Recent Posts
Restitution of conjugal rights: the deserted spouse
‘Restitution of conjugal rights’ sounds a strange thing for a deserted wife or husband to seek to obtain from the courts. But in 1913, when the wife of a Cumbrian war hero petitioned for restituti... Read More
The Penrith death roll for 1895
‘The Penrith death roll for 1895’ sounds a dry title, but it has some interesting facts and figures. And led Cumbrian Characters to discover a tale of broken hearts, one of late love, and ... Read More
William Allen Ure: Cumbrian kindness
William Allen Ure wasn’t anyone extraordinary. His story is just one of kindness by a local community, and a small puzzle as to how things ‘worked’ in the early 1870s. As the main illustration s... Read More
Carlisle Central School vs the Industrial Revolution
Carlisle Central School, in the early years of the 19th century, was set up to counter ‘the pernicious effects’ of the Industrial Revolution. A worthy (if perhaps self-interested) venture, it also... Read More
Newbiggin to Serbia and the First World War
Newbiggin Hall, in Cumbria, is more than 2,500km from Belgrade. But it has an important connection to the events that tipped Europe into the madness of the First World War. This third post on the Crac... Read More
Whisky and water on tap (or not)
Whisky and water link three otherwise random news stories, two from 1895 and one from 1833. The first is a cautionary tale about drink (but not as you might expect). The second shows an interesting at... Read More
William Dacre, vicar of Irthington
William Dacre, the vicar of Irthington, featured in my post on Cumbrian wedding invitations, because of his not-unreasonable objection to being barred from his own church. What started as a quick che... Read More
Wedding invitations with a Cumbrian twist
Wedding invitations are a mixed blessing for the recipient (I am not alone in thinking this, right?!). You have to set aside a weekend and spend a fortune on accommodation, getting there and back, a n... Read More