Whitehaven Guide Issue 39

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theWhitehavenGuide

L.S. Lowry

beauty with bridget

mince pies

award-winning mel

www.theguidemediagroup.com

Whitehaven woman wins national music award EVENTS

GIGS

FESTIVALS

FOOD

LIFESTYLE

& MORE

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Sparkle WWW.WORKINGTONRETAIL.COM

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Ri v er Is l a nd Cash Solutions l Katies Kitchen l Nobles Amusement l The Works l Shoe Zone l Stephen Rowe Opticians 22

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&

be am

xt Ne

at Washington Square Workington

De

nh

this Christmas

Taylors Carpets l Oasis Dental Surgery l Sinclairs Jewellers l Mobile Booth l Jane Street Barbers 33

Fitness and Fun with NCL Copeland

12 days of fitness and swim for £12.00! at Copeland Swimming Pool and Whitehaven Sports Centre

n Pick up a 12 day fitness voucher at any NCL centre during December n Enjoy 12 consecutive days of fitness in the new year (Jan to Mar) n Includes gym (plus free induction), classes and general swimming n The perfect stocking filler for just £12.00!

Jungle Jack’s soft play Just £1.50 per session

Join Copeland Bowls & Sports Centre...

Visit Jungle Jack’s soft play at Whitehaven Sports Centre, between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time for just £1.50

... at a reduced price for the rest of the season.

Play for fun, for competition, or to make new friends at our well equipped centre in Cleator Moor

Offer ends January 31st 2014

visit: www.northcountryleisure.org.uk/copeland for details Excellent Sports and Leisure for All North Country Leisure is supported by Copeland Borough Council 4 Registered Charity No. 1075009

theWhitehavenGuide December2013 / January 2014

The Team

A word from THE EDITOR

A

TRAFFIC situation on the A595, in the Whitehaven area has arisen in recent times and could well be worsened by the completion of two new town centre projects, next year.

Managing Director Stephen Murphy T:01946 816 716 stephen@theguidemediagroup.com

There are long tailbacks of traffic at peak times, particularly heading North in the evenings and stretching a long way south, from the Howgate Roundabout, affecting traffic travelling into and out of Whitehaven.

If you factor in the new Albion Square development, in Whitehaven, which is to accommodate 1,000 Sellafield workers, next Summer, together with any possible growth in the usage of the Beacon, once Sellafield opens its new exhibition floor, in the late Spring, things are only likely worsen.

Office Admin Manager Steffany Clarke T: 01946 816 719 steffany@theguidemediagroup.com

The Albion Square development might well see up to 1,000 extra workers coming into and departing from the town centre; many of them in cars, trying to leave and access the A595, which can surely only add to the difficulties in accessing the A595 from Whitehaven at various points. The move is seen by the developers as “an opportunity to serve a significant influx of people on a daily basis making for a more vibrant local economy in the town”.

Fair enough.

Graphic Designer Nicole Burns T: 01946 816 728 nicole@theguidemediagroup.com

And admittedly the local authorities are trying to encourage greater use of public transport but we suspect that most people will still prefer the use of a car for reasons of convenience, comfort and cost.

It’s a pity, but so far it doesn’t appear as if a great deal of forethought has been given to the effect that these developments might have on road traffic accessing and leaving the A595, Copeland’s main trunk road, so perhaps it’s now time to ponder the possibilities?

Advertising/Distribution Paul Seath T: 01946 816 720 paul@theguidemediagroup.com

Editor Chris Breen T:01946 816 715 chrisbreen@theguidemediagroup.com

The Guide Mags – Loved by Locals Invaluable to Visitors...

Editorial T: 01946 816 715 Published by EOL Publications, The Guide Media Group, Phoenix Enterprise Centre, Jacktrees Road, Cleator Moor, Cumbria, CA25 5BD.

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Wishing all our advertisers and readers

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy new year 01946 816 716 www.theguidemediagroup.com 6

theGuide Media Group

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Contents: The Whitehaven Guide

54

December 2013 / January 2014

Features

8-9 Sleeping Beauty

Taking beauty a stage further

10-11 Better have a night out in town...

New bars opening in Whitehaven

12-13 Brighter future for Beacon

10

A new look for the visitor attraction

16-17 How best to sea the old year out...

Annual charity New Year’s Eve dip

18-19 Mel Greggain

Our award-winning county girl

34 16

LIFESTYLE & BEAUTY

34-35

Get More for Your Money this Christmas Beauty by Bridget Foster

38-39 Monty Grows a

Traditional Trend

TV gardener inspires unlikely fashion trend

FOOD

08

Alan Spedding Recipe Mince pies 51 Wild Rabbit Ragu A tasty Countryside

48-49

Alliance Recipe

MOTORING & SPORT

62-63

PMasons resent for a Petrol Head Motoring Mayhem!

68-69 Whitehaven Rugby League New signings

WHAT’S On

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77 Whats On Listings Music, Theatre, Film, Comedy, Other

7

The Fairy Queen (Annmarie Hagri) with two of her junior fairies, Stardust (Shannon McCaslin) and Sunlight (Jodie Morgan)

8

‘Beauty’

Feature

Taking

a stage further

W

HITEHAVEHAVEN Theatre Group is going on tour with its pantomime this Christmas… all the way to Egremont.

That’s because size matters…and Egremont Market Hall now has the largest stage in the area, following the recent closure of Whitehaven Civic Hall, where the group has historically trod the boards.

Once it became apparent that the hall would close the group set about finding the best alternative and looked at several options before deciding Egremont had the biggest stage although there was never any danger of it being cancelled.

There was a preliminary performance at Egremont Market Hall on Sunday December 1 when the town’s Christmas lights were switched on but the main run is from the Thursday to the Sunday December 12-15.

Tickets can be bought online at: www.whitehaventheatregroup.com The show will be performed from Tuesday December 10, to Saturday December 15 (7pm) with matinees on Saturday and Sunday December 15-16 at 1pm. Tickets are £8 for adults concessionary £7 (seniors and under-16s), or just £6 for the opening night.

Director, Rachel Denwood, said that although the backstage area was smaller than they were used to but they had risen well to the challenge and hoped that the people of Egremont would come and support them as well as their Whitehaven regulars.

Sleeping Beauty, this year’s panto, (December 10-15) is loosely based on and adapted from the classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment of sleep, and a handsome prince but brought bang up to date with some modern pop songs.

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Better have a night out in town…

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IGHTS out in Whitehaven are getting better, thanks to the opening, in the last few months, of not one but two new bars catering for the more discerning drinker.

The Snecklifter on Duke Street opened in June this year, right in time for the Whitehaven Festival, and like the festival, quickly made a name for itself. The pub is that perfect mix of modern and traditional.

The modern element is showcased in the fantastic and quirky range of real ales, different beers on draft and by the bottle, wines and premium spirits on offer.

The traditional is evidenced in the sympathetic refurbishment of the striking Duke Street building, the cosy atmosphere, and the warming log fire.

Landlord Andy Hanson, was keen to offer something new. He said, “We wanted a pub that people would find 10

welcoming and a little bit different to what’s already on offer in the town.

“We hope we’ve created a place that people feel comfortable in and want to spend their time – to come and have a chat. So we’ve avoided loud music and late night opening, to offer something else. As a result we have attracted a fantastic bunch of customers since we opened, and they keep coming back.”

“ We wanted a pub that people would find welcoming and a little bit different to what’s already on offer in the town.”

The Snecklifter offers a great selection of real ales, with up to eight available at weekends. The selection varies all the time, to include ales you might not have tried, and will not

Feature

find elsewhere locally. Third of pint tasters are available for the indecisive or those who want to try them all yet avoid the headache the next day.

MORE recently, the new wine bar, Veuve, has opened on Lowther Street, offering wines and sophistication.

This new bar, which represents a change of direction for the Kelsall family who previously ran a computer shop in the building, is another example of the changing night time scene.

Fantastic wines, fizz by the glass, interesting spirits and beers are the order of the day in this cosy venue. The décor is chic, yet homely with feature wallpaper and antique furniture filling the venue.

When you factor in the Waterfront– one of West Cumbria’s best restaurants and the other bars in town, you realise there’s lots on offer for those looking for a better night out. n By Ian Curwen 11

Brighter future

for Beacon

W

HITEHAVEN’S new-look Beacon is hoping to be open in time for the May half-term holiday next year.

It’s future secured for the time being thanks to Sellafield’s intervention, the steering group comprising Beacon, Copeland Council and Sellafield representatives is now working frantically, to a tight deadline, to re-develop and re-launch the facility for a new lease of life staring next Spring. It will incorporate a new Sellafield exhibition which will occupy the building’s entire second floor and which, at present, is still being planned and designed.

It had originally been hoped that, after closure of the present operation, on January 5, 2014, that The Beacon

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would be re-vamped and re-opened by April but, more realistically, that date has now been revised until the summer half-term, May 26.

The Sellafield section will, naturally, tell the Sellafield Story and in doing so will be working closely together with Copeland to continue to operate the facility and the steering group will continue to operate even after the re-launch.

The move sees Sellafield once again able to operate a much-needed visitor-attraction which will go some way to compensating for the loss of the former on-site Sellafield Visitor Centre which was once the most popular tourist attraction in Cumbria.

“ Some of The Beacon’s favourite exhibits such as the Pop Gallery (1970s-80s) will be moved and freshened up but will be retained.”

Over the years at least £16 million of taxpayers’ money was lavished on the Sellafield centre, which opened in 1988, to draw people to the nuclear site centre but intense security to combat the threat of terrorism in the wake of 9/11 proved the beginning of the end of it as a visitor attraction

Feature

once the general public were no longer allowed on site to combine Sellafield Sightseer bus tours with a trip to the off-site facility.

The new Sellafield exhibition is still being designed, so it’s not yet known exactly how it will look – but it will be centred on the history of the Sellafield site and the nuclear industry in West Cumbria, up to and beyond the present day but it won’t simply be a “There’s the Sellafield floor and then there’s everything else” approach.

“We’ll be working together as much as possible,” said Copeland Communications manager, Ian Curwen, especially in areas where there can be crossover, such as the education events we already put on and science in particular”.

Some of The Beacon’s favourite exhibits such as the Pop Gallery (1970s-80s) will be moved and freshened up but will be retained.

The first floor reception and Harbour Gallery will remain; floor two, currently “Work & Play” which houses displays of paintings, prints and photographs from the museum collection becomes Sellafield’s new display / exhibition area but fans of the ever popular WW 2 air raid shelter will be pleased to hear that it will remain.

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How best to sea the old year out…

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F, over the forthcoming festive period, you seriously imagined that you’d be seeing, The Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, Penguins from Happy Feet, several Santas, the 118 runners and maybe even a Roy Chubby Brown or two… all together on a beach… then you’d normally worry.

You might well consider consulting your doctor but bizarrely, reality wouldn’t necessarily have kicked out because that’s just a selection of the characters who turned out for last year’s Golden Sands Polar Bear Club annual charity New Year’s Eve dip, at Whitehaven Harbour … and sadly there’s no reason to suppose that sanity will prevail at this year’s event.

It takes place on Tuesday December 31, at noon, at the Golden Sands, just past The Beacon.

© Photo: Andy Harris 16

You have to be a hardy soul of at least 16 years of age to take part and disclaimers have to be signed by all dippers at the Wellington Café and Bistro, who have once again generously agreed to provide free refreshments and soup for everybody taking to the water.

So, if you have completely lost your marbles and want to take part, you should contact John O’Brien to learn more about it. John is on (tel) 01946 592125 or you can email him at j.obrien851@btinternet.com

Feature

THIS year funds raised by the event are to go Kate Smye’s wish list. Kate’s mum Mel has cancer and Kate put together a list of things she’d like to do with her mother and brother while her mum’s health is at its best.

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F

ORMER Whitehaven singer / songwriter Mel Greggain and her partner, Luke Thomas, from Saddleworth, near Oldham, have recently been named as the best rising act in British county music.

Together they form Luke and Me, one of the most exciting young country music duos around. Both are also frontline band members for Solid Gold Country Legends, which tours many of the UK’s principle theatres.

In early 2012 they decided to team up and put both their skills and talents together to form their unique country duo which is taking the UK by storm and it was as a result of their popularity that Luke and Me recently collected the Horizon Act-of-the-Year 2013, at the recent British Country Music Awards in London, at The British Airways Concorde Suite, after being voted for by clubs, agents and venues throughout Britain.

Luke and Mel perfected their craft as frontline members of Solid Gold Country Legends and Dolly The Show, which have performed at Britain’s principle theatres and events and their music has taken them the length and breadth of the UK.

Mel Greggain: Our Award-winning County Girl

By Chris Breen

“ Having trained musically in London, Mel also trained as a dancer both in the UK and in the US.” When I spoke to Mel they had just completed a 10-day tour of the North East before going to London and Scotland and they are currently performing full-time covering about three gigs each week.

They have also appeared at various country music festivals and now aim to cross the divide more and play at events featuring and winder range of genres.

Melanie credits her dad Brian, who is manager of The Ennerdale County House Hotel, Cleator, with her lifelong interest in country music. “When I was a kid I used to listen to his music and try and write my own and it all took off from there,” she said. “Now we perform some of own songs”.

Having trained musically in London, Mel also trained as a

18

Exclusive dancer both in the UK and in the US. Now, as they tour the UK, Luke and Mel perform a mixture of classic and modern Country music with a young, fresh approach.

‘Melanie and Luke are one of the best, if not THE best, girl-boy duo that I have ever seen!

They have a great sound and a great fresh look; just what British Country music needs, according to Wayne Hadlow, of Europe’s biggest county and Western venue, Fort San Antone, Warton, near Preston.

Mel said: “Country music has changed a lot in recent years. We’ve both been to Nashville, and in the US it has a massive following among young people and it is a multibillion dollar industry. We are trying to bring it to young people here too.”

