January 1979

GLENRIDDING - After 42 years as the Glenridding area postman, Mr. George Teasdale delivered his last letters and packages. He attended Patterdale school and his first work was with his father at Home Farm. He joined the GPO in 1933 and was a popular, reliable and helpful figure. George recalled an incident which could have cost him his life. He was returning in a violent storm when the wind blew his cape over his face and postman and bike went over a bridge wall and into the beck below. He crawled to Braesteads for help and the cuts he suffered needed 67 stitches. As a football centre forward, he scored one of the goals when Patterdale beat Appleby by 4-1 in the final of the Penrith and District League Cup in 1946.

PATTERDALE - The Ullswater Dazzlers finally won a football match. After 2½ seasons of consistent failure, in which they conceded over 200 goals, the junior footballers tasted the sweetness of success when they defeated Kirkby Lonsdale by 2-0 in the first round of the Dallam Tower Cup. Mike Wilson and Anthony Theakston scored the vital goals. There was no time for a Celebratory bottle of lemonade, as most of the lads had to go to sing in the church choir.

February 1979

PATTERDALE - Robin Taylforth, aged 19, Side Farm, Patterdale, was Cumbria's top farming apprentice of the year. He won an NFU prize of books for the progress he made during his apprenticeship under the Agricultural Training Board.

May 1979

PATTERDALE - Patterdale Women's Institute entertained a large number of farmers' wives from Germany, who were on holiday in Glenridding. Rum butter on scones and shortbread biscuits, all home-made, were much appreciated by the visitors.

August 1979

ULLSWATER - A pilot from the Surrey-based Tiger Club landed a vintage 1943 Tiger Moth seaplane on Ullswater. Crowds at Glenridding gasped as the little plane swooped over the lake, like a scene from Dam Busters. The Tiger Moth was being flown around the country in "legs" by members of the club.

October 1979

ULLSWATER - Lady Jane Benson, eldest daughter of the Earl of Lonsdale, was appointed joint master of the Ullswater foxhounds. She was following in the footsteps of the late Muriel, Viscountess Lowther, who was a former joint master, working with Dr. Jim Thomson.

December 1979

GLENRIDDING - Glenridding's new Catholic Chapel was officially opened at a special service attended by the High Sheriff, Mr. Stafford Howard, with his wife, Gracia.   The builder of the chapel was 42-year-old Mr. Chris Bowman, Blencowe, a self-employed man, who worked almost single-handed and completed the job in two years. The opening service was conducted by Bishop Thomas Pearson and Father Francis Hughes.

April 1980

PATTERDALE - A large crowd of hunters gathered at the White Lion Hotel, Patterdale, for the Easter Monday meet of the Ullswater foxhounds. Although they had a disappointing day on the fells, they made up for it in the White Lion afterwards. The sing-song, compered by Tommy Coulthard, lasted four hours. Nine packs of hounds were represented in the company.

May 1980

PATTERDALE - A yawning hole in the ground, which appeared outside the living room window, was a mystery which the Beaty family, of Home Farm, Patterdale, had to get to the bottom of! Tenant farmer Mike Beaty hoped that the hole would soon be filled in, and the end of the house shored up, to prevent any threat of collapse. An old mine shaft was believed to have caused the problem.

PATTERDALE - Two members of Patterdale mountain rescue team, Bobby Dawes and Nigel Winter, raised £1,000 towards the purchase of new equipment, by means of a marathon trek across Scotland. A total of £13,500 was needed to buy a new Land Rover ambulance, radios and other equipment.

June 1980

GLENCOYNE - Penrith Rotary Club hosted six Australian Rotarians, who also visited the farm of Mr. George Wilson, at Glencoyne, Ullswater, and enjoyed games of squash at Penrith Rugby Union Club.

October 1980

GLENRIDDING - The new chairman of the 700-member Westmorland branch of the Country Landowners' Association was Mr. Michael Milligan, Glenridding. The new president was Mr. Steele Addison, Kings Meaburn, who succeeded Sir Robert Dent.

PATTERDALE - Patterdale Badminton Club won the dale's Donald Campbell trophy for sporting achievement. The award normally went to an individual, but, as the club had recorded several successes, it was felt the members deserved to have the trophy. Brian Scrivens won the Patterdale cricketer-of-the-year award.

November 1980

PATTERDALE - Windermere Harriers announced the appointment of Anthony Barker, Noran Bank, Patterdale, as Kennel huntsman. He had been a keen follower of hounds for many years and was huntsman to the Ullswater foxhounds while Joe Wear was on military service.

