Category: Cumbrian people
Richard Oyes dodgy overseer
Richard Oyes, the dodgy overseer Richard Oyes, of Whitehaven, is the elephant in the room of an interesting court case, in 1796. For while he was the reason five magistrates strayed from the path of v... Read More
Bishop Thomas Smith & his sister
Bishop Thomas Smith was a key figure in the history of Carlisle Cathedral. What isn’t widely known is that he had a sister. Thomas Smith led quite a life for ‘an Appleby lad’ – teaching at Oxf... Read More
Carlisle Journal & Thomas Gibson Cant
The Carlisle Journal, Carlisle’ first newspaper, was founded in 1798. A liberal weekly, it advocated civil and religious liberty and free political comment (source). And in 1873, some of its comment... Read More
Isabella Dalton – an unusual life
My post on Wilson Towers includes the information that for 14 weeks in 1904, he employed a housekeeper called Isabella Dalton – who then went back to live in Wigton Workhouse. Her story is unusual, ... Read More
Thomas Gibson Cant : a fishy tale
Thomas Gibson Cant, a Penrith solicitor with strong convictions about Justice, stood up for ‘the ordinary man’ against Penrith police. Part one of his story can be read in this post, but it ... Read More
Wilson Towers – two curious deaths
Wilson Towers isn’t as rare a name as you might think. This one was a stone mason, born at Tallentire about 1843-45. In the space of four years, he was to be charged with manslaughter twice. Later, ... Read More
Robert Gate preacher and saddler
Robert Gate took me on a surprising journey when I looked into the history of a battered piece of luggage… The leather-coated wooden trunk I keep my jumpers in is a family heirloom. I was told i... Read More
Christopher Cooper – genial champion
Christopher Cooper – known as Kitty – died at the George Inn, Newton Reigny, in 1902 aged 84. His story is one of wrestling, poaching, road repairs, farming, the yeomanry – and night soil. The b... Read More
Joseph Ferguson
In chapter 6 of my book, Port Carlisle, a history built on hope, I tried to disentangle the various Carlisle manufacturers who backed the canal. Including Joseph Ferguson. I pondered that he might hav... Read More- 2 of 3
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