Luke’s blinding guitar work and vocal ability are making him a big name among Country music fans and he’s been described as the best young Country guitarist in the UK. Luke was taught to play by the legendary John Pettifer while working with him for five years in Country Legends,

finally taking over as lead axeman when John left to join the Charlie Landsborough Band. Luke has also toured with One Night of Elvis and the Gary Quinn Band and has played in Nashville where he rubbed shoulders with the finest pickers in the world.

Luke and Mel are bringing out their own EP in January, which will be downloadable on I-Tunes Their website is: www.lukeandmel.com

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Hens Change the pecking order Hens are the new dogs and cats

T

he popularity of chickens is evident in a 25% increase in feed sales across the UK in the last two years and a surge in demand for feeders and accessories.

And the National Farmers Union’s Poultry Board says an estimated three million hens are now being kept in people’s back yards.

Chris Gordon, technical director at feed specialists Dodson & Horrell, says: “As well as demand for chicken feed and accessories increasing, we also hear lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest that chickens are fast becoming a viable option when people are choosing pets.

Hens are naturally inquisitive with a strong desire to perch, preen themselves, dust-bathe, forage and nest. To help chicken lovers bring these clucking friends into their lives here are some top tips and facts: Scrupulous cleanliness is the key. Birds need regular worming and the house needs spraying against red mite.

Appropriate food – Feed your chickens an appropriate food for laying hens but do not over-feed. More feed does not equal more eggs and a fat bird readily succumbs to liver disease and can become too fat to lay.

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Clean water – Birds are thirsty animals, so clean water must be continually available.

Security – Shut your chickens in at night so they don’t get attacked by foxes.

Buy young – To achieve good laying buy a ‘pullet’, a young domestic hen.

Good accommodation – Birds should have good housing, one to four square feet per bird, and a fresh run area where they can peck and forage. Include a dust bath, sand, ash box or a half square foot pit per bird. A good, well kept chicken will produce between 150 and 250 eggs per year.

Bantams – Essentially a scaled down version of the hybrid hen which lay smaller eggs and can be a sound option if space is limited.

Laying – Egg-laying takes place when there is no cock bird (a male over 12 months old) present. Traditional breeds lay in spasms, basically enough to sit on at any one time.

Hybrids – Modern, developed (hybrid) birds are bred to lay almost continuously.

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Your fascinating family…

P

EOPLE are increasingly interested in their past… the history of their family or families.

It’s a fascinating real-life mystery to most of us, once we delve in to more than a couple of generations.

Your immediate family often holds the key to starting your family history research.You should take the earliest opportunity to record the memories of your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins as you start exploring your family tree.

At: www.findmypast.com/content/10-tips-to-start-your-familyhistory-journey you will find a free downloadable and printable family tree to help launch your investigation together with a questionnaire aimed at extracting all the important facts from the relatives you interview.

An internet search will no doubt produce further alternatives… but they are all useful tools for the budding genealogist You should ask each of you relatives about specific individuals and gather details surrounding their lives including nicknames, places they lived, vital information (including birth, marriage, and death dates), occupations and other important clues. Family scrapbooks can often yield important clues for family history research, so don’t let anyone throw them out.

Examine your home for vital records (birth certificates), school records, family bibles, diaries and letters, old photographs and memorabilia boxes that tell stories about your family.

Your relatives may well also have important resources in their homes that can assist your search. Family bibles, 22

letters, certifications and other important materials might be only a phone call away and some family members might have old genealogical information from other relatives who have also worked on the family history. It could help jumpstart your search.

If possible attend local classes/groups about family tree research, family history records, and how to avoid brick walls. It’s a good way of finding answers for beginners and advanced genealogists alike.

Build your family tree to organise your results. Keeping your research and records organised is important as you add new details about your family. Enter important information, including names, dates, and places to build a solid foundation as you continue.

On You Tube there are videos that can help as the searching becomes more involved The UK census is the largest resource for family history and is a solid starting place.You can trace parents and grandparents through the census, recording their names, ages, birthplaces, occupations and residences.

Census returns were taken every 10 years from 1841, and are currently available from 1841-1911. The detailed schedules are closed for 100 years after their compilation. They record everyone living in the county on census night, and show the ages, birthplaces and occupations of entire households.

Feature

Census returns are arranged by historic county and in Cumbria are held in the following Archive Centres: • Cumberland 1801-1901: Carlisle and Whitehaven • South Cumberland and Lancashire North of the Sands 1841-1891: Barrow and Whitehaven • Westmorland 1841-1901: Kendal Library and the Kendal and Whitehaven offices.

You can pay to use the Ancestry site to find census records for the whole country but Cumbria libraries offer access to this site without needing a subscription.

Census returns for 1911 can only be seen at www.1911census.co.uk.

“Family scrapbooks can often yield important clues for family history research, so don’t let anyone throw them out.”

Official certificates can help you start researching your family tree, particularly if you don’t have enough information to take you back into the 19th century.

You can buy copies of post-1837 civil certificates from Superintendent Registrars in the district in which the event was originally registered; or nationally from the General Register Office (GRO). You can find more information about applying for certificates on the GRO website.

You can look at the indexes to these certificates (which contain only limited details) at the Barrow and Whitehaven Archive Centres and at Carlisle Library.

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Book Review

al r u t a n r Supe ven a h e t i h W

L

OOKING for a book gift that’s a bit different this Christmas?

Then you could consider what’s billed as a paranormal suspense, supernatural, family drama, written by a former Moor Row woman, Jessie B. Tyson, who emigrated to Canada 13 years ago.

White Heaven Women is a gripping tale set in Whitehaven. It switches between 1899 and the early 1900s to the year 2000 and readers are introduced to two sisters, Beth and Sarah, and the fate that awaits them.

Jessie, born at Scalegill Place, moved to Canada in 2000. She wrote children's and fantasy stories as a teenager.

When she matured she moved on to writing adult stories.

“I have a great imagination and enjoy turning my vision-like dreams into enjoyable tales,” she said.

One on-line reviewer said it: “brilliantly depicts the class system and morals of the time” with “heart-breaking scenes about the ignorance and the hardships of those days.”

“The story is driven by a selection of excellent characters and links between them are established through ghost appearances, reincarnation and psychics.

“Tyson has incorporated them into the story is creative and highly original. Both narratives work well on their own as well as in their interactions.

Tyson has woven in a lot of issues in her story, so don't think this is a boring ghost story with nothing more to it.

“The story entertains and teaches us a thing or two about history and human ignorance. A fascinating read and a real treat”.

Jessie Tyson considers herself as a spiritual Christian, who believes in the power of God but it doesn't stop her writing paranormal fiction with ghosts and demons.

The book can be bought on Amazon for £8.78 or £2.56 in Kindle form. Just go to Amazon UK and search the title of Jessie B.Tyson. You can visit her author page on Amazon, where there is also a video. See: www.amazon.com/-/e/B008UKEZVW

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Superfast broadband project is ahead of schedule

T

HE village of Yanwath, in the Eden Valley, celebrated a major milestone this autumn, as it became the first community in Cumbria to have superfast broadband delivered through the Connecting Cumbria big build of a new fibre telecommunications network around the county.

It was just the start of one of the biggest telecommunications engineering programmes the county has ever seen.

Work is already well under way across the county – with a total of around 10,000 homes and businesses expected to be connected to fibre broadband by the end of 2013.

Engineers from BT’s local network business, Openreach, will lay around 3,900 kilometres of optical fibre cable and install a total of around 550 new fibre broadband cabinets throughout the county during the entire programme and once the cabinet in you location is It is estimated that engineers will complete over a million man hours of work planning and building the network during the lifetime of the project.

David Southward

Egremont county councillor, David Southward, who is the cabinet member responsible for economic development leading member for Connecting Cumbria said: “We are now going to see a wave of new telephone cabinets going live right across the county from now until the end of 2015. It’s the start of a revolution in the standard of internet access in Cumbria.

So exactly what difference will it make?

“It isn’t just about a faster internet connection,” said Lynn Singleton, Connecting Cumbria’s project manager for communication and engagement, “or about doing one thing quicker; it’s about everyone in the house being able to do their own thin online, all at the same time.”

“And for business Connecting Cumbria is helping local firms to use fibre broadband to develop, grow and improve the effectiveness of their business”.

“ Overall 93% of Cumbria’s homes and businesses will get superfast broadband (SFBB) by 2015.”

And the project is ahead of schedule, Coun Southward added, “With more people able to get superfast in 2013 than we originally estimated”.

Overall 93% of Cumbria’s homes and businesses will get superfast broadband (SFBB) by 2015. The remaining 7% is largely isolated rural areas but the county council is working with DEFRA and BT to get funding from the Rural Communities Broadband Fund to extend coverage in nine identified areas which include Holmrook and Bootle and a decision is expected in the next few months.

The Whitehaven exchange area has now gone live.

Harrington exchange area should be complete by March 2014 and Cleator Moor and Egremont exchanges should be live by the end of next year. Lamplugh, Gosforth and Seascale come in by the end of 2015.

There are also some of the more urban areas not fully serviced by the commercial roll-out and in Cumbria there are some communities who have taken the initiative themselves and put their own solutions in place and details of the framework for doing so can be found on the Connecting Cumbria website.

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Feature

Winning in the age of now Delivering the support your business needs Cleator Moor Growth Hub Services FREE use of 4 ‘hot desks’ with internet ready PCs. Multi-use Room Available. We can take bookings for meetings, training and other planned support activities.

The website: www.connectingcumbria.org.uk is constantly being updated and will tell you all you want to know about the project as it proceeds. There are maps which will tell you where the projects are up to in your area; when you can expect the service to be available; and there are question and answer tabs to answer the most commonly asked queries.

Distinctive labels are also put on local telephone cabinets as they go live (see picture).

But there is one thing to bear in mind…extra cost.

The connecting Cumbria website will tell which service providers will be able to supply you with the new service but you will have to ask them about the extra cost that will almost certainly be involved.

FREE Online Funding Tool and Telephone Access to Cumbria’s premier business support programme.

FREE Networking and Introduction Opportunities FREE Parking adjacent to the Business Hub. FREE Wi-Fi Business Services Available: Printing, Scanning, Photocopying, Laminating and Binding.

Unit 1a, Phoenix Court Cleator Moor, Cumbria CA25 5PP t: 01946 328331 e: michelle@phoenixenterprisecentre.co.uk

There’ll be weekly updates on the rollout of super-fast fibre broadband available on the Connecting Cumbria website: www.connectingcumbria.org

www.cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk t: 0844 257 84 50

27

How the tree came to Christmas

N

O Christmas is complete without a tall fir tree twinkling in the corner, covered in tinsel with an angel perched on top but it wasn’t always so.

As with many things the origins of the Christmas tree can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens which bore a distinct significance around the winter solstice; December 21/22. They would bring green date palm leaves into their homes; never losing their colour and remaining lush all year they symbolized life’s triumph over death.

Plants and trees that remained green all year also had a special meaning for ancient people who hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows in winter as they believed it would keep ghosts, witches, evil spirits and illness away. They reminded people of the green plants and the fruitful orchards that would grow again when the sun returned.

The Christmas tree as we know it came from Germany in 16th century. It is thought that the Martin Luther, a religious reformer, was walking home one dark winter’s evening and was so in awe of the twinkling stars amidst

28

Feature the evergreen forest he set up a tree with candles in his main room to recapture the scene for his family.

It was the 18th century before any sign of a Christmas tree was seen in England. Queen Charlotte, originally from Germany, brought to our shore the practise of setting up a yew branch in the house placing it in the largest room at Windsor Castle, at Christmas.

As a treat for the children at a large Christmas party one year she decided to plant an entire tree in the middle of the drawing room floor and cover it in fruit and baubles with presents underneath.

Despite Queen Charlotte’s efforts it was Queen Victoria who firmly planted the Christmas tree in the hearts of the British.

“ The Christmas tree as we know it came from Germany in 16th century.”

A sketch of The Queen, Prince Albert and their children standing in front of a Christmas tree was published in several magazines of the day and with that the Christmas tree became commonplace in the homes of every class.

Decorations were largely home-made with candles used as lights and small toys hung from branches after which the tradition of leaving presents under the tree was started.

As time went on Christmas Trees were decorated more extravagantly and an over-decorated tree was a way to show your wealth but when Queen Victoria died the nation went into mourning and the real Christmas tree was replaced by artificial ones made of goose feathers.

It wasn't until the 1930s, when Dickensian nostalgia swept the nation, that real, heavily-decorated full size Christmas trees returned.

People resorted to a table-top tree that they could take down to their air raid shelters to add some Christmas cheer when the sirens sounded. Large trees could still be seen in public places to keep up morale.

After the unstable life of wartime Britain Christmas offered a sense of security and trees became as large as people could afford, with Woolworths become a leader in decoration sales.

As the century progressed the popularity of the Christmas tree never wavered but the swinging 60s saw a modern twist as people displayed silver, aluminium trees.

Today you can still buy wacky coloured Christmas trees but whatever the colour we can’t imagine Christmas without a tree to decorate and pile presents beneath.

That was until the outbreak of the Second World War, when it was forbidden to cut down trees.

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Cleator Moor immortalised …expensively

Self Portrait

F

RIENDSHIP made Cleator Moor more famous than most people realise.

And it was a long-standing friendship… that between the artist Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887-1976) and former bank manager and clergyman Geoffrey Bennett (19021991)… that led to Lowry immortalising the town as it was in the1950s Geoffrey Bennett and Lowry were introduced by Lowry’s cousin Grace, who worked with Bennett in Lancashire and when the Bennetts moved to Cumberland, as it was then, after Geoffrey was made manager of the Westminster Bank, in Ennerdale Road. Cleator Moor that Lowry kept in touch. He would visit the family in Cleator Moor, and later in Carlisle, after Mr Bennett became an Anglican clergyman, in 1962.

