From the Scrapbook

Scrapbook #01:

Natland Parish Magazine
No. 5, May 1898;
THE SCHOOL

Scrapbook #02:

Opening the Village Hall, 1953

Scrapbook #03:

Natland: The Best Kept Village

Scrapbook #04:

Tying the Knot and the Gate!

Scrapbook #05:

Church View and the
Crossroad on the Green

Scrapbook #06:

Natland Sports Day

Scrapbook #07:

Natland in the War

Scrapbook #08:

School Days at St Mark's

Scrapbook #09:

Park Close Houses

Scrapbook #10:

Queen Meets Natland Brownies

Scrapbook #11:

Growing Up In Natland

Scrapbook #12:

Women's Institute 1965 Success

Scrapbook #13:

Childhood Games

Scrapbook #14:

The Killing of a Pig

Scrapbook #15:

Maurice Collett's Class

Scrapbook #16:

More W.I. Singing Success

Scrapbook #17:

The Sack Race

Scrapbook #18:

The Punch and Judy Show

Scrapbook #19:

The School Garden

Scrapbook #20:

The PT Lesson

Scrapbook #21:

Two Natland Postmistresses

Scrapbook #22:

Natland: A Post War View

Scrapbook #23:

Early Memories by Brian Nicholson

Scrapbook #24:

Natland: A Post War View 2

Scrapbook #25:

A Five o'Clock Chat

Scrapbook #26:

Natland Flower Show 1950s

Scrapbook #27:

Another 1950s Natland Flower Show

Scrapbook #28

School Trip to Where?

Scrapbook #29

The Oxenholme Sheds

Scrapbook #30

Farewell to the Old School

Scrapbook #31

Two Natland Postmasters

Scrapbook #32

The Morris Dancers

Scrapbook #33

The Phantom Oval

From the Scrapbook #34

St Mark's Parish Magazine: 1898

From the Scrapbook #35

The Old Village Green

 

For more pictures and tales
of old Natland, see

Scrapbook 2

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From the Scrapbook

From the Scrapbook
is a trip down
"memory lane".

Initially triggered by Natland.info being
passed a number of old photographs and other items, it has developed into a series of anecdotes and reminiscences, illustrated by photographs of Natland of yesteryear.

 

Scrapbook #01:
Natland Parish Magazine
No. 5, May 1898;
THE SCHOOL

Scrapbook #02:
Opening the Village Hall, 1953

Scrapbook #03:
Natland: The Best Kept Village

Scrapbook #04:
Tying the Knot and the Gate!

Scrapbook #05:
Church View and the
Crossroad on the Green

Scrapbook #06:
Natland Sports Day

Scrapbook #07:
Natland in the War

Scrapbook #08:
School Days at St Mark's

Scrapbook #09:
Park Close Houses

Scrapbook #10:
Queen Meets Natland Brownies

Scrapbook #11:
Growing Up In Natland

Scrapbook #12:
Women's Institute 1965 Success

Scrapbook #13:
Childhood Games

Scrapbook #14:
The Killing of a Pig

Scrapbook #15:
Maurice Collett's Class

Scrapbook #16:
More W.I. Singing Success

Scrapbook #17:
The Sack Race

Scrapbook #18:
The Punch and Judy Show

Scrapbook #19:
The School Garden

Scrapbook #20:
The PT Lesson

Scrapbook #21:
Two Natland Postmistresses

Scrapbook #22:
Natland: A Post War View

Scrapbook #23:
Early Memories
by Brian Nicholson

Scrapbook #24:
Natland: A Post War View 2

Scrapbook #25:
A Five o'Clock Chat

Scrapbook #26:
Natland Flower Show 1950s

Scrapbook #27:
Another 1950s
Natland Flower Show

Scrapbook #28
School Trip to Where?

Scrapbook #29
The Oxenholme Sheds

Scrapbook #30
Farewell to the Old School

Scrapbook #31
Two Natland Postmasters

Scrapbook #32
The Morris Dancers

Scrapbook #33
The Phantom Oval

From the Scrapbook #34
St Mark's Parish Magazine: 1898

From the Scrapbook #35
The Old Village Green

 

For more pictures and tales
of old Natland, see

Scrapbook 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Scrapbook #01

Natland Parish Magazine No. 5, May 1898

THE SCHOOL

The following particulars will be of use to many parents, and will relieve the managers of much criticism:

To entitle a child to half-time exemption from school attendance, it must be of the age of 11 years, and have received a certificate from one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools that it has passed the Third Standard.  Applications must then be made to the local School Attendance Committee, who, if satisfied that the child is of the proper age, has passed the necessary Standard, and is being beneficially and necessarily employed, will grant a Labour Certificate.

The old school and the old church
Reproduced with the kind permission of
The Westmorland Gazette

A child between 10 and 13 years of age is not required to attend school if it has received a certificate from the School Inspector that it has passed the Fifth Standard.

In all cases, the children must hve been individually examined and have passed the requisite Standard in the three subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The School Attendance Officer, Mr Moss of Mint Street, Kendal, will give any advice or instructions to parents who have children requring half-time or totally exemption certificates.

Parents and employers of youthful labour must remember that they are subjecting themselves to legal penalties if children are withdrawn from school without having fulfilled the conditions required by law.  The school managers have nothing to do with putting any such laws in motion.  Their duty is simply to manage the school for the beniefit of those scholars that are sent there.

 

Thanks to Canon Tim Evans for this contribution, 16th June 2008

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From the Scrapbook #02:

Opening the Village Hall 1953

Older residents may recall the Village Hall being opened in 1953.  Others may or may not have seen these photographs that hang in the Village Hall recording the event.

