Category: Cumbria history
Jonathan Thompson quiet Penrith hero
Jonathan Thompson wasn’t perhaps not a hero in the sense of brave deeds (though he put himself in danger as a fire fighter). But he was well-regarded by his contemporaries and deserves to be remembe... Read More
Easter in Carlisle 1803
Easter in Carlisle Easter in Carlisle has previously been mentioned on Cumbrian Characters, in a post on the public space by Carlisle Castle known as the Sorceries. The post covered the old tradition ... Read More
Lancelot Harrison, gunsmith and truss maker
The gravestone of Lancelot Harrison, is sited near the entrance to Beacon Edge Cemetery, Penrith. It stands out for two reasons: first, it looks ‘too new’ for someone who died in 1880, and; second... Read More
Handloom weavers – starvation in Carlisle
Handloom weavers – starvation in Carlisle In my previous post, I contrasted the ‘bright lights’ of Christmas 1854 in Carlisle with the plight of families who were dying from starvation and relat... Read More
Christmas 1854 in Carlisle
Christmas 1854 was the starting point for my research simply because I looked at Christmas in Penrith in 1853 previously. What quickly ‘jumped out at me’ was a reminder that poverty and desperatio... Read More
John Howson a Penrith coach builder
John Howson began his career as a Penrith coach builder with a hiccup, and ended it in misfortune. Here is his story. Who was John Howson? Perhaps it’s not surprising, when researching the Victorian... Read More
Life in Georgian Cumbria
Cumbrian Characters doesn’t touch much on Georgian Cumbria. Mainly because it’s easier to find information on the 19th century. Births, marriages and deaths were standardised as a civil matter... Read More
Lost gravestones
The lost gravestones of Holy Trinity Church, Carlisle, inspired this post about the importance of such memorials to anyone who cares about history and their ‘roots’. Tell people you like to wander... Read More