During his visits the two men would create caricatures for the amusement of the vicar’s son. Bennett was also an artist and each encouraged the work of the other.

While in West Cumberland, Lowry painted various scenes, including the church, bank, a fish and chip shop and The Market Square, in Cleator Moor. He also painted scenes in Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport.

30

Cowles Fish and Chip Shop

Cowles Fish and Chip Shop, Cleator Moor, just off the Square and almost opposite the Westminster Bank, was done in 1948 one day when, Lowry suddenly noticed crowds of people outside it. He borrowed pastels belonging to Geoffrey’s son and set to work at once.

The drawing subsequently sold for more than twice the value of the property.

Bennett had an impressive collection of Lowry artworks, and when he died they were left to the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle Cathedral, who sold them to raise funds to support the maintenance of the Cathedral.

Lowry also befriended the then 23-year-old Cumbrian artist Sheila Fell, in November 1955, describing her as “the finest landscape artist of the mid-20th century”.

He supported her career by buying several pictures that he gave to museums.

Fell later described him as “A great humanist”, adding: “To be a humanist, one has first to love human beings, and to be a great humanist, one has to be slightly detached from them.”

As Lowry’s celebrity grew, in the late 1950s, he grew tired of being approached by strangers, and particularly disliked being visited by them at home.

Feature He was reputed to have kept a suitcase by the front door so that he could claim to be just leaving, until one day an overly helpful young man insisted on taking him to the railway station. Then Lowry had to send him off to buy a newspaper so that he could buy a ticket for just one stop to avoid revealing his deception.

Despite attempts to represent himself as a “simple man” who was unable to appreciate post-classical art, Lowry nevertheless seems to have been aware of major trends in 20th-century art. He expressed his admiration for the work of René Magritte and Lucian Freud, although he admitted that he “didn’t understand” the work of Francis Bacon whose 1969 triptych “Three Studies of Lucian Freud,” recently set a new world record for the most expensive painting ever auctioned, almost £90million.

“While in West Cumberland, Lowry painted various scenes, including the church, bank, a fish and chip shop and The Market Square, in Cleator Moor.”

When Lowry started to command large sums for the sale of his works he bought a number of paintings and sketches by the Pre-Raphaelite artist, Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Many of these works were portraits of Elizabeth Siddal, Jane Morris and William Holman Hunt’s muse, Annie Miller.

Lowry considered Rossetti to be his chief inspiration.

He was appointed official artist at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 but turned down honours ranging from an OBE, a CBE, a Companion of Honour and a knighthood.

Although seen as a mostly solitary and private person, Lowry enjoyed attending football matches and was an ardent supporter of Manchester City.

In 1957 an unrelated 13-year-old schoolgirl called Carol Ann Lowry wrote to him at her mother’s urging to ask his advice on becoming an artist. He visited her home in Heywood, Greater Manchester, some months later and became a family friend.

He died of pneumonia in hospital in Glossop, on February 23, 1976 aged 88 and left his estate to Carol Ann Lowry.

In April 2000, the multi-million pound Millennium Project The Lowry, opened in Salford and is home to around 300 of his works, with about 100 always on display.

31

Eat your heart out Hogwarts!

Y

OU can go one better than the Hogwart’s Express this Christmas by hopping on the Ratty’s exciting Santa Special, running from Ravenglass during December.

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway will be taking excited children on a magical special steam train journey to meet Santa, each weekend during December and also on the days between December 20 and 23.

Santa will be settling in to a magical gingerbread grotto at Dalegarth Station, once he’s parked his sleigh.

32

He is looking forward to meeting lots of children and has promised to have a present ready for every child who travels on the Santa Express trains with their parents or other grown-ups.

“Santa comes to see us every year and we celebrate his arrival with juice for children to drink and mince pies and mulled wine for the adults. He’s very kind and agrees to visit every child on board the train, as well as in his grotto, so every carriage gets a chance to see Santa while the train puffs along the track,” said Rachel Bell, the company’s marketing manager.

The journey itself– seven miles long in each

Feature direction, with lots to see and spot as you travel through the mysterious hidden valley of Miterdale and on through Eskdale.

All of which can be hungry work, so there are Christmas meals available at Ravenglass which, like journey tickets, you should book in advance by telephoning: 01229 717171.

CAROL ROBERTS Couture Bridal To make way for our 2014 designer collection we are slashing the prices of our designer dresses!

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And If you do go then look out for the Happy Elf who is going to give adults a voucher that will allow them to pay just half the ticket price, if they wish to return at a different time.

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Photography: Phil winterbourne 34

Hair: Verity Faichen

Styling: Jemima Robinson

Lifestyle

C

hristmas and New Year are a very social and busy time for many; meeting old friends, Christmas parties, staff parties, weekends away for Christmas shopping... It’s all happening.

Although it’s an expensive time it’s also actually the perfect time to stock up on beauty products because companies release gift sets and special additional items that you wouldn’t normally get. Mini palettes and brush sets often come into stores and, as we know, good make-up brushes do cost a fortune.

Bare Minerals do great affordable sets including a mini brush set for £29. I love the brands that have a palette that you can build up yourself over time. I think it’s more personal and you can’t go wrong; you’re never going to have that colour in your palette that never gets touched.

Urban Decay does two size palettes; both include a shadow already. Prices start at £14. If you are lucky enough to go away shopping then Laura Mercier, Mac, and Bobbi Brown also sell empty palettes. Just remember make sure the person you are buying the palette for can access the brand easily. So Urban Decay is a good choice for Cumbria’s women.

Men… If you’re stuck this is my advice. Look over to your partner’s dressing table and see what she uses every day.

What skin care is she using? What make-up is she using? What fragrance is she using?

If products run low then she clearly likes it and has been using it.Take a picture of the products on your phone and go visit a department store where a lovely assistant will be more than happy to help.

The assistant can find something that your partner will use and you will be giving your partner something more thoughtful.

Secondly, the assistant in the department store will think you’re very sweet so you will walk away with an ego boost. Happy Days (Daze?)

Now back the ladies… it’s cold, and it’s all work-hard play-hard.

Do yourself a favour and take your make-up off properly. Get a good eye make-up remover.

So to summarise my own favourite products for December /January: Talkia Eye Make-Up Remover, £18 Removes waterproof mascara, sooths the delicate skin, and is gentle.

Talkia Lipocils, £17 Repairs eyelashes / brows after false lashes or over-plucking

L’Oreal Pure Light Primer, £11 Combats the dull-grey, dry, powdery winter skin. Colour corrects slightly.

Good for the day, be careful for photographs, bring it down onto your neck or mix into tinted moisturiser. It’s matt in texture and so good for oily skin.

MUA Blonde Eyebrow Pencil, £1 Mentioned this in a lot of my articles.

Waxy, light and great for shaping and pulling hairs in the correct direction. Apply a darker pencil or shadow if needed afterwards. No slugs or ticks guys.

continued on next page

I got rather excited while strolling through House of Fraser, in Carlisle, when I spotted Talkia. Talkia is a plant based eye-care range. Over 50 years old it was originally produced to help war victims who had lost eyelashes or had suffered burns…all geared towards the eyelashes and the skin around the eye.

They sell great eye make-up removers, suitable for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers.The Lipocil product helps stimulate hair re-growth, which is brilliant for women who wear eyelashes or get extinctions, as these help to condition and re-grow the hairs.

I have previously mentioned the benefits of oil / balm-based cleansers.They are brilliant for all skin types, including oily and problematic skin. They cleanse deeper and repair the skin. Most high-end cosmetic brands offer one.

35

Mac Vanilla Pigment, £19 This has been in my kit since I started at London College of Fashion. It was included in our starter kit. I have replaced it ever since. Beautiful highlighter for eyes, cheeks, slimming the nose and highlighting the Cupid’s bow, or even mixed into foundation for a dewy skin. Simply stunning on all skin colours.

Bobbi Brown creamy lipstick coral pink, £19 Finally found the creamy dewy lipstick range for “complete” your make up.

Obviously lots of colours. Coral Pink is actually a summery colour but I have fallen for it now as I prefer a nude, natural lip on me but this has a beautiful colour to brighten up my face on a dull day. Once you have chosen the colour you can easily re-order online.

36

I

WAS recently invited to take part in a charity event to raising money for the Eden Valley Hospice (pictured below). It took the form of a fabulous “Strictly Come Dancing” night at which I was to help with the make-up. The outfits were stunning… and so were those taking part… oh, and the make-up wasn’t half bad either.

Article by

bridget foster Make Up & Hair Artist

37

Monty grows a traditional trend

T

V gardener Monty Don has inspired one of the most unlikely fashion trends of the year – The Full Monty.

Sales of his trade-mark cuddly jumpers, baggy trousers, braces and working shoes have jumped thanks to his appearances on hit BBC programme Gardeners World, says fashion store Debenhams.

The move reflects Britain’s growing interest in everything to do with the countryside, inspired by TV programmes such as Countryfile and Nature Watch.

All products shown available from Debenhams

A spokesman for a leading chain of department stores told us: “Monty has his own unique sense of dress – it’s a combination of Ted Hughes meets The Flowerpot Men. He has a rugged, earthy quality which women find attractive, and seeing him pushing a wheel barrow with his dog Nigel trotting alongside is sheer poetry in motion.”

38

Demand for Monty-style clothes has risen steadily ever since the new series of BBC programme Gardeners World was first broadcast earlier this year. Jumpers are up by 32%; baggy trousers by 29% and lumberjack shirts by 46%.

“Monty presents an image of a man who is strong, safe and dependable. He looks like a fantastic home-maker, a provider, and has a wonderfully warm character. He is exactly the sort of man that many women would love to have” the spokesman said.

Debenhams believes that ‘The Full Monty’ trend may also mark a distinct shift in the values modern British women now looking for in prospective partners.

Lifestyle

Since the boom in The City 30 years ago, most women have been attracted to men who dress to create the impression of success in business. Sharp suits, striped shirts, silk ties and cufflinks have, until now, been the first choice for men eager to catch the eye. But the popularity of the Full Monty suggests that change may be under way.

“We believe the recession may be persuading many women to reassess their idea of the qualities which define an attractive man,” said Debenhams.

“While most women still put a neat, well-co-ordinated dress sense at the top of their list, others seem to be returning to an older view of manliness. Being seen to be in touch with the earth, having strong rugged hands and the ability to create life from the soil seems to be making a comeback.”

Monty Don is now one of the most popular presenters on television.

Even his dog Nigel has a Facebook site set up by fans. ‘The Monty’ look encompasses elements of the current key trends including check shirts, layering and textured knits.

39

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on Leigh in G e with the Wind

Gone with the wind,

Leigh in her heyday

just like its famous visitor…

Rheda M

ansion

L.A., LONDON, Paris, New York… all the playgrounds of the big Hollywood stars... aren’t they?

Along with Frizington? Well, er, yes, actually.

For although Frizington may seem a far cry from beautiful downtown Burbank, it nevertheless does have a fascinating connection with one of Hollywood’s most dazzling leading ladies, Vivien Leigh; real name Vivian Hartley.

In 1931 Vivian 18, met Leigh Holman, a barrister 13 years her senior and despite his disapproval of “theatrical people”, they wed in December 1932 and she terminated her studies at RADA. Leigh Holman’s brother Alwyn was married to Myfanwy Dixon, whose father owned the Rheda estate and Vivian Leigh was a regular house guest at the Dixon / Holman family mansion.

Rheda Mansion was once one of the grandest houses in the area – the home of the wealthy Dixon family, but it’s long gone… the estate was broken up and auctioned off and the mansions itself (pictured) was demolished in the 1950s.

But 20 years earlier, in the period leading up to the Second World War, it had been a family retreat for the glamorous, rising actress who was in 1939 to become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, after playing Scarlett O’Hara, in one of the greatest films ever made: Gone with The Wind.

In 1934 Leigh’s friends suggested she take a small role in the film Things Are Looking Up, which marked her film debut.

She engaged an agent, John Gliddon, who said Vivian Holman wasn’t a suitable name for an actress. So she borrowed her husband’s forename and changed the spelling of her first name, replacing the “a” with an “e”.

Appearing in films such as Fires Over England, she was to meet her second husband, Sir Laurence Olivier, and when Leigh Holman petitioned for divorce he named Laurence Olivier as co-respondent. She and Olivier married in 1940.

They divorced in 1960.

Leigh died from tuberculosis in 1967 and maintained a strong friendship with Leigh Holman for the rest of her life RHEDA Mansion, known as The Big House, was built in 1858. It was the seat of the well-to-do Dixon family who were originally yeoman farmers but over generations they assembled considerable wealth as mine owners.

It became the setting for many glittering house parties and society events and there were also regular tennis or shooting parties. It was substantial stone building with circular turrets castellation and stained glass. The interior was decorated in the grand Victorian style with large fireplaces and a billiards room. It had a mock pele tower and a hexagonal tower was later added.

41

It’s a Growing Form OF Medicine Patients disillusioned with conventional medicine are seeking out complementary medicine practitioners in record numbers so in this edition we introduce a new series, by Cumbrian medical herbalist, Jackie Cooper, about herbal and holistic medicine; what it is; what it does and what’s involved. In the coming editions Jackie will tell you what you need to know; what the medicines can treat and explain their benefits. So don’t miss The Guide in the coming months.

P

EOPLE are beginning to understand that there are alternative ways to assist recovery from illness, which are more effective in the long term, yet gentler on the body.

The true purpose of medicine is to assist nature’s power of healing, and this belief is emphasised in the practice of herbal medicine, which acts with the body, not against it (unlike pharmaceutical medicines which are designed to have a direct effect on the body, and which is why they frequently lead to unwanted side effects).

Herbal Medicine acts as a catalyst, enabling the body to find homeostasis, to balance itself.