Here we see Mr W P Dobson (Chairman, South Westmorland Rural District Council), Mr G C Jackson (Architect), Mr J Allen (Secretary), The Reverend D F Marrs (Vicar of Natland), Anne Charnley (who presented the bouquet to the Mayor & Mayoress of Kendal), the Mayor of Kendal Mrs M I Pennington, Mrs Crewdson, Mrs M B Ewan, Colonel S D Crewdson, Mrs Marrs, The Mayoress of Kendal Mrs A Thompson and Mrs M Charnley.

Posed for this picture on the Village Green were the committee: Mr W Hewertson, Mrs M Croft, Mr R A Johnson, Mrs A George, Mr A Brown, Mrs B Balmer, Mrs M Fearson, Mr J Allen, Mrs C Ball, Mrs C Hewertson, Mrs S Prickett,
Mrs K Brown, Mrs E Tatham, Mr Horace Cottam and Mrs S Johnson.

Editor, 2nd August 2008

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From the Scrapbook #03:

Natland: The Best Kept Village

Looking at the Sedgwick Parish Council Notice Board the other day, I noticed that they had been involved with a "best kept village" type competition.  

This reminded me of Natland's "glory days" when it was regularly highly placed in the large village section of the then competition.  

In Daphne Lester's photo album I found this reminder of Natland's greatest success when, in 1979, it was the outright winner in Cumbria.

The presentation took place at a packed Orton Village Hall and was made by the ITN newsreader Anna Ford.  She told the audience that she turned down many invitations to events but she was delighted to accept this request.  She reflected on her time in Cumbria and remarked on the great exercise in cooperation between villagers that the competition generated.

Receiving the awards on behalf of Natland were Mr E. L Clarke and Pearson Charnley.

Reproduced with the kind permission of
The Westmorland Gazette

Editor, 5th September 2008

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From the Scrapbook #04:

Tying the Knot- and the Gate!

One of the old village customs is for local children to tie the gates of the church when a wedding takes place, in the hope that they will be rewarded with a shower of coins when the wedding party emerges.

Here you can see children rushing to collect their illgotten gains at Alan Willoughby's wedding in 1969.

Don't forget that Natland.info is always happy to show wedding photographs of Natlanders, past and present.

Photo courtesy of Daphne Lester

And tell the Best Man to take plenty of change!

Editor, 28th September 2008

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From the Scrapbook #05:

Church View and the Crossroad on the Green

Photos courtesy of Daphne Lester

Most Natlanders will be aware that the Village Green used to contain a crossroad. The left hand photograph from Daphne Lester's Scrapbook shows the view from the Church tower. The date is uncertain but the crossroad is clearly visible.  Also the Hawes Lane houses had not been built and Church View still comprised seven separate cottages.

Annie Gibson lived at 4 Church View and following the publication of Daphne's memories of Annie, Dora Bianchi contacted Natland.info to say:

    My name is Dora Bianchi, nee Kitchen, I now live in Burneside but lived in Natland from 1936 - 1957. My younger brother still lives on Park Close in the house we moved into after my dad came back from the war in 1948.

    I came to live at 3 Church View in 1936. As I was only six months old I don't remember much of the first few years. One thing I do remember, when I was about three, was going with my dad up to his allotment which was opposite the church up Helm Lane.

    No. 3 was the house jutting out from the others. No. 2 was lived by the Holmes family and No. 1 was used as a very small shop. This house was demolished to widen the road.

    We only had four rooms.  There was a livingroom with an old fashioned range with oven and boiler for hot water. When we needed hot water a "ladle can" was put under the brass tap . There was one window which looked out onto Ted Gibson's garden.

    The other room downstairs was the "back kitchen"; it had no window and just a cold water tap on the wall. My mother used to cook on a parafin stove in this dark little room or in the oven on the range. We did have electric lights.

    Upstairs there were two bedrooms, one a good size like the livingroom but the other (my room) was triangular in shape. Just enough room for a bed across the wide end and a small chest; it had only a tiny window in an alcove.

    You will notice I haven't mentioned a bathroom! The bath was a tin one in front of the fire, filled with the ladle can. The toilet was quite an expedition, it was round the corner of No. 1 and into the back gardens( I think the building is still there). It was an earth toilet with a wooden seat, ashes were put down the hole. At night we used a chamber pot.

    The old man at No. 5 was Mr Hewertson (Old Rob). He worked at Natland Park farm; my dad (Bill Kitchen) used to cut Rob's hair once a year.

    No 6. was the home of the school teacher, Miss Proctor, who taught me in the infants class at Natland old school.

Dora has promised more tales of growing up in Natland.  We look forward to them.

The right hand photo above shows the Green in 1962 after the crossroad had been seeded.  The old School can be seen to the left of the Church.

Can you identify the children playing on the Green?

Editor, 20th October 2008

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From the Scrapbook #06:

Natland Sports Day

Dora Bianchi sent Natland.info this picture of the prizewinners at Natland Sports, circa 1947.  The picture was taken in the field where St Mark's School now stands.  Dora remembers the line up as:

Back row from the left: Bill Brown, Dorothy Slater, Sonia Swainbank, Geraldine Sharpe, Richard Swainbank

Seated from the left:  George Nicholson, Peter Humber, Lady in hat with Roger or Stephen Sharpe on her knee, Canon Miller, Phyllis Sennick, Dora Kitchen

Dora adds "I was dressed as a Russian girl. My mother put dolly blue on my wellies.  The lady in the hat might be Mrs Keesey or Mrs Maples."

Can you confirm the identity of the lady in the hat? Or do you know what has happened to any of the others in the picture?  Or do you have a story about Natland Sports? Why not tell us about it?

Editor, 1st November 2008

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From the Scrapbook #07:

Natland in the War

Dora Bianchi, formerly Dora Kitchen, who lived in Natland from 1936 - 1957, continues her reminiscences of life in Natland.

