Last updated 15:39, Wednesday, 06 February 2008

DEATHS: On the 11th inst, at 69, Scotch-street, Whitehaven, Elizabeth, daughter of Mr William Doyles, mariner, 6 weeks.

On the 11th inst at Tangier-street, Whitehaven, James, son of Mr James McIntire, stoker, aged 4 months.

On the 12th inst, at New Town, Whitehaven, Robert, son of Isabella Dodd, domestic servant, aged two weeks.

On the 15th inst, at 16, Marlboro-street, Whitehaven, Jane, daughter of Mr James Coulthard, ship broker, aged 7 days.

NEVER DRUNK IN HER LIFE. Margaret O’Neil was summed at the complaint of Sergeant Reed with having been drunk and disorderly in Griffin-street on the 3rd inst.

Sgt Reed stated that about 20 minutes past 12 on Saturday night week, the woman was cursing and swearing in Griffin-street and wanted to fight with anybody who came in the way.

PC Armstrong gave corroborative evidence and stated she was drunk. Defendant stated it was false; she had been 10 years in the town and had never been drunk in her life (laughter). Fined 12s.

CHILDREN’S CHARTER: Not only is the child to be under supervision from the time it is born, but under the new Bill, there will be greater facility for the prevention of cruelty to children. A penalty will be imposed on parents whose children are burnt or scalded owning to being left in a room with an unguarded fire. Children up to the age of 16 will not be allowed to buy cigarettes and their parents will be liable for them smoking in the streets and public places.

It is also proposed that there shall be a special court for juveniles so as to keep them away from association with adult criminal offenders.

These are steps in the right direction – though short steps.

AFTER nearly 50 years in the St Bees Post Office, Mr H Y Graham, who has held the position of postmaster for nearly 30 years, has retired through ill health.

IN the annual report to the Ministry of Labour for 1932, the Whitehaven and District Advisory Committee for Juvenile Employment point out that their problems appear to be incapable of solution by local effort, and that they would have to rely upon national action “to prevent this wastage of boys and girls”.

A FEW links to Whitehaven’s historic past have come to light in a number of old paintings, prints and photographs.

They include the iron ship Moresby built at Whitehaven, the old beam engine at Kells Pit, a photo of the old St Nicholas Church, taken just before its demolition, and the world champion whippet, Platinum, a Whitehaven dog. They will be put on exhibition at Whitehaven YMCA.

A PUBLIC presentation for bravery was made at Whitehaven to a 26-year-old Cleator Moor man, who saved a three-year-old boy from drowning in Whitehaven Harbour last August. Handing over the Royal Humane Society’s honorary testimonial inscribed on a parchment to Anthony Rea, of Ehen Road, the chairman Mr R D McCowan expressed appreciation of a “brave act done in an emergency when no assistance was requested.”

DISTINGTON has become the third parish in Cumberland to scrap the collection plate and to institute a family pledge system of raising £6,000 in three years to cover all the expenses of the parish.

WITH the exception of Carlisle, Whitehaven has by far the best house building record of the local authorities throughout Cumberland. Since 1945, a total of 2,317 houses have been completed by Whitehaven Town Council and a further 40 are under construction. Privately built houses over the same period numbered 204 with 13 to be completed.

NAUTICAL history will be made at Whitehaven this week when the Royal Navy sweeps into port.

Four minesweepers, an unprecedented number for a courtesy visit to the town, arrive for a five-day stay. The main purpose of the call by HMS Bilderston, HMS Sheraton, HMS Gavinton and HMS Brinton is to mark the retirement of Cumbria’s Lord Lieutenant, Mr John C Wade, a Whitehaven man.

NORWEB expect Calder Hall nuclear power station to close down in 1990, though British Nuclear Fuels say this might not be the case.

BNFL’s information services manager, Jake Kelly, said that even if the Sellafield power station did shut down, none of the 200 jobs there would be lost.

He added: “1990 is a seven years away and an awful lot can happen until then.”

STAR, one of Britain’s oldest dogs and a local celebrity, died this week at the age of 23, or in human terms 161.

The remarkable sheepdog bitch was the working pet of farmer Albert Jenkinson and his wife, Frances, of Charles Ground, Corney, near Bootle.