42

For this reason, it is important to choose the remedy very carefully, because in my view when used correctly (and constitutionally) herbal medicines are completely free of side effects.

I am a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists which has been established since 1864, and which means that I have undergone five years of training in the same diagnostic skills as a GP. Unlike most GPs, however, I treat holistically. I focus on treating the individual rather than the disease, and no two prescriptions are the same. It is not a ‘one size fits all’ because there are no two individuals (human or animal) the same, and one person’s experience of illness is rarely the same as another’s. This is ‘constitutional treatment’.

In the American Indian tradition, a people

Feature who have always maintained their connection with plant remedies, medicine is described as ‘anything that improves one’s connection and understanding to the mysteries of life, including healing the body, mind and spirit’. Herbal medicine can work on whatever level we want it to. Yes, the plants contain many active chemical constituents which have similar actions to pharmaceuticals (indeed there are over 80 plant derived drugs currently on the market), but if the remedies are used allopathically (ie. against the body), in a similar way to pharmaceuticals, they are limited to symptomatic treatment, and as often occurs in conventional medicine, may mask an underlying condition.

“ Herbal Medicine acts as a catalyst, enabling the body to find homeostasis, to balance itself.”

Dysbiosis, an imbalance of gut flora, is an example, and can apply to humans or animals (and has been linked recently to the use of genetically modified foodstuffs (Lipton, 2008)).

Dysbiosis can lead to diarrhoea, constipation, candida, allergies etc, and symptomatic treatment of any of those conditions will not rectify the underlying cause.

Herbal Medicine can do so much more than just treat symptomatically. The plants have an (indirect) action on the body, but they can also be a catalyst for changing the way we think, because ultimately all disease is derived from a state of mind (hence dis-ease). The mind controls the body. The placebo effect is testament to this.

I practice from my clinic in Hethersgill, near Carlisle, and I make many of my own medicines from my medicinal garden. I believe that whatever medicine is around us is what we need. What do you have growing around you?

For further information contact Jackie Cooper, Fairways. Moss Edge, Hethersgill, Cumbria CA6 6HJ. Telephone 01228 675042 www.talkinherbs.co.uk

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43

How to lay the ghosts of Christmas plants

By Craig Wishart

Y

OU don’t have to be Ebenezer Scrooge to come face to face with the ghosts of Christmas past. Many of us have our own ghosts lingering about the house... our very own reminder of previous horticultural failures.

Take a look on the kitchen window sill; are the skeletal remains of last year’s Christmas Poinsettia still haunting your home? Is it nothing more than a few leafless stems?

Perhaps a few small red shoots give an indication of life and save it from the bin.

Or you may have found those Hyacinth bulbs tucked away in a paper bag, stuffed into the drawer with the best intentions to replant them this year. Their desiccated husks break apart and crumble in your hands.

No life will grow from these flakes this year.

Maybe you still have a plant pot-filled only with compost and memories of last year’s cyclamen. Tended to and watered lovingly throughout the year, in the hope they’ll fill the house with colour again, but nothing grows.

Unfortunately this is the fate of hundreds and thousands of potted plants, baskets, bulbs and containers given in the Christmas spirit every year.

Not all of our plants need be ghostly reminders of our lack of care or plain 44

old forgetfulness. Many will flower and look fantastic right throughout the winter months, so here are a few easy to follow tips to help keep your Christmas plants looking their best for the longest time possible.

Firstly remember that temperature is important, a prolonged chill will cause your plant to drop all its leaves and a cold draught will cause more of the same. Without wanting to give too many instructions it’s important to mention that they can’t sit too close to radiators or the fireplace because the heat will dry them out as sure as the desert sun will.

As a general rule plants do best in the most humid part in the house, generally this is the cooking area and it will help if your plant sits on a pebble filled saucer so that the pot itself does not sit submerged in water.

r f ou o

l l be t a eed “No n

s t ers plan remind of stly k c gho a ur l n of o plai s.” r o

s e car etfulne g r fo old

This now leads us straight on to the major killer of houseplants the world over, the scourge of too much love and care – over watering.

Many people drown their plants by watering regularly but without considering whether the plant needs it. Plants roots need air as well as water and excessive watering, which keeps the compost constantly moist, effectively drowns the plant.

Proper watering requires a little thought and often restraint.

You should water to thoroughly soak the soil in the pot and then give no more until the soil starts to dry out again.

Ensure your plant receives as much daylight as it can, poor light will cause the leaves to drop.

Finally all that is needed to keep most plants flowering for longer is a few minutes picking off dead flower heads as they die off. By removing them you change the plant’s focus from producing seeds which it hopes will be grow into its next generation, into growing more flowers for more seed heads. This cycle is a little green thumb trick at the plant’s expense that will guarantee you prolonged flowering.

It’s important to remember these plants have been grown in a greenhouse by professionals under growing conditions that are impossible to replicate at home. Bear this in mind, your plant will be looking and feeling its best on the day you buy it.

Hyacinths are another Christmas favourite.

It’s now up to you to keep it as happy as you can and when the time comes (Which it will) when it’s well and truly past its prime why don’t you put it to good use. Re-use and recycle where you can. Most potted plants will decompose in the compost bin turning into a quality soil which can be used again and all bulbs can be buried in the backyard for a chance of a new life.

You’ve got nothing to lose and perhaps next winter your ghosts won’t bring misery but a splash of colour and a simple joy at the wonder of nature.

45

46

H H

UNDITH ILL OTEL

We would like to thank you for your continuous support & custom throughout 2013.

We look forward to being of further service to you in the New Year.

All staff at the Hotel would like to wish you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Wedding Fayre Wednesday 22nd January Doors open from 6.30pm Free admission Over 20 local wedding exhibitors An excellent evening to start your wedding plans or to put the finishing touches to your big day

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e h t s ’ t a h e t Mince! i p a e Mak Prince of s Word

in my all time Christmas favourites.

One of the secrets to a successful pie is the pastry and as far as the pastry goes then this one has to be the best I have ever tasted, light, buttery and very flaky but also quite difficult to work with.

The pastry recipe came down from great grandmother to grandmother, to mother and now down to me. My own kids are all McDonalds lovers… “the shame of it”; they rarely cook so maybe that’s where this one will all end… a lonely finish to a wonderful creation. Plenty of time to save it though, so here we go.

My twist on festive mince pies using Mrs Spedding’s ultimate pastry. I’m doing four different variations using the same ingredients. A traditional pie; one with a caramelised filo pastry top (which is guaranteed to take first prize in the Christmas pie beauty contest); another with fresh cranberries for a little sweet n’ sour tartness and finally a boozy whisky version.

48

ding

Sped

hoto

and P

really good mince pie recipe passed down through the family generations A definitely holds one of the top spots

Alan y by graph

The Pastry Ingredients (Makes about 15-18) 1 – Egg Yolk 1 – Tbsp Sugar 3 – Tbsp Water 8oz – Plain Flour 1/2 – Tsp Salt 5 oz – Butter (cubed)

Method

Beat together the egg yolk with the sugar and water.

Put the flour, salt and butter together into a food processor, a mixer or a bowl and process until the texture of sand or fine crumbs is reached.

Mix in the egg yolk liquid and process until everything is combined together. Flatten out between two sheets of greaseproof or cling film and allow to rest overnight in the fridge (or freezer).

Remove from the fridge and flour the work-surface well. It’s probably best to cut the pastry up and work quickly with small amounts at this stage.

..............

...........................

..............

Food

Roll out until your desired thickness is reached. Cut the pastry into circles using a cookie cutter and put into the pre-greased or non-stick moulded mince pie tins.

At this stage you can spoon in your mincemeat (not too much as it will overflow when it’s baking) and then follow one of the four different methods for topping as detailed below.

traditional mince pies

, add the filling and then cut more pastry 1 - For circles for the lids; stick them together using a little beaten egg and then either glaze with more beaten egg, or sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake in a medium oven around about 180 – 200 deg.

filo mince pies

, add the mincemeat to the pastry circles 2 - For the in the pie tin. Get a strip of fresh filo pastry roughly about one inch x 12inches and gently and artistically allow it to fold and drape over the mincemeat on each pie. Dust with a generous sprinkling of icing sugar through a sieve and then bake in a hot oven around about 200 deg.

Remove the pies once caramelised and then finish off with more festive snow-like icing sugar.

sweet/sour

version. Simply 3 - The third method is the add fresh cranberries to the mincemeat mixture and then bake in the oven until the berries burst. Small toppings of extra pastry in the form of strips or stars can be added before baking for extra effect.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

................

4 – The fourth variation – Pastry cases filled with mincemeat and topped with a sweet whisky butter flavoured with grated mandarin zests. Give them a go, there are simply no rules, so enjoy.

Follow Alan at: www.alanspedding.co.uk www.cumbriafoodie.wordpress.com www.theguidemediagroup.co.uk 49

The

New Year’s Day 2014 at...

Waterfront

RESTAURANT AND BAR

2 Course £18.50 | 3 Course £22.50 | 4 Course £25.00 Food served 12 - 4 on New Year’s Day

To Start

Celeriac Soup - white truffle oil and wild mushrooms Chicken Liver Parfait - sour dough, apple chutney, port syrup Assiette of Salmons and Crayfish - capers, marie rose sauce, lemon and rye bread Pan Seared Halloumi Cheese - sautéed peppers, red onions, courgettes, red pepper coulis and chick pea salsa

Intermediate Course

Apple Sorbet - crumble and crème anglais

Main Courses

Roast Sirloin of Cumbrian Beef - red onion marmalade, yorkshire pudding, oxtail gravy Roast Loin of Pork - Cumberland sausage stuffing, apple sauce tarts, red wine gravy Fillet of Cod - crab-crushed new potatoes, crispy rocket, and prawn and dill cream sauce Wild Mushroom, Red Onion and Tomato Risotto - glazed goat’s cheese and rocket Corn Fed Chicken Breast - puy lentils, pancetta crisp, butternut squash and wild mushrooms Cumbrian Sirloin Steak - handcut chips, slow roast pesto tomato, beer-battered onions, rocket Caesar salad (£5.00 supplement)

Desserts

Icky Sticky Toffee Pudding - butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream Dark Chocolate and Walnut Terrine - strawberry compote, clotted cream Glazed Apple Custard Tart - cinnamon crumble, apple sorbet Selection of Hartley’s Ice Creams - brandy snap, fruit coulis A Selection of Cheeses from the North of England - biscuits, celery, grapes and Mrs Haslam’s chutney

To book please call: 01946 328 184 (Booking is Essential) Innovative Brasserie Dining | Locally-Sourced Menus Extensive Wine List | Cask Ales and Fine Lagers Fresh Hand-Made Cocktails | Afternoon Teas

T: 01946 328 184 West Strand, Whitehaven Cumbria, CA28 7LR 50

NEW

Wine List & Cocktail Menu (from 1 Dec)

www.waterfrontwhitehaven.co.uk

E: thewaterfront.whitehaven@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/pages/TheWaterfront

Food

Wild Rabbit Ragu with Penne

Difficulty: Medium Serves: 4 Preparation: 25 mins Cooking: 1hr 10 mins

METHOD INGREDIENTS

cut from bones 1 wild rabbit, all meat oil e 3 tbsp oliv cetta 75g cubed smoked pan ed and finely grated 1 medium carrot, scrubb shed then finely grated wa , ery cel of k stic e 1 larg ted gra ly fine on, oni 1 medium grated 3 cloves garlic, finely ¼ tsp dried chilli 1 tsp dried rosemary ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cinnamon 1 bay leaf 4 tbsp tomato purée es 1/3 tin chopped tomato r 1 tsp white wine vinega 200ml white wine 100 ml water Parmesan rind 1 thumb size piece of

To Finish

ese

tsp salt, Parmesan che 175g penne pasta, ½

In a medium sized sauté pan heat the olive oil before adding the pancetta, it should sizzle gently when entering the pan. Cook it for 5 minutes before adding the grated vegetables, stir all together well.

Add the spices and the bay leaf, then cook for a further 5 minutes before adding the rabbit with the tomato purée. Stir altogether for a few minutes before adding the remaining ingredients.

Put a lid on the pan and simmer very gently for an hour. Note: Adding Parmesan rind will give the Ragu extra depth of flavour, but remove the rind before serving. Drop the penne pasta into boiling salted water and cook to your preference.

Drain and mix the penne through the Ragu, divide over 4 plates, adding a good grate of fresh Parmesan should you require it.

Recipe Courtesy of The Countryside Alliance 51

WE’VE MOVED!

De

Margos ’

Same great home-made food

...now at The Conservative Club, Egremont

Celebrate Christmas Day with us!

Enjoy a delicious 4 course lunch Starter, Main Course, Dessert, Tea or Coffee and a Mince Pie Adults: £35 Pensioners: £25 Children (12 and under): £20 Lunch is served from 12pm - 4pm

CALL MARGARET ON

07564 974 978 TO BOOK

SUNDAY CARVERY • WEDDINGS BAR MEALS • OUTSIDE CATERING Tel: 01946 820318

Ehen Court Rd, Egremont CA22 2DX 52

Food

Frasers@32 Mini Meatloaves Ready In: 30 minutes Servings: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• About one and a quarter pounds (567grammes) of fresh-ground chicken, chicken breast fresh-ground turkey or turkey breast • Non-stick cooking spray • 1/4 cup frozen chopped onions • 2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs • 2 eggs • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic • 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated, fancy style

Cooking Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with no-stick cooking spray.

3. I n large bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients.

4. F ill muffin cups with a scant 1/2 cup of meatloaf mixture.

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

A delicious selection of buffet options available...

For Weddings Conferences and more!

Sandwiches Sausage Rolls Cold Meats Crispy Chicken Quiche Salad Coleslaw Filled Pittas Pizza Tortillas Chips Dips Pasta Salad Potato Salad and more!