Dora plus a pre-war photo of her with her mother and Raymond Elvey who lived at Compton House.

My dad was called up in 1940.

He bought our first wireless (radio) before he went. I think the first thing I remember hearing was the story of the Three Little Pigs.

I became a great fan of Children's Hour with Uncle Mac reading stories. I can still hear the voices of Larry the Lamb, Dennis the Dachshund and the Policeman. Another favourite was the Romany Stories.

The war didn't seem to come to Natland really, except for my dad being away.

As a child, I didn't notice a lack of food. We kept hens so had plenty of eggs. We got fruit and vegetables from Natland Park farm; my mother worked there, helping Mrs Kendall in the house. We could buy sweets from the post office, they sold "Lucky bags" 3 old pence each. The sweets were a  bit sticky but we enjoyed them, we also used to eat OXO cubes which we bought for a penny.

Once during the war, my dad was passing on the main road in a convoy and his officer let him call on us. He brought a box of sweets which had been issued to his tank crew.

Natland school got some hot chocolate powder sent from the American army. We all had to take a jar or a paper bag to school and were all given a share of it. We didn't know what to do with it, I think most of us ate it by licking our finger and dipping it in the powder.

We had lots of evacuee children at school. They lived at St Marks Home. Most came from Cullercoats; we found them very rough and noisy. They seemed to be always in trouble at school. I don't suppose we were very nice to them, resenting their towny ways. I remember there was a lady evacuee living at the vicarage; she had a baby in a pram. The vicar (who shall remain nameless) wouldn't let her stay in during the day, she had to walk the roads whatever the weather. My mother sometimes asked her into our house when it was wet. My mother once took the coat off me and gave to her for her baby.

German prisoners used to work on several of the local farms. They walked from Kendal every day. They came on their own with no guards. I suppose they didn't want to escape; it was better than fighting! They wore brown uniforms with POW on the back. We used to walk along with them and talk to them; they were very pleasant and friendly.

It's strange but I don't remember any Victory parties but I am sure there must have been something, perhaps some one else can tell us about them?

Dora Bianchi, 23rd November 2008

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From the Scrapbook #08:

School Days at St Mark's

Dora Bianchi, formerly Dora Kitchen, who lived in Natland from 1936 - 1957, continues her reminiscences of life in Natland in the 1940s.

My school day memories start with me standing at the school railings (taken later for the war effort) shouting "Come and get me" to my mother whom I could see across the green, working about the house. The school room (infants) had a large black cast iron stove, which used to glow red hot. The teacher, Miss Procter, made cocoa on it for the children who brought their dinners,this was before the school canteen. Miss Procter gave us a chalk and a slate to write on; we sat in little wooden chairs and a table in front of us. Another thing we did was thread beads onto shoe laces, rather a waste of time as we had to unthread ready for next time.

I loved school as I got older; I sat my 11 plus and passed but decided not to go to the High School, you had a choice in those days.

I can remember one of the classrooms being made into a kitchen, so we could have school dinners. The meals were  cooked by Mrs Simkiss and other ladies helped. The meals were very good and plenty of them. Meals were cooked at Natland for Crosscrake School; these were taken in big metal boxes by Mr Broadbent from the Post Office; he had a van.

We used to go for walks from school to Helm. We collected leaves and flowers on the way back. These were for the nature table. The school won a prize  at Kendal show for a display of Autumn berries and fruit.

We used to collect rosehips during the war, for making rose hip syrup for babies. We got three pennies for every pound we collected,from the govenment.If you collected 10 lb you got a badge.

One family who came to school were the Wightman family, they farmed at Prizet. The boys sometimes rode down Hawes Lane on a donkey. The donkey was put in the field at Natland Hall while the boys were at school and collected at home time.

We always had a concert and party at Christmas at school. The mothers of the children helped at the party tea, we had games afterwards.

In summer we had sports day with races and a fancy dress. We all got a bag with our tea in it.

The school had a garden, behind the school house in Natland Park field. The older children used to do the gardening. We had all sorts of vegetables and potatoes and also raspberries and strawberries.

I really enjoyed my school days and learnt a lot. I never regretted not going on to the High School.

Dora Bianchi, 1st December 2008

This is a photograph of the pupils of St Mark's School, Natland, possibly in 1948. In those days children who did not go to the High or Grammar schools stayed on at the village school. 

Dora remembers the names of many of the people in the photograph but not all.  

Can you help identify those marked "?" ?

Click on the photo for an enlargement.

Back row: ?, ?, ?, Peter Sennick, Tom Dixon, Ronnie Holmes, ?, ?, ?, Reginald Capps, George Holmes, Billy Stobart, Richard Hall

4th row: Mr Inglesfield, ?, Sidney Appleton, Ronnie Bell, John Mansfield, Margaret Copeland, Elizabeth Dixon, Dorothy Slater, Glynis Atkinson, Betty Kirk, Joseph Wilkins, ?, Peter Kirk, Geof Wightman, Mr Collett

3rd row: Phyllis Sennick, Margaret Croft, Alan Brown, Edith Kirk, Hamish Thew, Peter Humber, ?, John Holmes, Brian Nicholson, ?, ?, Dorothy Cottam, Miss Dale

2nd row: Dora Kitchen,?, Derek Wightman, ?, Judith Kendall, ?, ?, ?, ?, Kathy Wilson

Front row: Geraldine Sharpe, ?, ?, Bill Brown, Robert Dodgson, Margaret Kirk, ?, ?, ?, David "Spud" Tatham,?

Dora added that she would be very interested to hear if anyone out there can fill any of her gaps.  She found it quite sad as she was writing those names as there are so many of them that she knows to have died.

