November 19:

Youthful delinquent ‘ought to be whipped’

Thomas Hinde, the little boy who stole a coupling chain from the Sugar Tongue and more recently some lead, the property of the Trustees, was again placed in the dock in front of magistrates and charged with tearing some wood from a cart.

Superintendent Little said that the boy had been caught in the act. The chairman of the bench cautioned the lad and gave his opinion that he ought to be whipped well, and was then set free.

Streets thronged for Whitehaven Fair

The Martinmas fair took place on Thursday, and although the weather was cold, the streets were thronged throughout the day with great numbers of country lads and lasses, who came to town, not so much for the purpose of hiring, as for enjoying themselves.

At the North Wall there were shows of various kinds, including the exhibition of the fat lady and the dwarf. In the evening crowds gathered round stalls in the Market Place, and the pubs did a good trade.

November 18, 1865

125 YEARS AGO

Moor Row mines

The tramway from these mines to the local line of railway, which has not been used since the Maryport Iron Co ceased to work them, is about to be opened again by Mr Dalzell, the present proprietor.

The men are at work clearing the rails on the waggon way for the locomotive. The metal at the old and new pits is being taken to the railway depots at Woodend in carts.

Improvements at Keekle river

Mr Stirling’s workmen have recently carried out another improvement by fixing a substantial railing the entire length of the walk on the slope of the Keekle river.

This is a dangerous bit of ground especially in winter, as the rain frequently damages the footpath which is of a sandy nature, and when there is a strong wind pedestrians are liable to be blown down the embankment.

November 20, 1890

100 YEARS AGO

Appeal: ‘Rid the world of foul murderers’

A Cleator man writes in a letter to The Whitehaven News : “I appeal to those who have not yet taken up arms to do so at once, and so help to rid the world of a race of foul murderers, murderers whose countless crimes make those of the Emperor Nero of old appear but tenderness.”

November 18, 1915

75 YEARS AGO

Table tennis thrills

A large audience gathered at Kells community centre last week to watch a display by two famous table tennis players, Richard Bergmann and Viktor Barna, the present world champion and the ex-champion respectively.

The audience included a party from Harrington Boys’ Club and 21 enthusiasts from Bootle.

Wrestling memories

The revival of wrestling in the south of Cumberland is to be hailed with satisfaction by all who delight in the manliest of the exercises practised by Cumbrians and Westmerians.

Wrestling is too often forgotten was the first form of athletic pastimes, man’s chief desire having been, from the beginning of the world, to get his fellow down, and too often to keep him there.

November 21, 1940

50 YEARS AGO

Three pits to close

The announcement that Risehow, Solway and St Helens Colleries are likely to close through exhaustion and that Haile and Harrington Number Ten (Lowca) have a doubtful future came at the end of a week denials of redundancy rumours, pledges of support to keep the mines working and a feeling of cautious optimism.

Bread strike over

Alarm clocks which for three mornings had tormented those whose efforts had avoided a bread crisis for the public of West Cumberland remained silent on Sunday as the staffs of independent bakeries and confectionery establishments enjoyed a long lie-in.

November 25, 1965

25 YEARS AGO

Magna Carta quoted in court poll tax protest

An angry poll tax protester was bundled out of Whitehaven court by police in an otherwise peaceful first legal hearing against Copeland non-payers.

Among those registering their protest at the new tax was a Distington woman who said she was a member of the Cornish Tin Parliament dating back to the Magna Carta, who was protesting at this “evil and iniquitous tax”.

Copeland’s cash shock

A shock report to Copeland Council has revealed that for the past three years there has not been proper control of internal financial affairs.

Consultant Harry Davies, who was called in to help sort out the fiscal tangle, said: “ From internal enquiries and investigations it is apparent that certain basic controls have not been in operation.”

November 22, 1990.