In 1939, the Westmorland Gazette devoted a page to complaints made by the 'Friends of Brantwood Society' held at the former home of John Ruskin, the cultural polymath and poet.

The grounds of the somewhat quirky Brantwood, on the eastern shore of Coniston Water were being restored to the condition they were in when 'the professor' died in 1900.

Unfortunately, the views of Coniston Old Man were in danger of being obscured by regimented conifer plantations being planted by the Forestry Commission; non-paying visitors had broken down walls while had indulged in 'the foul habit of dropping litter.'

To combat these menaces, the 'President and Master (sic) of Brantwood,' Mr J. Howard Whitehouse, suggested 'appeals over the wireless and that in every type of school, civics should be taught.'

But the most vociferous complaints were directed at a national hero, Sir Malcolm Campbell, who had recently broken the world water speed record on Windermere and now wanted to hold 'speed trials' on Coniston Water.

This, the assembled aesthetes decreed, 'would so disturb the quite beauty of the District that a national loss would result.'