Afternote:

Subsequently Brian Noholson has been identified on the photo which suggests it must have been taken in 1948 at the earliest.

Alan Brown added several more identities, shown in green

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From the Scrapbook #09:
Park Close Houses

In From the Scrapbook #05: Church View and the Crossroad on the Green,
Dora Bianchi talked about moving into Park Close in 1948.  

Brian Nicholson has subsequently provided Natland.info with more information about the building of these houses and their original occupants.

These council houses were built just after the war in 1947. Originally only 8 houses were built. The  semi-detached houses at each end of the row were built as soon as the first 8 houses were occupied.  

Park Close circa 1950

My parents moved into number 7 in November 1947 with three children and eventually having four children. to bring up there. When the other end houses were finished and occupied the council had to re-number the row and our house became number 9.The postman must have been confused until he knew everybody's name!

The original occupants were:

1

Gilbert & Edna Brown

2

Mr & Mrs Hodgson

3

Mr & Mrs Jury

4

Mr & Mrs T Dixon

5

Pearson & Margaret Charnley

6

Mr & Mrs Jack Sharpe

7

Mr & Mrs Bill Kitchen

8

Mr & Mrs Tom Smith

9

Albert & Joyce Nicholson

10

Joe & Gerty Armer

11

Mr & Mrs R Bindloss

12

Mr & Mrs Ball

 Brian Nicholson, 28th December 2008

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From the Scrapbook #10

Queen Meets Natland Brownies

This picture comes from Daphne Lestor's scrapbook and is from The Westmorland Gazette in May 1974. The caption read: "The lucky Brownies of Natland as the Queen stops for a few words with them."

 Reproduced with kind permission of The Westmorland Gazette.

Can you identify any of the Natlanders in the picture?

Editor, 16th January 2009

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From the Scrapbook #11

Growing Up In Natland

Another instalment from Dora Bianchi, formerly Dora Kitchen, who lived in Natland from 1936 to 1957.

Opposite 3 Church View, where I lived until I was 12, is Compton House. Mrs Cook lived there with several cats and a little dog called Lindy. When it was Christmas or my birthday Mrs Cook would let me choose a book from a large tin trunk, kept upstairs. I think they must have been her books as a child. They were very old fashioned books but, as I loved reading, I got lots of pleasure from them. They were very morbid stories about poor children dying of some illness or another, I can't remember any of the titles.  After tea. my mother, myself and Mrs Cook and Lindy went a walk; we gathered sticks for the fire next day.

I used to play with Holmes boys, who lived next door; Ronnie, George, Bryan and John.

I suppose there were about eight or nine children of my age. I remember John Bellas, Margaret Bellas and David Tatham.

We played all sorts of games and were never bored. We played Tin Can Tommy, Hide and Seek, Cuckoo Rounders, Cricket and Hop Scotch.  

We also went for long walks, sometimes nearly all day; nobody bothered us.

The Holmes boys

Another thing we did, I can't for the life of me see why now, was collect car numbers. We would buy a new notebook and pencil from the shop. We walked up Hawes Lane to the main road and sat on the side of the road writing every car number down. Of course, there were very few cars so we never filled our notebooks. It is awful to think now how times have changed; children can't wander like we did.

In winter we went sledging at Cracalt  We always got snow.  We use to borrow a large sledge from the house next to the smithy. It was a very good sledge going down hill but nobody wanted to pull it up again. We also used to slide on the frozen pond behind Holmes gardens.

Natland Village Green with crossroads

Every summer weekend lots of families from Natland and Oxenholme used to walk down Hawes Lane to Hawes Bridge and then along the fields to the river. We took food for the day and old tyre inner tubes blown up. We all had great fun in the river.

We all had bikes (second or third hand) and used to ride around the village green, which had crossroads then.   

Dora Bianchi, 17th January 2009

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From the Scrapbook #12

Women's Institute 1965 Success

We return to Daphne Lester's scrapbook and this photograph of Natland & Oxenholme Women's Institute's success in singing at the 1965 Mary Wakefield Music Festival.

With a little help from her friends, Daphne has identified all the people in the picture.  

1: Annie Johnson; 2: Audrey Ireland; 3: Kate Foss; 4: Clare Ball

5: Marion Wood; 6: Norma Hewertson; 7: Wendy Balmer

8: Mabel Smith; 9: Kath Robinson: 10: Daphne Lester;

11: Jean Cheeseman; 12: Dorothy Tyson

 Editor, 24th January 2009

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From the Scrapbook #13

Childhood Games

Dora Bianchi continues her tales of life as a child in Natland in the 1940s.

Every spring we walked to the woods near Sedgwick Gunpowder works.

We went for the Snowdrops and Wild Daffodils; you could pick wild flowers then. We can't have done any harm because even now there are carpets of Snowdrops and Daffodils in spring.

The farmers used to bring their full milk kits to the milk stand at Natland Hall every morning and collect the empty ones.

We sometimes got a ride in the trailer, to one of the farms and then walked back.

We used to play in the barn at Natland Hall; the hay was loose then and we had great fun playing in it.

We also used visit the smithy, the smith came three days a week to shoe any horses that needed it.

I can still remember the smell of a hot shoe being put on the horses hoof.

It was marvellous to watch the smith make a shoe from a straight piece of metal.

A very young Dora on the Green

There were people we called tramps; men and women who tramped the roads doing odd jobs and begging for food. They seemed to come the same time every year. I suppose they had a route and knew which households would feed them. There was an old lady, she had an old fashioned babies pram with all her worldly goods in it. Dodgsons at Natland Hall allowed her to sleep in the barn.

Most of the tramps were polite and my mother would fill their "billy cans" with tea and give them bread and jam or cheese. The farmers sometimes gave them odd jobs to do in return for a meal and sleeping in the barn. No social secruity in those days.

