25 Years Ago

May 26, 1978

PRESSURE on Cumbrian local authorities to provide youngsters with skateboard parks may well have paid off. Cumbrian Education Committee is being asked to draw a list of selected schools which have playgrounds suitable for the craze. The county council has already agreed the idea in principle and district councillors said that they would add their support. The only snag is that while the county council will offer the land during out-of-school hours, it is on condition that the skateboarders are supervised to make sure they do not trespass. The solution, says the County Joint Committee, is to invite local councils, parent-teacher associations or organisations like the scouts to organise supervision. The county will also insist that whosoever organises the sessions must put up a sign saying the county council was not liable in the event of normal spills'. A report from the director of education and county solicitor said that skateboarding is recognised to be a "hazardous activity" and the council could only be held responsible for injuries which are caused by the state of the school playground or through its negligence.

50 Years Ago

May 23, 1953

PEOPLE from far and wide flocked to the rock garden at White Craggs, Clappersgate, Ambleside, on Sunday afternoon for the annual open-air service and praise of thanksgiving. This memorable event the 20th since the mountain shrine was dedicated in 1934 - was again favoured with fair weather and only once in 20 years has it been cancelled because of rain. Sunday's attendance, in the region of 2,000, was one of the largest in recent years. The service was conducted from the shrine and rock on Loughrigg, which commands a fine view of Windermere and the surrounding mountains.

100 Years Ago

May 23, 1903

THE Shap magistrates have had before them a case in which a hawker was charged with driving a horse and cart through a flock of 76 sheep belonging to another man, and hurting two of them. The Bench naturally thought that if the defendant was driving furiously he ought to have hurt more than two out of 76 and if he was not driving furiously the damage to the sheep was no business of theirs. They therefore recommended the aggrieved farmer to try another court. There is sometimes as much danger in mixing one's facts as in mixing one's liquor. Did the farmer seek to punish the hawker for driving furiously or simply for running over his sheep, or both! De Quincey's advice holds good in law as well as in logic! Do not try to prove too much.

150 Years Ago

May 21, 1853

ON THURSDAY, the oldest inhabitant of Yorkshire, William Hirst, a farm labourer, died at Micklefield. He had attained the great age of 107 years. He was born in Lumbly, but had resided in Micklefield for 80 years. He was many years horse feeder and waggoner for the late William Jackson, stage wagon proprietor of Fairburn. He followed his employment as a regular farm labourer until he was upwards of 90 years and assisted to harvest at the advanced age of 100. He could read the newspaper without glasses and his memory was unimpaired until within a few weeks before he died. For several years he had received parochial relief we believe three shillings a week. Some time ago, Mr Simpson, the guardian for the parish, obtained an extra shilling a week, which we believe he spent in rum. His last illness confined him to his humble dwelling for about 19 weeks.

May 22, 2003 15:00