Breakfast Buffet and Hot Buffet Options Available Breakfast Sandwiches Breakfast Tray Lasagne Curry Pie, Peas & Gravy Chilli Con Carne

Various options available to suit any budget For more information on our buffet services please call 01946 823642 and we will be happy to help.

Tel: 01946 823642 32 Main Street | Egremont | Cumbria 53

RolyPoly By Sean Wilson, as seen in his new cookbook

Sean Wilson - Photo: Brian Sherwen

‘Corrie’ star helps us re-find our wholesome heritage

egg to a fairly capable cooks and even master chef mums and grannies.

T

here’s much more to former Coronation Street star and Whitehaven Festival favourite, Sean Wilson, than just cheese. For five years after launching The Saddleworth Cheese Co Sean has released the well-received Great Northern Cook Book which aims to be the definitive cook book for our region. Here Ali Hipkin talks to Sean about the book.

S

EAN Wilson is keen to keep alive the wholesome heritage of Northern Food.

“There’s a whole generation out there that don’t know how to make a Cheese and Onion Pie. They can pick up the book and be surprised at how easy it is to make something that tastes amazing.”

“There isn’t a recipe book out there that just has Northern recipes. So we were very lucky and proud that Hodder and Stoughton asked us to produce it”, Sean said. The book caters for audiences of all cooking capabilities, from people who can’t boil an 54

The Great Northern Cook Book which accompanies Sean’s TV Series on Channel 5, contains over 90 traditionally Northern recipes from pies to puddings, including favourites such as Pea and Ham Soup; Steak and Kidney Pie; Cheese ‘n’ Onion Pie; Lancashire Hotpot and Jam Roly Poly.

Sean, who has become a firm favorite at the Whitehaven Festival over the years, said: “We travel up and down the country from Kent to Aberdeen going to food fairs and I’ve never seen a festival like it. It’s such a happy show.”

“The Whitehaven Festival is one of the best in the country and I don’t think people from Whitehaven realise that. There’s so much hard work that goes into it and the chefs that you get are fabulous. A food festival by day and a completely different atmosphere at night which is created by live music and bands. It’s just brilliant.”

“Last year was the fourth time we’ve been to Whitehaven; the only problem was we didn’t bring enough supplies with us!”

Food Along with the release of his recipe book Sean is launching a range of Dumplings. Yorkshire Puddings, Crisps and Soups all of which are low in salt and don’t contain added preservatives.

Best known for his role as Martin Platt in Coronation Street the transition to cook and cheese-maker extraordinaire seems like an odd one but food was always one of Sean’s passions.

Working at Michelin Star restaurant, Northcote Manor, in Blackburn, after he left Coronation Street, he was introduced to Bob Kitchen, master cheese maker, who taught Sean the art of making Lancashire cheese.

“I feel like I was kind of working with fate.” said Sean as he explained how he got to meet Bob. Sean was always interested in the science of food.

“The French and Italians place such provenance on their cheese; it’s something I think we need to do as well.” As he travelled he learned the how different creameries in different countries made cheese.

“It’s a complicated process but I try to make it as simple as possible; using the perfect milk form the perfect heard. There’s a lot of heritage to Lancashire cheese.”

Despite running a successful business that produces award winning cheeses Sean doesn’t take it too seriously, conjuring up light-hearted, colloquial names for his cheeses such as “How’s yer Father,” their creamy Lancashire; the tasty Lancashire “Mouth Almighty”; “Smelly Ha´peth,” their blue cheese and their Lancashire crumbly, “Muldoon’s Picnic”.

Muldoon’s Picnic and Smelly Ha’peth revive fond memories of a childhood in Lancashire for Sean; A Smelly Ha’peth referring to a child covered in muck after a full day’s play. Muldoon’s Picnic in particular raised a chuckle from Sean as explained the term as being given to a room full of screaming kids making a mess; “What d’ya think this is Muldoon’s Picnic?!”.

Recently ASDA and B&M have brightened up their fridge sections by stocking The Saddleworth Cheese Co. cheese which goes to show how far his Lancashire creamery has come in just five years, a recognition that brings a huge sense of achievement.

After talking to Sean for just a short while his passion for the cheese and recipes he’s created is obvious.

The Great Northern Cook Book would be a perfect gift for Christmas and can be bought from most good bookshops and online.

55

“ The perfect venue for your next business meeting or conference ”

S ILE IELD M 3 LAF LY L N SE O M O FR

C onference Facilities at

GOSFORTH HALL Costing from as little as £20 per head our conference room offers the perfect environment for business meetings or conferences. It is as relaxed as it is organised and a full business service can be provided including WiFi access.

LARGE Car Park | Bacon Sandwiches on Arrival | Unlimited Tea & Coffee with Biscuits Sandwiches & REAL Chips or Buffet Lunch | Water & Mints | Catering for up to 24 Delegates Projector & Projector Screen | Flip Chart & Pens | Paper & Pencils | FREE WiFi Please give us a call 019467 25322 to discuss your requirements T. 019467 25322

56

|

Gosforth, Cumbria CA20 1AZ

|

www.gosforthhallinn.co.uk

Food

Grilled Venison Chops with Creamed Spinach and Straw Potatoes

Difficulty: Medium Serves: 2 Preparation: 20 mins Cooking: 20 mins

Recipe Courtesy of The Countryside Alliance

4 venison chops or rack ½ tsp flaked sea salt 1 tbsp fennel seeds 2 tbsp olive oil

For the creamed spinach

1 bag of baby spinach 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp later 2 heaped tbsp full fat crème fraîche A good scratch of nutmeg 1 small clove of excellent garlic (must not be sprouted) Salt and pepper

For the straw potatoes 400 g peeled large potatoes Sunflower oil for frying Salt

METHOD

Wash the spinach thoroughly and drain it in a colander. Get a pan large enough to take all the spinach and get it on a high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and when it is hot, not smoking, chuck in all the spinach. Spit, crackle, sizzle it will go. Stir away, turning the leaves until all are totally collapsed.

Remove from the heat.

Press the spinach against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon and tip away all the excess water.

Stir the spinach and repeat the process, getting rid of as much water as you can.

Put the spinach in a blender.

On top of the spinach flop in one heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche, nutmeg, the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Blitz everything up together until the purée is totally smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Heat up the creamed spinach just before you

need it, as if kept on a long slow heat, ticking over, it will lose its fabulous colour.

Peel and very thinly slice the potatoes. Stack the slices and slice them lengthways into matchstick thickness.

Preheat the grill to high, and heat 2 inches of oil in a medium pan to 180ºc.Season the venison chops with salt and the fennel seeds and rub them all over with the oil. Place them close under the grill, turning them once until cooked to your preference. I would say ideally they should be pinky rare within, so about 4 minutes on each side. Or seal the rack in a pan and then cook in a hot oven for about 12 mins.

Drop the potato slithers in the oil and fry until golden. Stir them occasionally to help them colour evenly. Remove to kitchen roll to drain and salt generously.Serve the venison chops with the warmed spinach and tangled chips.

57

The Eating Out guide Restaurants and Pubs in your local area

Quick Find Caspian Classic 66 Lowther Street, Whitehaven T. 01946 64469 De Margo’s Ehen Court Road, Egremont, CA22 2DX T. 01946 820318 Ennerdale Country House Hotel Cleator, CA23 3DT T. 01946 813907

58

Frasers @ 32 32 Main Street, Egremont T. 01946 823642 Gosforth Hall Inn Gosforth, CA20 1AZ T. 019467 25322 Hundith Hill Hotel Lorton Vale, Cockermouth, CA13 9TH T. 01900 822092 Irton Hall Irton, Holmrook CA19 1TA T. 019467 26025

La Venue 25 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7DG T. 01946 590580 Lu Lu’s 134 Main Street, St Bees, CA27 0DE T. 01946 822600 The Waterfront West Strand, Whitehaven, CA28 7LR T. 01946 328184

59

The Eating in guide Takeaways in your local area Traditional Fraser’s Fish & Chips • T: 01946 823642 33 Main Street, Egremont, CA22 2DR

Ropers • T: 01946 65444

66 Meadow Road, Mirehouse, CA28 8ER

Chinese Tiger Inn Takeaway • T: 01946 814664 11 High Street, Cleator Moor, CA25 5AH

Marmaris Pizza & Kebab • T: 01946 62963 6a Tangier Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7YZ

60

Orchid Manor • T: 01946 692676 Five course quality meal only £8.99 (Sun-Fri) Strandhouse, Strand Street, CA28 7LJ

Chicken Hut • T: 01946 693353/693336 Fried Chicken, Peri Peri Chicken, Kebabs, Burgers, Wraps and so much more. Home delivery available. Open 7 days.

17 Duke Street, Whitehaven, CA28 73T

Other

61

d a e h l o r t e p a Present for

H

ERE’S a book idea if you’re stuck for a Christmas present for a petrolhead? It’s a book, an autobiography by former Top Gear presenter, Tony Mason.

Mason’s Motoring Mayhem relives Tony Mason’s hectic life in motorsport and television. Few people achieve success and notoriety in more than one field, but Tony Mason has managed it!

He joined a local car club at Morecambe before he even had a car, eventually climbing to the top with rally wins in the Lake District, before joining the prestigious Ford works team and co-driving Britain’s biggest rally star, Roger Clark, to win outright the RAC Rally – Britain’s toughest event of its kind.

He started a successful car accessory business then ventured onto the stage for a short while, before being signed by the BBC to appear on its popular Top Gear programme, on which he was a main presenter for 15 years. His cheery presence became a popular part of the programme, and he moved from rallying to driving all manner of vehicles, from vintage 62

Rolls-Royces, Reliant Robins, tanks, fire engines and Eddie Stobart trucks.

Tony Mason started rallying in the early 1960s, winning events both as a driver and navigator.

He went on to co-drive for the Ford works team, winning outright the 1972 RAC Rally of Great Britain with Roger Clark. He then moved to TV becoming ‘Mr Rallying’ on BBC Top Gear.

Tony’s jovial personality brought him a huge following and he presented a variety of items for 15 years before appearing on several other programmes and he was regularly on TV in Australia and New Zealand.

Motoring Mason’s Motorin g Mayh em IS BN : 9781 8458 44394 • UP C: 6-36 84704 439- 8

Tony is widely travelled, having visited nearly 100 countries. He currently entertains on P&O cruise ships around the world.

After he was famously bombarded with snowballs during a report on the Monte Carlo Rally, he became even better known, with the famous out-take being shown on programmes around the world.

“ Few people achieve success and notoriety in more than one field, but Tony Mason has managed it!”

Tony’s light-hearted, jovial persona takes readers on a trip through almost 100 countries, with thrills, spills, ups-and-downs all vividly remembered and often shown in photographs.

The book is hardback has 208 pages, 123 pictures and costs £24. You can view sample pages and text on the Veloce website at www.veloce.co.uk and copies can also be ordered on the website.

63

Seven Heaven

C

aterham Cars has opened the order book for the Seven 160 – its new entry-level variant of the iconic sports car, powered by a supercompact, turbocharged Suzuki engine.

With fleet-of-foot charm and handling finesse, rather than outright performance dictating the driving experience, the new car redefines the budget sports car segment while introducing new levels of efficiency and value for money to the Caterham range.

Priced from £14,995 in component form, the car’s live-axle rear suspension, compact engine and low weight embody the pioneering spirit of early Sevens and represent a new entry-point to the Seven range.

Production of the Caterham Seven 160 and 165 is expected to begin in January 2014, with first deliveries later that spring.

The Seven 160 – EU customers will get an altered version, called 165 – produces 80hp from its 660cc, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine, enabling it to accelerate to 60mph in a brisk 6.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 100mph.

64

Motoring

Are you prepared

for winter?

ITH dark evenings, falling W temperatures and poor visibility, winter driving can be testing… even for the most experienced motorist.

But there are steps and precautions you can take to ensure safe journeys through the worst of the winter weather.

Being prepared is key -- You need to keep your vehicle up to scratch at all times so try following this checklist before you go out:

TIPS FOR WINTER DRIVING Ice - Slow down, steer gently and use the highest

gear you can. If you have to brake, use short, even applications, not heavy sustained pressure. Look out for skid traps like frost and wet leaves. Always leave a much larger gap between you and the vehicle in front, as it takes a lot longer to stop on ice or snow.

Fog - Use dipped headlights, keep your

windscreen clear and drive so that you can stop in the distance you can see. Use rear fog lights if visibility is less than 100 metres.

f All lights clean and working, washer bottle

Rain - Use dipped headlights, keep your speed down and keep well back from the vehicle in front.

If you come to a flood, slow right down, but keep your revs high.

f As for the journey itself… well don’t take

Hail - Slow down and use dipped headlights.

full; clean mirrors and windows inside and out; tyres at the right pressure with plenty of tread; battery fully charged and topped up.

any un-necessary risks. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and try to use roads on the gritting list / map.

f

on’t use roads which are closed – you D will put yourself and others in danger and abandoned vehicles hamper snow clearance.

f

ou should have a survival kit – keep these Y things in your car: a thick jumper; warm coat, boots, thick gloves, blanket, hot drink in a flask, good torch and a spade. If possible include a tow rope, booster cables, some sand and a solid wooden board for the jack.

fA s well as being prepared, you will have to

change the way you drive in winter, and take into account the variety of weather conditions.

Beware of slush on the road after a hail storm.

Snow - If the sun

dazzles, reduce speed and use your visor.

Keep well back from the vehicle in front of you.

If your tyres won’t grip, there may be a salt/ grit heap or bin nearby.

Spread the salt/grit in front of your driving wheels and set off in the highest gear you can. If you are caught in heavy snow, wrap up warm and stay inside your vehicle if possible.

