of his horses went out of the yard without his knowledge. The chairman said that if the horse had knocked anyone down and killed them, the defendant would have been tried for manslaughter, and he must pay 15 shillings. He said he had no money, so he was sent to prison for 14 days.

June 20, 1865

125 YEARS AGO

WHITEHAVEN VICTORIA QUADRILLE CLASS

On Friday night the members of this class held their first “late night” in Mr R Bell’s dance room, Strand Street, Whitehaven. There was a good company present and the dancing was kept up till 4am Saturday.

SUDDEN DEATH OF A GIRL

On Tuesday afternoon a little girl named Gertrude Barnes McMullen, 11 years of age, daughter of Margaret Shields, living in Quay Street, Whitehaven, died very suddenly.

The girl, who was brought up by her grandmother, was at school on Monday morning, but in the evening she complained of headache and sickness. On Tuesday she took to bed and the Infirmary doctor was sent for, but before he arrived the poor girl died. An inquest was held at the Braddyll’s Arms, Quay Street, which returned a verdict of “death from natural causes”.

June 19, 1890

100 YEARS AGO

TEA AND CONCERT

In connection with St James’ Church Mothers’ Union a tea and concert were held in the Mission Room, Charles Street, . There was a fairly good attendance at the tea, and at the concert in the evening the room was well filled. The programme was mainly by the children of St James’ Infant School, with the greatest credit to their trainers, Misses Fawcett, Lumley, Watson and Nixon.

SUBMARINE OFF IRELAND

The SS Greenisland of Belfast, which arrived at Whitehaven on Tuesday morning for coal, was chased by a German submarine when off Ireland. She was near the shore at the time, and the captain was taking steps to beach her, when help arrived, and the submarine made off, so allowing the Greenisland to proceed on her course.

June 17, 1915

75 YEARS ago

CASTLE CINEMA, EGREMONT

An E W MASON great mystery thriller At the Villa Rose is the attraction for tomorrow and Saturday night. Kenneth Kent has the role of Inspector Hanaud with Judy Kelly as the medium. A wealthy old lady is murdered during a seance. The medium, her companion, is missing, but the jewels, motive of murder, have not been taken.

ARM AMPUTATED

A well-known worker in connection with Hogarth Mission, Mr T W Brown, aged 47, an engineman employed at William Pit, and living at 1 Ramsey’s Building, Plumblands Lane, was admitted to Whitehaven Hopsital yesterday afternoon seriously injured. It is understood he slipped on the line at Wellington Pit Brake, and sustained severe injuries to the right arm and foot. It has been found necessary to amputate the arm.

June 20, 1940

50 YEARS ago

NEW TRAVEL AGENTS

Today a new travel agency opens on Roper Street (opposite the news office), offering comprehensive facilities for holiday makers and overall service for bookings for outstanding local and national events.

CLEATOR MOOR BOY is MADE CID HEAD

Educated at Montreal School, Cleator Moor Mr John Bainbridge is now head of Lancashire County Police CID at Rochdale. As a boy Mr Bainbridge lived at Duke Street, Cleator Moor and left Cumberland at the age of 14 to work at the Blackburn Steelworks, Preston.

June 24, 1965

25 YEARS ago

PLANNING FOR GOOD TIMES

The 1990s will be a decade of change for Whitehaven. Exciting new plans are afoot to upgrade the existing town and harbour area, increase its vitality and reduce traffic problems.

The development of the harbour frontage with a Discovery Centre, a small hotel, speciality shops, leisure facilities and hillside housing is seen as the flagship for this new strategy together with environmental improvements to the area around Strand Street, West Strand and Market Place.

MEN GO IN SHAKE-UP

A top management shake-up at West Cumberland Health Authority has left two hospital bosses out in the cold. Unit general managers Chris Davidson and Martin Gower have been ousted by southerner Nigel Woodcock. Mr Davidson currently runs West Cumberland Hospital (Unit A) and Mr Gower is in charge of Workington, Cockermouth, Maryport, Millom Hospitals and community care (Unit B).

June 21, 1990