Harvest time was exciting; we used to go and watch the thresher; a traction engine drove the threshing machine. All the farmers came to help each other while the thresher went round all the different farms.

Front: Geoff Scott(?), Ernest Ireland, Margery Armer, Geraldine Sharpe, Dora Kitchen
Back: Jeff George, Brian Holmes , ???

Every autumn we went "conkering".  We collected baskets full; I don't know why we needed so many!  The girls didn't play conkers; the boys used to bake or soak their conkers to make them extra hard. The girls threaded them onto string for a necklace. We also made doll's chairs: pins were pushed into the conker for legs and then four pins in the top and wool woven in and out to make a chair back.  We also collected acorns and made men with matches for legs and arms.

At Halloween we made turnip lanterns. We ate a lot of the turnip we carved out, giving ourselves tummy ache!  We put a candle inside.  We also put a tin lid on top and fried slices of potato, I am sure they tasted awful!!!

Dorothy Cottam, Kathleen Wilson, Dora Kitchen & Phyllis Sennick in the school yard

We had bonfire on the green, near the hawthorn tree; this was after the war.  We used to borrow Mr Holmes' trailer and pull it around the village collecting bonfire stuff.

We roasted potatoes in the fire.  We ate them with great enjoyment; they must have tasted awful as the fire was lit with old oil and tyres were also burnt.

None of us had fireworks but Margaret Dobson always had a box full and we enjoyed watching hers.

I don't know if I should tell you this, we used to play at the canal; it had water in then. We floated on boards; how we didn't fall in and drown I don't know! None of us could swim much. Barges were used to repair the clay in the bottom of the canal. When the workmen had gone home we used to untie the barge and push it along with poles. Once we got it stuck cross-ways of the canal.  It took us ages to get it back to where it had been tied up. We didn't do it again after that fright.

Dora Bianchi, 14th February 2009

Afternote

Regarding the boy on the photo named as Geoff Scott(?), I am not sure this was his name, I think he may have been an evacuee who lived up Oxenholme Lane in this first house after the school. This was lived by Mr ans Mrs Jack Howson, if I have got the right person. I think they adopted him. We used call Oxenholme Lane Bindloss Lane; Mr Bob Bindloss use to the farm at the bottom of the hill.  I hope you get some people writing in with more memories.

The small boy marked "???" might be Alan Robson.

Dora Bianchi, 18th February 2009

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From the Scrapbook #14

The Killing of a Pig

These days animals leave the farm and meat appears in the shops with the general population giving little thought to what happens inbetween.  We are shielded from the sights, smells and sounds of slaughter.  It was not always so.  Sixty years ago the killing of a pig was, for Natland schoolchildren at least, an exciting though rather bloodthirsty event.

Dora (Kitchen) Binchi and Alan Brown recall that the pig wasn't sent to a slaughter house but was taken the barn (later to become George Holmes' joinery workshop and now converted to a dwelling) at the back of the old school on the village green

The pig was walked through the village to the barn . It squealed all the way, as if it knew what was going to happen. This squealing was a signal for all the children at the school to go to watch.

The Old School Buildings

The pig was killed by having its throat slit.  This used to be done by a Mr Addison and subsequently by Eddie Kendal of Natland Park.

Afterwards the boys would ask for the pig's bladder which they would use as a football. Miss Procter, one of the teachers, would also see what parts of the pig she could take home.

It might sound awful by present day standards but the children didn't think anything about it. It was just part of village life.

Editor, 19th April 2009

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From the Scrapbook #15
Maurice Collett's Class

Maurice Collett, former teacher at St Mark's School, has passed Natland.info this photograph of his class taken on the village green in the early 1950s.  

The children are believed to be:
Back Row:  David Wightman, Robin Petty, Nigel Jeffries, Michael Trotter, Alan Dison,
Brian Nicholson, David Saul, Philip Ball

Middle Row:  Margery ???, Geraldine Sharpe, Judith Kendal, Pauline Simpkis,
Edith Kirk, Margaret Croft, Margaret Kirk

Front Row:  David Tatham, Billy Brown, Robert Target

Do you agree and can you date the picture?

Editor, 2nd May 2009

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From the Scrapbook #16
More W.I. Singing Success

Do you remember Scrapbook #12 featuring the Women's Institute's Choir's success in 1965?  

We return now to Daphne Lester's memorabilia for the further success of Natland & Oxenholme W.I. had further successes at the 1967 Mary Wakefield Music Festival.  

The Westmorland Gazette of 26th May reported that

The two-part test piece "The sorrows of my heart" by Boyce provided some of the most interesting singing of the morning.  [The winners] Natland and Oxenholme gave an evenly-balanced and well-blended interpretation.

The test piece for the three-part class was a setting of "Sweet and low" by Malcolm Williamson.  Natland and Oxenholme were winners, with a performance which Mr Bunney said had gentleness and in cradle song style.

Natland and Oxenholme also came second in the unison class for larger choirs and third in the mixed voice choir category.

Here are the winning choristers.  

Can you name them? Here is Daphne's recollection:

 1: Mabel Smith
 5: Eva Hewertson
 9: Lavinia Swainbank
13: Clare Ball

 2: Mrs Clegg
 6:
???
10: Annie Johnson
14: Wendy Balmer

 3: Daphne Lester 
 7: Audrey Ireland
11:
? Roscoe
15:
? Holmes

 4: Kate Foss
 8: Kathleen Robinson
12:
Norma Hewertson
16: Dorothy Tyson

 

If you can identify No 6 or the missing first names, please let Natland.info know.

Editor, 5th May 2009

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From the Scrapbook #17:
The Sack Race

Back to Alan Brown's schooldays and here he is taking the sack race by storm during Natland School's sports day!