65

s i n a v s ’ David T

HE Reliant Robin in the classic TV series Only Fools and Horses wasn’t, as Egremont man David Barrett points out, actually a Reliant Robin… …And David ought to know because, apart from being a huge fan of the superb sitcom series – which had seven series broadcast on BBC, between 1981 and 1991, and still gets regularly shown – David owns one of the vans which was actually used in the making of the hugely popular programmes.

The famous van/s which starred were in fact all Reliant Regal Supervan IIIs, made

by Reliant from 1953-73, which were a forerunner of the Robin, the next model along to replace them and like nearly all TV vehicles featuring regularly there was more than one.

66

“Around 11 vans were used in the TV series,” David said and most were simply scrapped, a few survive; indeed the now closed Cars of the Stars museum at Keswick had two examples.”

“Mine was found a number of years ago in Manchester, it was owned by a fan of the show who had bought it along with other memorabilia”.

“While in his ownership the van was vandalised and having no safe storage for the van he agreed to sell it to me.

I have replaced all the glass in the van and repaired a large hole kicked into the body but sadly the van will need total restoration if it is to return to the road”.

“The van is fitted with a lot of electrical wiring under the bonnet and I have no idea what it was used for, the main battery cables have been cut off long ago to prevent the car from been

started, perhaps a safety measure from when it was sent to public auction.

The side chassis rails had rusted through; seats had collapsed with age; the wiring is dangerous; all bushes need replaced; as would all the braking system, not to mention the engine, “which I have never had running,” David said.

“But it’s an easy restoration, the body is glass-fibre and it has a separate chassis, the only way to restore these properly is to take the body off, restore the running gear then turn your attention to the body and wiring.

David says the van will most likely end up with a Reliant Robin engine which has a little more power and easier-toobtain parts.

Around 11 such vans were used for the TV series and were simply replaced

Motoring when the MoT was due or series ended, as it was easier to buy another than to patch up store it. “Sometimes they would keep the rear door, seats and sides panels from the van for continuity purposes”.

The first-ever van was scrapped and the ones used afterwards are a bit of a mystery. As we said Cars of the Stars had two, one now is in a private collection after going on sale and achieving £44K at auction and the other’s whereabouts is unknown but could well be in Florida with the rest of the former Keswick museum’s collection.

Another was hired for one day only, it was blue, it had washable paint added, filming stopped and the van was sent to be jet washed and given back to the owner.

One ended up in Kuwait, sent over to the troops at an RAF base by Del Boy (David Jason) himself packed with goodies from home, it was used by the RAF before being sold off.

Sadly it was damaged after being dropped off a roof and is in storage somewhere.

By the 1990s the Regals were getting harder to find and the TV company decided to restore a van and keep it for any future series; it would look shabby but be mechanically sound and road legal and this one was eventually given to the late John Sullivan, writer of the series and that’s what was used for the last few years.

So keep an eye out in future for this Peckham Princess.

“Hopefully next year I will be able to trailer it to a few local car shows, I think it’s a car most people remember,” David said.

and...

for fans of another popular 1980s TV series David has another classic in his cupboard as he will be putting together one of the KITTs – the car with artificial intelligence – which starred in the 1982-86 Knight Rider series, that made David Hasselhoff famous in the UK. It’s currently in too many pieces to picture but having bought many original parts from the USA, David hopes to be taking KITT, based on a 1980s Pontiac Trans-Am, to shows next summer, before fully completing the Reliant.

67

Haven signings blend youth and experience

By Craig Wishart

A

LL of us have spent the last month concentrating on the recent Rugby World Cup, not so the backroom staff at Haven.

So far the club has made seven new signings and the club’s general manager, Barry Richardson, assures me that they are still hoping to sign more.

The players that have put pen to paper so far include Ben Milburn and Jordan Burns and highly-rated Wigan stand-off or centre, Chris Taylor is at the club on a season-long loan; ex-Swinton forward, Samir Tahraoui; Tom Carr, who was nominated for young-player-ofthe-year and ex-Super League players, Lee Mitchell and Shaun Ainscough.

“We are trying to bring in younger players combined with some solid experience.” Richardson points out.

“ ...with the success of local clubs like Wath Brow, Egremont and Kells there is a wealth of talent in the area and we want to give young players the chance to compete at a top level in their local area.”

68

Shaun Ainscough

Sport

Samir Tahraoui

“It’s going to be an exciting year and while it’s a tough league and everyone else is trying to strengthen their squads we think we’ve brought in the players to lift the team into play-off contention.”

They are quality players and this comes with the re-signing of Recre favourites Lee Doran, Scott McAvoy and Jessie Joe Parker.

“This will be Dave Woods’ second season in charge and it’s given him more time to compile the team he wants to put on the field and the existing squad will be more accustomed with the style of play he wants.

Stuart Wilkinson joins the club as assistant coach and he brings a huge amount of experience.” Richardson is right, things are looking very positive.

He said: “We think it’s important to have a solid and competitive top tier club in Copeland, with the success of local clubs like Wath Brow, Egremont and Kells there is a wealth of talent in the area and we want to give young players the chance to compete at a top level in their local area.”

It would be fantastic if Haven could once again become a quality team consisting of top class locals. With the backroom staff working hard to support Woods and the players there’s plenty for fans to be excited about too.

69

Boston / Album Review / by adam glover

Fleetwood Right back to the birth of The Mac Please note, Boston is not another “Let’s wait the shortest possible amount of time that we can get away with, before releasing another greatest hits album” album.

A new piece of work in its own right, it was recorded live in 1970 at the infamous Tea Party theatre which is in, you’ve guessed it, Boston. It’s all about the very early days of the Mac and their first incarnation, before things got all crazy and divorce-y.

Thanks to that you’ll find classics like show opener Black Magic Woman which features original vocalist Peter Green with his seminal screeching blues and unruly lust for an enchanting woman.

Though frankly shoddy recordings of the Boston performance were released in various forms during the 1980s, they were blighted by rather poor recording quality. This time, each track has been put through a rigorous re-mastering with each packing a genuine punch, all thanks to the discovery of some original eight-track recordings.

Even the gentle pseudo-crooning of Teenage Darling sounds veritably expansive. Now there is no way to avoid mentally transporting yourself to a sweaty underground blues bar in 1970s America, so expect the cowboy wig-out that is I Can’t Hold Out to thoroughly hit the spot.

You can almost taste the smoke and whiskey in Keep A Knockin’.

70

MAC “ It’s all about the very early days of the Mac and their first incarnation, before things got all crazy and divorce-y.”

Boston is a thoroughbred live album, so good you can see vividly in your mind’s eye the birth of one of most successful rock bands of the last century. Yeah, so it’s nothing new, but when it feels this good, who cares?

If you have an album you’d like to see on these pages please email: adam@theguidemediagroup.com

71

g n i r e u m i o T l Co

72

Kids

Kids’ Sudoku

73

Kids

Word search

Christmas Word Search

Carol Presents Sleigh Christmas

Pudding Star Holly Reindeer

Alpha Sudoku

74

Tree Merry Santa Wreath

75

Puzzles

Catch-Words Test your knowledge and complete the catch-phrases

Across 1. ___ speak louder than words (7) 5. Pieces of ___ (5) 8. Trade ___ (7) 9. The Holy ___ (5) 10. __ the lion (3) 12. Lead by ___ (7) 14. A little rough around the ___ (5) 15. Last but not ___ (5) 20. Time is of the ___ (7) 22. Tic-Tac- ___ (3) 23. A ___ playing field (5) 25. Sorely ___ (7) 27. __ your bets (5) 28. Many happy ___ (7) Down 1. Question and ___ (6) 2. ___ pink (7) 3. The ___ and only (3) 4.You can’t beat the ___ (6) 5. Chicken and ___ (3) 6. ___ the nettle (5) 7. Fortune ___ (6) 11. A drop in the ___ (5) 13. Secret ___ (5) 16. Helter ___ (7) 17. Health, ___ and happiness (6) 18. ___ late than never (6) 19. Jack of all ___ (6) 21. ___ by the bell (5) 24. Let sleeping dogs ___ (3) 26. ___ his match (3)

Sudoku

Please see the Tide Tables for puzzle solutions 76

The What’sOn Guide

Your guide to all that’s best in West Cumbria, Keswick and Carlisle from

Music Theatre Film Comedy Other

Lets Play Who’s Coming to Cumbria

Albany Down Aurora Blackadder Cinderella Dreadzone

Jackson Limehouse Lizzy Luna Roy Chubby Brown Santa Express

Slyde Alive Snow White The Hobbit The Muppets The View 77

Roc Bar Tangier Street • Whitehaven

LIVE MUSIC 13 December

6 December

arran george

Lottery Winners

Drinks Promos bombs

4

for

£10

78 I.D

Required

fabulous

20 December

project 9

shooters

cocktails 2 for £4.50 for all or tastes 4 for £8.50

heineken

Bottle only

£1.80

27 December

jolan

NEW!

vodka glitter bombs!

Facebook: Roc Bar Whitehaven

AIRBOURNE TOXIC EVENT plexed

More polished, mature and informed…

I

N Don DeLillo’s seminal post-modern novel, White Noise, “The Airborne Toxic Event” is the part of the book in which a chemical spill spews noxious black clouds into the atmosphere, prompting mass evacuations and leaving the protagonist considering his own mortality.

You could say that the Los Angeles five-piece who took their name from this rather gruesome yarn are as melodically infectious as a poisonous rain cloud. Similarly, you could say that they are as orchestrally impressive as chemical explosion.

I realise that may be a bit sinister for the introduction to an album review so, I won’t make that comparison. The Guide spoke to lead singer and guitarist, Mikel Jollett, just before his band embarked on a full European tour and released their third album, Such Hot Blood, on the September 30.

Opening track “The Secret” sets the tone of the album well, jagged, punk guitar stabs and chunky drums combine with dark but strangely uplifting vocals. It reflects nicely the fact that fans of T.A.T.E.’s previous albums will find this one a little different.

Gone are the obvious, energetic rhythms of old, replaced with slower, more down tempo styles accompanying Mikel’s thoughts on the passing of time and of friends and family.

More “established” fans might be a little put off by it, but as Mikel said, “I think art isn’t really like a sport, where there is a winner and a loser based on record sales or fan base. It’s one thing to be successful and I’m very grateful for it, but I just don’t know if that’s the best barometer. Or even if in art you should have a barometer or a measurement like that?”

but some fans may be per

By Adam Glover

Their sound is more polished, and the previous indie thoroughbred styles are more mature, more informed. Their signature orchestral arrangements remain, as do delicate acoustic breakdowns as in the sublime “The Storm”; here Mikel ponders the classic third album topics of growing older, and looking back on the storm that was his youth.

The album features more dynamic range, and as Mikel added, waves “From a whispered ballad to a massive rock song. I’m grateful to be able to play these songs and I feel like, as a band, we’re in a very good spot with our live performance, so any fans going to our British shows can expect some interesting instrumentation.

True Love is perhaps the strongest example of this and I feel it is most complex track on the album and at only three minutes long, it’s short. Perhaps, succinct is a better description of its length, a compact whirlwind of a song, an estranged but vivid interpretation of the madness and damage involved in true love. “Elizabeth” demonstrates T.A.T.E.’s new slower sensibilities, rounding off the album softly, and happily.

Such Hot Blood might surprise or even disappoint some die hard fans, but equally, will undoubtedly uncover new followers. Discover a band coming to maturity that eloquently discusses love, life and death and now is the perfect time to take a lengthy inhale on this noxious cloud of indie rock, if you have not already done so.

Do you have an indie album or single you’d like to see on these pages? If so, please send it my way by emailing adam@theguidemediagroup.com 79

What’s On For December/January/February

Your guide to all that’s best in West Cumbria, Keswick and Carlisle from

Music Theatre Film Comedy Other Music

Wed Dec 4 Jam Side Up Jazz Club Calder House Hotel, Seascale Acoustic Open Mic Night Strands Hotel, Nether Wasdale Fri Dec 6 Remember When - at Christmas (nostalgic singalong) Carnegie Theatre, Workington

Fri Dec 13 Hellion Rising / Fallen Mafia / Heartbreak Remedy / Bulletproof Rose The Brickyard, Carlisle Dreadzone Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal Sat Dec 14 Black Wolf Run The Wheatsheaf, Egremont

Sat Dec 21 Kirkgate Christmas Ceilidh The Kirkgate, Cockermouth U.S.B The Plough, Millom Max Bacon Band The Wheatsheaf, Egremont Sun Dec 22 La’al Big Band Christmas Big Band Christmas Special, all your usual big band favourites along with a selection of seasonal classics The Seacote Hotel, St Bees

Faction (+ support) Union Jack Club, Workington

Albany Down + Lucy Zirins Saints Room, Cockermouth

Drunk in Public John Paul Jones, Whitehaven

Thur Dec 26 Ulpha 590 The Plough, Millom

Sat Dec 7 Alec Dankworth’s World Jazz Trio Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven A Foreigners Journey The Wave Centre, Maryport Jackson Michael Jackson Tribute The Forum, Barrow Steaming The Wheatsheaf, Egremont Sun Dec 8 Aurora Wind Octet Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Mon Dec 9 La’al Big Band concert of Big Band Favourites Village Hall, Gosforth Wed Dec 11 King King Bootleggers, Kendal 80

Fri Dec 6 Nostalgic Singalong Sun Dec 15 Keswick’s Own Christmas Proms Theatre by the Lake, Keswick A Midwinter’s Dream Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven Tue Dec 17 The View The Brickyard, Carlisle James Yorkston Village Hall, Gilcrux Thur Dec 19 Almost Pink The Vine Bar, Workington Fri Dec 20 The Big Heavy Metal Christmas Party The Brickyard, Carlisle Little Stevie & The Business Navy Club, Maryport

Golden Sands Polar Bear Club Boxing Day Special Starts 2:30pm 6 great bands: Black Wolf Run, Project 9, Rough Cuts, Papa Quebec, White Trash Circus and The Return.