February 1981

ULLSWATER - Ullswater "dog day" crowds included the television newscaster, Anna Ford, who was the guest judge of the shepherds' sticks and crooks. Helped by Mr. George Edmondson, Thirlmere, Anna awarded the championship to J. H. Wilson, Cockermouth. Thomas Longton, Quernmore, won the open sheepdog trials with Lassie, while Charlie Relph, Keswick, won the local stakes with Nell. John Allen was chairman of the "dog day" committee, with son Peter as secretary.

July 1981

HARTSOP - Eden councillor Dennis Stamper, from Hartsop, was appointed a member of the Lake District Planning Board. It was hoped that the selection of Mr. Stamper, who farmed at Low Beckside, Hartsop, would mean better relations between Eden and the planning board, as they had been “on the frosty side” for some years.

September 1981

PATTERDALE - Ullswater “dog day” attracted a crowd of about 3,000 to Patterdale. The open sheepdog trials were won by H. Huddleston, Arkholme, with Scott, while George Hutton, Threlkeld, with Moody, won the local stakes. F. Prickett, Ambleside, showed the best stick — a naturally-grown hazel stick ornamented with the heads of a fox, a terrier and a sheepdog.

July 1982

PATTERDALE - After narrowly losing to Shap the week before, with the last two sets not completed, Patterdale Tennis Club won their first match for 10 years when they defeated a Penrith VI at home. This was another close affair, the last match resulting in a 7-5 victory for the Patterdale pair after being 2-5 down. Patterdale players were: M. Tonkin and L. Iredale; C. Mayne and P. Melling; G. Moffatt and L. Tonkin. The last match that Patterdale won was in 1972 against the now-defunct Lazonby club.

September 1982

PATTERDALE - Sir Clifford Curzon, who had enjoyed an international reputation as a concert pianist since the 1930s, was buried in the churchyard at Patterdale, only a short distance from The Close, the house which had been his Lake District holiday home for almost 40 years. He was buried, according to his wish, alongside his wife, Lucille Wallace, the American harpsichordist, who died in 1977.

May 1983

PATTERDALE - The founder and “father” of Patterdale mountain rescue team, Dr. James D. Ogilvie, is leaving the area after almost 20 years. Dr. Ogilvie came to the Lake District as a local GP in 1963 and two years later formed the mountain rescue team. Although still a medical officer with the team, arthritis has meant that Dr. Ogilvie is not as active as he was and he and his wife have decided to return to their native Kent. Over the last 19 years the team has been called out to over 340 incidents. Of these, 37 involved exposure and exhaustion, in the treatment of which Dr. Ogilvie has always been particularly interested. Guests at the doctor’s farewell supper included the team’s legal adviser, Mr. Tom Arnison, and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tonkin, of the Patterdale Hotel, who allow the team to use their premises as a base.

PATTERDALE - Patterdale mountain rescue team members were amongst those who appeared in a live television program “Friday Live”, in which Border Television and Tyne Tees joined forces to explore the theme of danger. Those interviewed included the leader of the Patterdale team, Tom Fynn, Lake District Mountain Accident Association chairman Joe Boothroyd, from Patterdale, round the world yachtsman Robin Knox Johnston and Chay Blyth.

PATTERDALE - Patterdale’s Wordsworth Cottage was sold by auction at Glenridding, to a buyer whose identity was not disclosed. The four-bedroomed cottage, which dates back to the 17th Century, with 4.5 acres of pasture land was sold for £72,000. The cottage is named after the poet because he once owned it. When it came up for sale in 1806 he offered £800 but the cottage was sold to Lord Lonsdale for a higher price. Such was the poet’s disappointment that he wrote and persuaded the Lord to sell it to him, paying him off in instalments.

June 1983

HARTSOP - Shortly before he died in 1930, Lakeland innkeeper and farmer Mark Atkinson made himself an oak cross, to be placed on the mountain-top spot where his ashes were to be scattered. Now, half-a-century later, national park rangers and voluntary wardens have helped refurbish the memorial, 2,400ft up on the top of Caudle Moor, overlooking Kirkstone Pass and surrounding valleys. Mark Atkinson was landlord of the Kirkstone Pass Inn and also owned the Brotherswater Hotel and had Caudle Beck Farm.

July 1983

ULLSWATER - A speed limit on Ullswater which campaigners have been fighting for the past five years took effect. The restriction of 10mph has been imposed by the Lake District Special Planning Board, who won a public inquiry in 1978, and is aimed at stopping the activities of 30mph speed boats which are said to be noisy and dangerous. With perfect weather conditions for the sport, almost 100 skiers enjoyed the last few days of sport on Ullswater before the speed limit was brought in. One member of Ullswater Ski Club who will be particularly hard hit is Mr. Charles Wilson, of Kirkby Thore, who is the England veterans’ overall champion and the European veterans’ jumping champion. Mr. Wilson relies on this local water on which to practice to defend his titles.

September 1986

Rolf Harris, the Australian entertainer, visits Patterdale Junior School.