Editor, 16th May 2009

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From the Scrapbook #18:
The Punch and Judy Show

Compare these two pictures.  The first was passed to Natland.info by Alan Brown, the second by David "Spud" Tatham.  Both are taken at Natland School Sports Day in the early 1950s.  

The first shows the children watching a Punch and Judy show.  

Initially, I thought the second picture was of the same event but on closer inspection (click on the photos for an enlargement) I am inclined to think that it was not the same year. 

What do you think?

In the first, Sam Inglesfield can be seen to the left, carrying a little boy and in front of him, wearing a hat, is the Reverend Marrs.  

Can you identify anyone in the photographs?

 

 

Editor, 19th June 2009

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From the Scrapbook #19:
The School Garden

St Mark's School used to have its own garden.  Here we have a photo from David Tatham's scrapbook showing Pauline Simkiss, ? Dixon and Judith Kendal hard at work.

Editor, 1st July 2009

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From the Scrapbook #20:
The PT Lesson

Standing smarkly to attention are two boys from St Mark's School, waiting their turn to summersault over the box.  Note the "short back and sides" haircuts!  Can you identify anyone in this photo from David Tatham's scrapbook?

Editor, 21st August 2009

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From the Scrapbook #21:
Two Natland Postmistresses

Ruth Booth from Stoke on Trent recently contacted Natland.info with some photographs of the village taken many years ago.

She knew that her grandmother, Miss Shepherd, ran the Village Post Office and Shop until about 1944 when she moved to Rodley.  

Ruth's father, Derek Shepherd, was born in 1924 and joined the Merchant Navy when he left Natland.  He married her mother in 1948.

Miss Shepherd

Natland Post Office

Natland cricketers

Dipping into Whin Inglesfield's book Natland and Oxenholme- The story of a Westmorland village, we discovered that, in fact, Ruth's great-grandmother had run the shop from shortly after the First World War to 1932 when her daughter took over as Postmistress, a position she retained until 1944.

Shown here is

  • a portrait of Miss Shepherd
  • the Village Shop in the early 1950s
  • a group of young Natland cricketers including her father, front left, other children unknown, circa 1936
  • a group of children posing on the Village Green with donkeys, ponies and a trap.
    Unfortunately Ruth has no knowledge of the event, the date or the people in the photograph.  

Can you help identify anyone?  Click on any photo for an enlargement.

Who, What, Why and When?

Editor, 25th September 2009

Afternote:  
Dora Bianchi told Natland.info that the girl holding the pony is Jennifer Temple, daughter of a Kendal Solicitor who lived in the big house opposite Oxenholme Station. She added that t
hey always had horses - there used to be two stone winged horses on the gateposts of the house but someone stole them.  She thinks the boy on the left sat on the donkey could be one of the Wightman boys.

Anthony George added:

My wife and I have looked at the photo with the children and horses and we think the boy on the donkey behind Jeniffer Temple could be my late father Jeffrey George.

The photo is right opposite our former home Lea Green, which was built on land purchased from the Swindlehurst family in 1930. The cost of buying the land plus building the house was a total of £506/ 9s.

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From the Scrapbook #22
Natland: a Post-War View

In response to the request for old photos of Natland, Michael Duff sent in this picture.

If you look closely, you can see that only eight of the twelve houses at Park Close existed.  

Judging by Brian Nicholson's contribution From the Scrapbook #09: Park Close Houses, it would seem, therefore, that the photograph was taken in the late 1940s.

It is interesting to see all the empty space that is now filled by more modern housing.

Park Close, Natland

Editor, 12th October 2009

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From the Scrapbook #23
Early Memories by Brian Nicholson

I lived at Barrows Green with my mother and my grandparents Joe and Elsie Farrer who kept the shop where I was born in 1940.

The shop and cottage next door were demolished in the 1950s to widen the A65 road.

An article subsequently appeared in the Westmorland Gazette with photos showing the road before and after the widening.

Wartime memories include convoys of tanks and armoured vehicles heading north and planes flying overhead. I don't know whether they were English or German!

The shop at Barrows Green before A65 wdened
Reproduced with the kind permission of
 
The Westmorland Gazette 

I can remember seeing searchlights on clear nights, probably over Barrow. Finally, V.E day when everyone hung flags out of their windows. The Punch Bowl Inn seemed to have more than anyone else.

Brian Nicholson on the A65

Joyce & Albert Nicholson outside the shop

I remember going for walks and picnics on Helm but cannot remember much about Natland. I cannot remember seeing my father much until he came home from the war in India and Burma. When he finally arrived home in the middle of the night, he threw pebbles at the bedroom window to wake us up.  I remember him putting his Chindit regiment hat on my head.  I used to wear it a lot!

I started school at Crosscrake in 1945 and my mother used to take me on the back of her bike down the A65 or I would walk down the lane past Dr Banardos with other children by ourselves.

My grandfather was a signalman on the railways so when he was moved to Lancaster we all left the shop and my parents, sister Pauline (born 1946) and I went to live at Park End Cottage, Brigsteer with our other grandparents.

I went to Helsington School for a while until we got a house at Park Close, Natland in 1947.

I then attended the old St Mark's school in Natland before going to Kendal Grammar School. I enjoyed village life in Natland, spending many hours fishing on the canal or collecting birds' eggs from the fields and woods around Natland.

I lived on Park Close until 1962 when I got married.

Brian's  St Mark's School photograph

Brian in his running gear

I spent all my working life of 41 years at James Croppers as an engineer until I retired in 1997.

I still live in Kendal but spend most of my time at my static caravan holiday home at Silloth on Solway.

When I am at home, I still run or cycle through Natland and often think I probably knew everybody who lived at every house in Natland.

Happy memories of a wonderful village.