All proceeds towards Kate Smye’s bucket list for her mother Mel. Tickets £10 each from Peter Boyle, Frenchy 019467 73918 or 01946 61034 or John on 01946 592125 Marchon Club, Whitehaven Mighty Boof Promotions: Boxing Day Boof 21 acts over 2 stages. All in our super dooper heated santas grotto style tent.

Rugby Union Ground, Whitehaven Fri Dec 27 Hammerhead The Vine Bar, Workington Sat Dec 28 Cliff Rescue and The Helicopters The Plough, Millom

What’s On

Mon Dec 30 Houghton Weavers Coronation Hall, Ulverston Tue Dec 31 Max Bacon Band The Wheatsheaf, Egremont Sat Jan 11 Limehouse Lizzy The Brickyard, Carlisle Sun Jan 12 Kimom Parry (Clarinet) & Tony Ingham (Piano) Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Sat Jan 18 K.J Royal Oak, Seaton Sun Jan 26 North Westmorland Arts Concert: Yorkshire Imps Appleby Public House, Appleby Annabelle Chvostek The Kirkgate, Cockermouth Fri Jan 31 Slyde Alive - Slade Tribute Monroe’s, Workington Fri Feb 7 The Springsteen Sessions As far as tributes to The Boss go, there’s none finer.

The Brickyard, Carlisle

Sat Feb 8 Mercury - Queen Tribute The Wave, Maryport

Theatre Mon Dec 2 - 14 Dick Whittington and his Cat Carlisle Green Room, Carlisle Wed Dec 4 Cinderella Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

Fri Dec 20 - 23 Carlisle Christmas Spectacular Borderway Exhibition Hall, Rosehill, Carlisle

Sat Dec 7 Who’s Been Sitting In My Chair?

Goldilocks - Themed play for 3 to 7 year olds The Kirkgate, Cockermouth Sun Dec 8 Swan Lake, The Ballet Lodore Falls Hotel, Keswick Mon Dec 9 - 10 Aladdin - Schools Performances Carnegie Theatre, Workington Thur Dec 12 - 14 Return - A Contemporary Dance Production Stanwix Theatre, Carlisle Fri Dec 13 - 31 (excluding 25) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Sands Centre, Carlisle Tue Dec 10 - 15 Whitehaven Theatre Group: Sleeping Beauty Market Hall, Egremont

Tue Dec 17 The View

Mon Dec 16 - 17, 20 - 24 Luna With songs, music and a pinch of festive magic, this is the perfect show for under 5s and their families.

Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Tue Dec 10 - 14 Blackadder Three episodes by Workington Playgoers Carnegie Theatre, Workington

Fri Dec 13 - 31 Snow White Sat Dec 21 - 29 Jack & The Beanstalk Carnegie Theatre, Workington Fri Dec 27 - 28 The Wizard of Oz The Wave, Maryport Wed Jan 15 Arthur Ransome Secret Agent?

Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Fri Jan 24 Shakespeare 4 Kidz: Macbeth Watch out as something wicked this way comes! Exciting theatre company Shakespeare 4 Kidz bring their thrilling musical version of the Bard’s Macbeth to The Sands Centre.

The Sands Centre, Carlisle Fri Jan 24 - 25 & Fri Jan 31 - Feb 1 Sinbad and The Magical Mystery The Kirkgate, Cockermouth 81

What’s On For December/January/February

Your guide to all that’s best in West Cumbria, Keswick and Carlisle from

Music Theatre Film Comedy Other

Fri Jan 31 Brendan Cole: Licence to Thrill The Sands Centre, Carlisle Mon Feb 3 - 8 How the Other Half Loves West Walls Theatre, Carlisle Sat Feb 15 David Gest’s Legends of Soul The legendary star of ‘I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!’ and ‘This Is David Gest’ presents David Gest’s Legends of Soul Spectacular.

The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Film

Its a Wonderful Life (U) Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Thur Jan 2 - 3 The Hobbit (12) Rheged Centre, Penrith Mon Jan 13 Rush (15) The Kirkgate Cinema, Cockermouth Thur Jan 30 NT Live: Coriolanus Vue Cinema, Barrow-in-Furness

Comedy

Mon Dec 2 Blancanieves (12A) The Kirkgate Cinema, Cockermouth

Thur Dec 28 Comedy Club Chasers Bar, Workington

Wed Dec 11 Gravity (12A) Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven Sat Jan 4 Roy Chubby Brown

Sat Jan 4 Roy Chubby Brown The Sands Centre, Carlisle

Other

Wed Dec 11

Gravity (12A)

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Tue Dec 3 - 4 Dance Krazy 2013 The Forum, Barrow-in-Furness Wed Dec 4 - 8 Christmas International Market The return of this popular market with its gifts, flavours and aromas from all over Continental Europe and beyond.

City Centre, Carlisle Thur Dec 5 Decorate a Christmas Cake with Pat Smith Pat is Chair of the British Sugarcraft Guild and has taught cake decorating and sugarcraft for 35 years, also catering and patisserie at Newton Rigg and Carlisle College for 13 years.

The Hut, Brampton Community Centre

Mon Dec 9 Easy Money (15) The Kirkgate Cinema, Cockermouth

Sun Dec 22 The Muppet Christmas Carol (U) Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Tue Dec 3 Lecture: ‘The Changing Fortunes of Butterflies in Cumbria’ Admission is free and there is no need to book, but please arrive promptly to secure a seat. Talks start at 1pm in the Lecture Theatre.

Tullie House, Carlisle

Fri Nov 1 - Sun Jan 26 Crosby Garrett Roman Helmet Exhibition A unique opportunity to see the stunning Roman Helmet.

Tullie House, Carlisle

Swinging Vegas Christmas Murder Mystery Enjoy a 3 course festive feast as you test your sleuthing skills in our atmospheric Georgian ballroom bedecked with beautiful decorations.

A fantastic evening with a twist, booking is highly recommended.

The George Hotel, Penrith Fri Dec 6 Swallow Hilltop Hotel Party Night 3-course meal, Abba Tribute and DJ, FREE Prize Draw £19.95 Swallow Hilltop Hotel, Carlisle

What’s On Sat Dec 7 Swallow Hilltop Hotel Party Night 3-course meal, Motown Tribute and DJ, FREE Prize Draw £19.95 Swallow Hilltop Hotel, Carlisle Cumbria Short Film Competition 2013 Old Laundry Theatre, Windermere Local Produce Market Market Place, Cockermouth Keswick Gift and Craft Fair Come and visit us at the Skiddaw Hotel for fabulous luxury gifts and handmade crafts. We have a wide variety of different craftspeople and artists from around Cumbria.

Skiddaw Hotel, Keswick Sat Dec 7 - 8 Muncaster Castle’s Taste Cumbria Christmas Fayre Muncaster Castle, Muncaster Sat Dec 7-8, 14-15, 20-23 Santa Express on Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway All aboard!

Our popular ‘Santa Express’ event returns to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway for 2013. Come and enjoy a magical journey on-board the ‘Santa Express’ to meet Father Christmas and explore his Dalegarth grotto.

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass Wed Dec 11 Lunch & Learn with Peter Sidwell ‘Foodie Gifts’ Let Peter inspire you to create unique ‘foody gifts’ this Christmas Rheged Centre, Penrith

Thur Dec 12 - 13 - 14 Turkey, Tinsel and Retail Therapy One hour winter cruise followed by a two-course lunch at a traditional Lakeland Inn Ullswater Steamers, Departs Pooley Bridge 11am Thur Dec 12 Dobbies Festive Foodies Perfect if you are a food lover our experts will show you how to ensure your Christmas entertaining goes with a bang.

Dobbies, Carlisle

Fri Nov 1 - Jan 26 Crosby Garrett Roman Helmet Exhibition Fri Dec 13 - 14 Christmas Party Nights £35 per person. For more information contact Barbara Lamont on 01228 618704 or visit www.tulliehouse.co.uk Tullie House, Carlisle Sat Dec 14 Historical Christmas Cookery with John Crouch Tullie House, Carlisle Swallow Hilltop Hotel Party Night 3 Course meal, Kylie v Madonna and DJ, FREE Prize Draw £19.95 Swallow Hilltop Hotel, Carlisle

Sat Dec 14 - 15 Medieval Christmas Trail Join the hunt for Christmas clues.

Climb the keep, through the dungeons and around the walls of this famous Cumbrian castle. You can also unlock the stories, sieges and secrets of Carlisle’s besieged past in the on-site exhibition and shop for Christmas gifts in our shop.

Carlisle Castle, Carlisle Sat Dec 14 - 15 Santa Sailings Families can experience the stunning landscape of wintry Windermere and kick off their Christmas celebrations in style, with special Santa Sailings on England’s longest lake.

Windermere Lake Cruises, Bowness Sun Dec 15 Christmas Family Fun Race Day Join us for our final raceday of 2013, an action-packed afternoon of top-quality racing. Bring the whole family for a fantastic day out featuring loads of free entertainment for the children, plus first-class racing for the adults too!

Carlisle Racecourse Santa and his Happy Elves One hour winter cruise followed by a two-course lunch at a traditional Lakeland Inn Ullswater Steamers, Glenridding Orton Farmers’ Market @ Rheged Orton Farmers’ Market showcase local farmers, growers, producers & artisan craftsmen who offer a tremendous variety of high quality and speciality local produce and crafts - and whom will now bring their fantastic event to Rheged.

Rheged, Penrith

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What’s On For December/January/February

Your guide to all that’s best in West Cumbria, Keswick and Carlisle from

Music Theatre Film Comedy Other Other © Photo: Andy Harris

Christmas Food and Gift Fayre Enjoy a seasonal day out with the opportunity to buy lovely gifts and treats from local crafts people and producers.

Rheged Centre, Penrith Wed Dec 18 Candance! West Cumbria These weekly dance classes are for young people with a learning disability, including autism. They are fun, creative & full of energy.

Lakes College, Workington Studio Florence Open Mic Night Your opportunity to showcase your talent or sit back and enjoy the show 7.30pm start Florence Mine, Egremont

Tue Dec 31 Golden Sands Polar Bear Club Annual Dip

Sat Dec 21 Sleigh Bells & Cocktails Lodore Falls Hotel, Keswick Swallow Hilltop Hotel Party Night 3-course meal, Grease v Dirty Dancing and DJ, FREE Prize Draw £19.95 Swallow Hilltop Hotel, Carlisle Carols Around the Tree Sing along with Grasmere Glee around the tree at our Allan Bank carol concert. Anyone can join in, the more the merrier.

Allan Bank, Grasmere

Fri Dec 20 Egremont Farmers’ Market A variety of market stalls selling food and crafts.

Market Hall, Egremont

Sat Dec 21 - 23 Muncaster Castle’s Victorian Extravaganza Experience the magic of this beautiful, ancient Castle elegantly decorated for Christmas. A truly magical experience!

Muncaster Castle, Muncaster

Swallow Hilltop Hotel Party Night 3-course meal, Back to the 1980s and DJ, FREE Prize Draw £19.95 Swallow Hilltop Hotel, Carlisle

Sat Dec 28 - 29 Medieval Christmas Trail Join the hunt for Christmas clues.

Climb the keep, through the dungeons and around the walls of this famous Cumbrian castle.

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You can also unlock the stories, sieges and secrets of Carlisle’s besieged past in the on-site exhibition and shop for Christmas gifts in our shop.

Carlisle Castle, Carlisle Sat Dec 28 Gosforth Show Festive Fling Fundraiser in a marquee. Black tie with Christmas accessory. Buffet, live band, auction, raffle, in aid of Gosforth Show 2014.

Tel 07739 904453 for tickets (£15) The Red Admiral, G osforth Tue Dec 31 Golden Sands Polar Bear Club Annual Dip in the Sea Starts noon at the Golden Sands just past the Beacon on Whitehaven Harbour.

Golden Sands, Whitehaven Harbour New Year’s Eve at Sticklebarn (National Trust) Join us for a New Year knees up, with live music from The Seals and a free glass of bubbly at the stroke of midnight.

Sticklebarn, Great Langdale

mighty boof promotions presents...

21 ACTS OVER 2 STAGES ALL IN OUR SUPER DOOPER HEATED SANTAS GROTTO STYLE TENT

whitehaven rugby union ground (the playground) In aid of WRUFC Tickets: £10adv • doors 12pm

Tjolan he(FULL45's • C o lt 4 5 BAND Show) • With Lights out The castanettes • life in a glass house

chadelics • i am spartacus

adam amor (one off gig) • gav mckew • arran george david eldon • coral pricee • joe riley • paul shepherd

steven murphy • jodie murphy • curly • DJ blackie • couch • maud Tickets Available from Threads, Whitehaven 01946 690008 Alauna Salon, Maryport skiddle.com threads-clothing.com

85

What’s On For December/January/February

Your guide to all that’s best in West Cumbria, Keswick and Carlisle from

Music Theatre Film Comedy Other Other

Mon Jan 13 Simply Local Farmers’ Market Junction 36 Rural Auction Centre, Kendal

Thur Jan 23 Carlisle & District Egyptology Society Lecture Speaker: Christopher Eyre (University of Liverpool).

Topic to be confirmed.

Quaker Meeting House, Carlisle

Fri Jan 17 - Mar 29 Patrick Caulfield Abbot Hall Art Gallery will be launching their 2014 season with an exhibition of vibrant and witty paintings and prints by Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005).

Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal

Sat Jan 25 Burns Night Rheged and Learning Fields CIC have joined forces to celebrate Burns Night so join us for Haggis, neeps and tatties, whisky, ceilidh dancing to the Eden Valley Ceilidh Band and ‘a shout out to the lasses’.