Brian Nicholson, December 2009

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From the Scrapbook #24
Natland: a Post-War View 2

At first sight, you would be forgiven for thinking that this picture from Barry Charnley was the same photo as shown in Scrapbook #22.  

But if you look very closely at the bridge on Hawes Lane, you will see that a train has miraculously appeared on the line!

Editor, 17th December 2009

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From the Scrapbook #25
A Five O'Clock Chat

Thanks to Barry Charnley for this R. A. P. Company postcard sent from Crow Park, Natland on 30th September 1947.  

On the right hand side, having a 5 p.m. chat, are Mary Holmes, with young Ronnie in her arms, and, on her bicycle, Barry's mother, Margaret.  Who the lady between them is, we don't know.  Can you help?

The van, JM993, is from KCS Ltd- presumably Kendal Co-operative Society.

Note that Oxenholme Lane is prohibited to Locomotives, Heavy Goods Cars and All Motor Vehicles carrying more that 18 Persons.

At least I think that is what it says!

The 5 p.m. chat

You also get a good view of the old Wellingtonia that was felled in 2005

Editor, 26th December 2009

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From the Scrapbook #26
Natland Flower Show 1950s

Barry Charnley passed Natland.info these pictures of the Natland Flower Show sometime in the 1950s.  The flower show was held in the old school building on the Village Green.  In the background you can see a Vicarage window.

The tall, distinguished gentleman towards the left is Colonel Crewdson.  To his left are Molly Croft, Dick Armer, Mrs Crewdson, Jim Frearson, Pearson Charnley, Ann Charnley, Dick Holmes, Margaret Charnley, two unknowns, Mrs Frearson and Mrs Ewan. Barry appears in the photo in the bottom left hand corner.

Afternote from Angela Thackray:
T
he lady standing beside Mrs Ewan and in front of Mrs Frearson is my mother Mrs. Clare Ball. My mother and Mrs Frearson were great friends and very active in the WI. My mother, in particular, was a qualified WI produce judge and was often called to act as a judge across Westmorland. She was on the Flower Show committee for some years and always had a number of entries in the show.

Judging by Colonel Crewdon's clothes, the photo below is of the same event. The picture was taken inside the old school.

Pictures reproduced with the kind permission of  The Westmorland Gazette

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From the Scrapbook #27
Another 1950s Natland Flower Show

Reproduced with the kind permission of  The Westmorland Gazette

This picture (thanks again to Barry Charnley for bringing it to our attention) was taken two or three years later than From the Scrapbook #26 judging by how much older Ann Charnley (middle) appears to be.  On the left is Mrs Frearson and the on the right is Mrs Baron.  The man in the middle is Hubert Williams.  Can you identify the other ladies?

We are still trying to track down a copy of the booklet Hubert produced on the history of Natland Mill Beck Lane so if you have a copy or know where one could be found, please contact Natland.info.

Editor, 15th January 2010

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From the Scrapbook #28
School Trip to Where?

Both Dora Bianchi and Barry Charnley sent Natland.info copies of this picture.  They, in turn, had received it from Barry Evans who had obtained it from Ronnie Holmes!

It records a St Mark's School trip, sometime in the 1950s.  At the front left of the photo is Dora's mother, Fanny.  Prominent in the foreground, slightly left of centre is Alice George. Behind her, at the back in the light coat is Joyce Ormerod and to her left, Mary Dixon.  The lady holding the baby, Mark, is Mrs Bindloss.

Unfortnately, no one so far has been able to identify where the picture was taken.  It is thought that it might be on Windermere.  Can anyone help?

 Editor, 19th January 2010

My initial response is that the picture is on Windermere and I recognised two of the ladies in it. At bottom right, I am sure, is Mrs Veda Brimacombe who lived at the top of Helm Lane with her husband, Fred, and their two daughters, Cherilyn and Vanessa.  

Slightly to her right is Mrs Nicholson who came from Tebay to Oxenholme with her sons Alan, Brian  and Barry. I think there was a sister... Catherine?

Steve Sharpe, 27th April 2010

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From the Scrapbook #29
The Oxenholme Sheds

One here from Billy Moffat's collection for followers of the Scapbook and of Steam alike: Stanier tank engine 42464 leaving the sheds at Oxenholme.

42464 is known to have been based at Oxenholme in 1948 when the railways were nationalised.  It was based at Newton Heath in 1965 when it was withdrawn from service and subsequently scrapped.

Editor, 25th January 2010

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From the Scrapbook #30
Farewell To The Old School

Several of the Scrapbook items make reference to the old St Mark's School, located on the Village Green next to the Church.  Following the opening of the new school in Oxenholme Lane, it was demolished in May 1969.

The old school.....

.....going....

.....gone!

Thanks to Daphne Lester and The Westmorland Gazette for permission to reproduce the photographs.

George Wenman subseqeuently added:

In the photo of The Old School, I can recognise the window which the Head Teacher flung wide open so that my singing of a Christmas Carol (in the run up to Xmas 1945) could be heard outside the school.

George Wenman, 26th February 2010

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From The Scrapbook #31
Two Natland Postmasters

In Scrapbook #21 we met two Natland Postmistresses from before the war.  Here, thanks to Daphne Lester, we can meet two Natland Postmasters from the 1960s. Pictured left, in 1968 is Mr Howarth with his wife and son, whilst on the right is Mr Bradby with his wife in 1969.

The Howarths 1968

The Bradbys 1969

Editor, 17th February 2010

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From The Scrapbook #32
The Morris Dancers

We return to Daphne Lester's Scrapbook.

It is July 1968.

The Morris Dancers appear in Natland, performing by the Village Green.

Two ladies lean on a garden wall, amused by the display.

Christine Moore informed Natland.info that the lady on the left was Kitty Mansfield from Oxenholme.  