Rheged Centre, Penrith Wed Jan 29 Knit and Natter The Coach House Cafe, Ulverston

Sat Dec 20 - 23 Santa Express

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Fri Jan 31 The Stray Birds Traditional American folk/bluegrass genre with subtle shades of Celtic influence. The Stray Birds is a traditional line up of voices, banjo, bass and fiddle singing pared down, stripped and beautifully three part harmonised songs of love and fear.

Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

Open Mic

Nights

The Wheatsheaf, Egremont Every Thursday Ennerdale Country House Hotel Every 2nd Thursday robin hood, cleator moor Last Thursday of each month

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87

Train Times - 8 December 2013 - 17 May 2014

For train times and fares information visit www.northernrail.org or call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50

88

aig Colliery Mining Museum is nearing the H end of its decant to empty the building of its collection, artefacts and memorabilia ready for the handover to contractors at the begining of December to begin the £2.4 million refurbishment.

Most of the museum collection is going to the archive at Carlisle for safekeeping whilst some of the props and large machinery will stay in place at Haig. As part of the process Haig held some photographic days where the community was invited to come along and photograph the building in its raw state. Manager Pamela Telford said: “everyone was welcome, individuals, groups, amateurs and professionals, it is important to us that people feel part of what is happening to the pit and keeping a record of it all for future generations”.

Haig was built between 1914 and 1918 and will begin celebrating its centenary when it reopens in 2014, its now a grade II listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument and along with the headgear stands as an important and iconic reminder of a hard working and proud industry.

Pamela continued “The dates were Photo: Jason Jackson Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th of October between 10 am and 4pm, and during that time we had over 50 visitors, taking photographs, it was quite wonderful as each photographer had a different eye, and the results are spectacular.I would really like to thank all of them”

More of the photos can be seen on Haig’s facebook page:. facebook.com/groups/254981372826/?fref=ts Haig’s funding has come from Heritage Lottery Fund (NW), Copeland Community Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, WREN, Cumbria County Council, Charles Hayward Foundation, FLAG and The Guerney Trust.

Photo: Chris Himsworth We were really pleased with the response and the intention would be that the same photographers would come along at various times during the project to record a living history and with permissions in place create an exhibition for the new museum itself showing before, during and after pictures. “We just thought it would be such a nice project to have locals involved in, so many locals have ties to the pits and Haig and have lovely stories to tell”.

Keep up with us on www.haigpit.wordpress.com Haig Colliery Mining Museum Whitehaven

89

Old Brake led an on-and-off life Pamela Telford resumes her series about mining-related matters with a look at the history of what in Whitehaven was Britain’s last cable-worked standard gauge rail system.

O

N October 31, 1986 Albright & Wilson Limited closed the internal railway system at their Marchon Works which included the cable-worked incline known as the Corkickle Brake. Buy which wagons attached to cable were lowered down the steep incline to Whitehaven harbour.

It was reputed to be the last commerciallyoperated standard gauge cable worked incline in Britain, so its passing was particularly regrettable. The incline had a number of other names, including the Kells, Marchon or Monkwray Brake, or just simply "The Brake".

The Corkickle Brake was built in 1881 by the Earl of Lonsdale's Whitehaven Colliery Company, to handle the output from Croft Pit. There were sidings at the bottom of the incline which linked in to the Furness Railway between Corkickle Station (hence the name) and Mirehouse Junction.

It was originally operated by a steam winding engine at the Brake Top, fed with steam from three Cochrane Boilers. The incline initially mostly dealt with coke traffic from the coke works, at Ladysmith Colliery, together with by-products in tank wagons which went mainly to the steelworks at Workington and Barrow.

90

History

The 1930s brought hard times to West Cumberland and when the coke works at Ladysmith closed, in 1932, the Corkickle Brake was then left unused and the weeds and rust soon began to flourish.

The two partners Frank Schon and Fred Marzillier, who started Marchon Products Limited, moved to Whitehaven in 1940 and began manufacturing firelighters at Hensingham. Soon afterwards the company started to market chemicals as raw materials for detergents and in 1943 moved to the former Ladysmith Coke ovens site, at Kells.

By 1955 Marchon had 1,500 employees and was firmly established as one of the major manufacturers of detergent chemicals. For over 20 years the Corkickle Brake had lain idle but a new period of activity was about to begin.

By the mid 1950s the Marchon railway traffic was increasing dramatically and it was affecting the nearby colliery, as it had to use the Howgill Brake, down to the Harbour. In 1953 the NCB handed over the long-disused Corkickle Brake to Marchon, to modernise and work the line themselves.

The brake was ready for testing in spring 1955 and with full traffic beginning again in May of that year and for the next 30 years the Corkickle Brake was back in service.

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Local Services - Your Guide to -

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Landscaping

Iron Mongers

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Local Services - Your Guide to -

Everything you need from accountants... To scaffolding

Roofing Services

Scaffolding

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Garden Services

Tree Surgery

Handy Numbers Attractions

Haig Mining Museum: 01946 599 949 Muncaster Castle: 01229 717 614 Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway: 01229 717 171 The Beacon: 01946 592 302 The Rum Story: 01946 592 933

Council & other services Egremont Library: 01946 820 464 Copeland Council (enquiries): 0845 054 8600 Copeland Council: 01946 815 500 (out of hours emergency)

Cumbria County Council: 0800 121 8800 Whitehaven Credit Union: 01946 667 55 Whitehaven Library: 01946 506 400

Emergency services Police/Fire/Ambulance Emergency: 999 Non-emergency Police: 101

Medical Careline: 01946 810 500 Cumbria Health on Call (CHOC): 03000 247 247 Lowther Medical Centre: 01946 692 241 Mansion House: 01946 693 660 NHS Direct: 0845 46 47 Proudfoot and Rudman: 01946 693 094 Queen Street Medical Surgery: 01946 694 457 Sydney and Partners: 01946 692 173 Trinity Health Surgery: 01946 693 412 West Cumberland Hospital: 01946 693 181

Miscellaneous Citizens’ Advice Bureau: 01946 693 321 W. Fare Ltd Pharmacy: 01946 692 978

Sports Grounds & centres

Whitehaven Cricket Ground: 01946 695 441 Whitehaven Recreation Ground: 01946 328 088 Whitehaven Sports Centre: 01946 695 666

Swimming Pools Egremont Swimming Pool: 01946 821 038 Hensingham Swimming Pool: 01946 696 049

Taxis Downton Travel: 0800 118 2891 Stirling Taxis: 01946 823000

Theatres & cinema Carnegie Theatre: 01900 602 122 Kirkgate Theatre: 01900 826 448 Plaza Cinema: 01900 870 001

Cumbria County Council: 0800 121 8800

Rosehill Theatre: 01946 692 422 Theatre by the Lake: 017687 744 11 The Wave: 01900 811 450

Tourist information Egremont: 01946 820 693

Cumbria Health on Call: 111

Travel & weather Bus Timetables: 0871 200 22 33 Lake District Weather Service: 0844 846 2444 Train Timetables: 08457 48 49 50

Vets

Lake District Weather: 0844 846 2444

Galemire (Cleator Moor): 01946 810 295 Millcroft (Egremont): 01946 820 513 West Lakeland Veterinary Group (Egremont): 01946 820 312 West Lakeland Veterinary Group (Whitehaven): 01946 693 303

Copeland Swimming Pool: 01946 696 049

If you would like your service listed here, Please call 01946 816 716 95

Wildlife of The Solway Firth

The Compass jellyfish Chrysaora hysoscella

By Mark Vollers

A

ny of us who like a walk along the shore will have come across stranded jellyfish of one kind or another and the Compass Jellyfish is certainly found on the Cumbrian coast in summertime.

Recognised by the compass like markings on its bell, they are beautiful graceful animals when seen in the water, but this species is best avoided as it has a painful sting. Twenty four long tentacles are equipped with stinging cells called nematocysts, used for paralysing prey such as small fish or other jellyfish and of course deterring would be predators.

Their life cycle is fairly complex. The adults have separate sexes and eggs are fertilised externally to produce

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free swimming larvae called planula. These settle down on a hard surface and transform into polyps or small anemones which for many are the over-wintering stage.

In Spring these polyps bud off small medusa or jellyfish which grow into the adult stage we recognise.

They have limited control of movement, but react to light and move up and down in the water column to find their food. They have few predators, but among them are sunfish and turtles. It now must be said that the seemingly harmless practice of releasing balloons in to the sky is not a good idea‌ turtles mistake deflated balloons in the water as jellyfish and consume them with often fatal consequences. www.coastaquarium.co.uk

Tide Tables

DECEMBER 2013

WHITEHAVEN

JANUARY 2014

WHITEHAVEN HEIGHTS ABOVE CHART DATUM

HEIGHTS ABOVE CHART DATUM High Water Date

Morning

High Water

Low Water

Afternoon

Morning

Date

Afternoon

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

1.5 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0

16 16 17 06 17 54 18 41 19 28

1.5 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.9

1 2 3 4 5

Morning

Low Water

Afternoon

Morning

Afternoon

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

W O TH F SA SU

10 49 11 36 00 04 00 54 01 44

8.2 8.5 8.3 8.3 8.1

23 16

8.2

12 24 13 14 14 03

8.6 8.5 8.4

05 14 06 03 06 51 07 36 08 21

1.1 0.9 0.8 0.9 1.0

17 41 18 31 19 21 20 06 20 54

0.9 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.9

1 2 3 4 5

SU M TU O W TH

09 36 10 20 11 03 11 48 00 12

7.7 8.0 8.3 8.5 8.3

21 56 22 41 23 26

7.7 8.0 8.2

12 35

8.5

03 56 04 45 05 32 06 17 07 01

6 7 8 9 10

F SA SU M d TU

01 04 01 56 02 50 03 50 04 55

8.2 7.9 7.6 7.2 6.9

13 25 14 18 15 15 16 16 17 22

8.3 8.1 7.7 7.5 7.1

07 45 08 33 09 23 10 19 11 23

1.1 1.3 1.6 1.8 2.0

20 15 21 06 22 01 23 01

1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6

6 7 8 9 10

M TU W d TH F

02 33 03 23 04 18 05 19 06 30

7.8 7.5 7.0 6.7 6.4

14 53 15 46 16 43 17 48 19 00

8.1 7.6 7.2 6.8 6.6

09 08 09 56 10 49 11 50 00 28

1.2 1.5 1.9 2.1 2.1

21 41 22 29 23 25

1.1 1.5 1.9

13 03

2.3

11 12 13 14 15

W TH F SA SU

06 05 07 14 08 19 09 11 09 56

6.7 6.7 6.9 7.1 7.3

18 31 19 37 20 37 21 29 22 12

7.0 6.9 7.1 7.2 7.4

00 05 01 14 02 20 03 17 04 06

1.8 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8

12 32 13 44 14 48 15 44 16 33

2.2 2.1 2.0 1.8 1.7

11 12 13 14 15

SA SU M TU W

07 43 08 46 09 37 10 19 10 55

6.5 6.7 6.9 7.3 7.5

20 09 21 09 21 58 22 39 23 14

6.6 6.8 7.0 7.2 7.4

01 40 02 46 03 41 04 27 05 06

2.2 2.1 2.0 1.9 1.7

14 17 15 21 16 14 16 59 17 36

2.3 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.5

16 17 18 19 20

M TU O W TH F

10 35 11 10 11 43 00 01 00 36

7.5 7.7 7.7 7.6 7.5

22 52 23 27

7.5 7.6

17 15 17 52 18 26 18 58 19 29

1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6

16 17 18 19 20

TH O F SA SU M

11 28 11 59 00 17 00 51 01 24

7.6 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.5

7.5

7.7 7.7

1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6

23 46

12 15 12 49

04 48 05 24 05 57 06 28 06 58

12 32 13 05 13 36

7.7 7.7 7.6

05 40 06 11 06 41 07 14 07 47

1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5

18 11 18 42 19 12 19 43 20 16

1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.5

21 22 23 24 25

SA SU M TU W e

01 11 01 46 02 22 03 04 03 51

7.4 7.2 7.0 6.8 6.6

13 23 13 58 14 35 15 17 16 09

7.6 7.4 7.1 6.9 6.7

07 30 08 04 08 43 09 24 10 13

1.7 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4

20 01 20 38 21 16 22 00 22 54

1.6 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.2

21 22 23 24 25

TU W TH F e SA

01 57 02 33 03 13 04 03 05 06

7.3 7.1 6.9 6.8 6.5

14 08 14 44 15 27 16 22 17 35

7.5 7.2 7.0 6.8 6.6

08 22 08 59 09 39 10 28 11 33

1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.3

20 51 21 27 22 10 23 06

1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2

26 27 28 29 30

TH F SA SU M

04 49 05 58 07 08 08 13 09 09

6.4 6.4 6.6 6.9 7.4

17 13 18 27 19 36 20 39 21 34

6.5 6.6 6.8 7.1 7.6

11 12

2.4

01 16 02 27 03 27

2.2 2.0 1.6

23 59 12 23 13 43 14 51 15 52

2.3 2.4 2.3 2.0 1.6

26 27 28 29 30

SU M TU W TH O

06 25 07 42 08 49 09 46 10 37

6.5 6.8 7.2 7.7 8.2

19 00 20 16 21 21 22 16 23 07

6.6 6.8 7.3 7.7 8.1

00 23 01 51 03 02 04 03 05 00

2.3 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.1

12 59 14 23 15 33 16 34 17 31

2.3 2.0 1.6 1.2 0.9

31

TU

10 00

7.8

22 27

7.9

04 22

1.4

16 48

1.3

31

F

11 25

8.5

23 53

8.4

05 51

0.8

18 21

0.5

Time Zone UT (GMT)

Time Zone UT(GMT)

Solution to Crossword

Solution to Sudoku

Time Zone UT(GMT)

Solution to Kids Sudoku

Time Zone UT (GMT)

Solution to Alpha Sudoku

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