Can anyone identify her friend?

Let Natland.info know if you know her name.

Editor, 11th March 2010

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From the Scrapbook #33
The Phantom Oval

This aeriel photo supplied by Billy Moffat shows the top of Hawes Lane, Natland, circa 1969.

But what is the cause of that oval shaped mark clearly visible behind his yard at Ashfield?

Roman Fort?

Running track?  

Any ideas?

Click on the photo for an enlargement.  

Editor, 18th March 2010

The Phantom Oval Explained?

John Inglesfield, having consulted his mother, Whin, responded:

As the Natland Village Sports (not  the School Sports) were held at some stage on Natland Hall fields, the oval is surely a running track of some description - but what sort of track, when was it made, and how is it still visible in 1969?

Evidence that the sports were held in the field next to Billy Moffat's may come from the enamelled "Gents" sign dug up by Whin in our garden when we lived down Hawes Lane. In our time, the sports were held at Natland Park, becoming defunct in the 1950s.

Anthony George was able to provide an explanation as to why the track was still visible in 1969.  He told Natland.info:

Around the time of the picture, there was a group of youths who regularly used the fields shown. We rode our dirt track bicycles and motorcycles around the fields. The group included Andrew and Mark Bindloss, Andrew Atkinson, Christopher Inglesfield, Steven and Roger Holmes and many more.

The problem with that explanation is that the track does not look particularly worn. Another possibility, which is not inconsistent with either of the above, is that a drought exposed a scar in the land caused by its earlier use as a track.

Editor, 22nd March 2010

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From the Scrapbook #34

St Mark's Parish Magazine: 1898

The earliest edition of St Mark's Parish Magazine that we have discovered is that from May 1898. Below, you can read the headlines.  

Thanks to Billy Moffat for providing the original.

No. 5  May 1898

Price One Penny

  • Easter in Church
  • The School
  • The Doctor's Daughter:
    A Story of Real Life
    by Mary Hancock
  • God's Spotless Messengers
  • A Morning Prayer for the Little Ones
  • Ascension Day and Whitsun-tide
    by the Rev. C Pickering Clarke  M.A.
  • Glimpses of Modern Church History: The Reformation in Switzerland
    by the Rev. Henry Gee  B.D.  F.S.A.
  • Clerical Incomes: The Unbroken Continuity of the Church's Property
    by the Rev. H Granville Dickson  M.A.
  • The Ancient Cities of Refuge 
    by Wood Smith
  • Our Literary Competition
  • A Chat with the Girls
    by May Cochrane
  • Our English Butterflies
    by the Rev. B G Johns  M.A.
  • The Ascension of Our Lord
  • Hints on Indigestion
    by a Physician
  • Saints' Days
    by the Rev. Henry Greene  M.A.
  • Gardening Notes May
  • Rogation Days: Why They Are Kept
  • Kitchen Notes: On Steaming
    by Dora de Blaquiere
  • Home Chat: The Management of Lamps
  • Our Bible Questions for May and Answers for February
  • The Children's Page

 

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From the Scrapbook #35
The Old Village Green

Yvonne Rowan Robinson recently passed these photos to Natland.info.  They had belonged to Miss Broadbent and were obviously taken before the roads crossing the green were removed (circa 1960- see Scrapbook #05).  

What caused the two circular marks on the green?  Bonfires?  Can anyone solve the mystery?  Click on the photos for an enlargement.

Editor, 1st December 2010

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 For more pictures and tales
of old Natland, see

Scrapbook 2

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From the Scrapbook

From the Scrapbook
is a trip down
"memory lane".

Initially triggered by Natland.info being
passed a number of old photographs and other items, it has developed into a series of anecdotes and reminiscences, illustrated by photographs of Natland of yesteryear.

Scrapbook #01:
Natland Parish Magazine
No. 5, May 1898;
THE SCHOOL

Scrapbook #02:
Opening the Village Hall, 1953

Scrapbook #03:
Natland: The Best Kept Village

Scrapbook #04:
Tying the Knot and the Gate!

Scrapbook #05:
Church View and the
Crossroad on the Green

Scrapbook #06:
Natland Sports Day

Scrapbook #07:
Natland in the War

Scrapbook #08:
School Days at St Mark's

Scrapbook #09:
Park Close Houses

Scrapbook #10:
Queen Meets Natland Brownies

Scrapbook #11:
Growing Up In Natland

Scrapbook #12:
Women's Institute 1965 Success

Scrapbook #13:
Childhood Games

Scrapbook #14:
The Killing of a Pig

Scrapbook #15:
Maurice Collett's Class

Scrapbook #16:
More W.I. Singing Success

Scrapbook #17:
The Sack Race

Scrapbook #18:
The Punch and Judy Show

Scrapbook #19:
The School Garden

Scrapbook #20:
The PT Lesson

Scrapbook #21:
Two Natland Postmistresses

Scrapbook #22:
Natland: A Post War View

Scrapbook #23:
Early Memories
by Brian Nicholson

Scrapbook #24:
Natland: A Post War View 2

Scrapbook #25:
A Five o'Clock Chat

Scrapbook #26:
Natland Flower Show 1950s

Scrapbook #27:
Another 1950s
Natland Flower Show

Scrapbook #28
School Trip to Where?

Scrapbook #29
The Oxenholme Sheds

Scrapbook #30
Farewell to the Old School

Scrapbook #31
Two Natland Postmasters

Scrapbook #32
The Morris Dancers

Scrapbook #33
The Phantom Oval

From the Scrapbook #34
St Mark's Parish Magazine: 1898

From the Scrapbook #35
The Old Village Green

 

 For more pictures and tales
of old Natland, see

Scrapbook 2

  

 

 

 

Natland Village Green

Post Office and General Store

The Church on the Green



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