Carlisle memories
Here are memories of Carlisle and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Carlisle or a Carlisle photo.
My Brother
My brother, Brian Ridding (Hoss), laid this mosaic. Sadly he died on 2nd June 2010, age 52. Everywhere I walk in this city, there is a reminder of him, whether it be above or below ground.
Saturday Nights in The 60's
How lucky were we, who were teens in the 60's. We had the Beatles, Stones and couldn't even imagine there would be anything like rap . Like most of my friends, my first venture into Carlisle night life was at Bonds in Fisher Street. The last bus for Kirkandrews left at 10.30, so the shortcut was from the Town Hall to the Ribble Bus Station through the narrow streets of derelict houses that are now the Lanes Shopping Centre. It was best to ignore the 'snogging' in the doorways. Eventually, we moved on to the County Ballroom. Does anyone remember the VIP's? By now, we all had Saturday jobs. I worked at Littlewoods, in the prep. room. Bacon was sliced and placed on trays for the counter. I spent my day folding rashers just so, and was paid 17/6d for my efforts. Marks paid a pound, but it was difficult to get in. Once we got out of school, and had our own transportation there was no holding... Read more
"Snowed In"
If my memory is correct it was the winter of 1940/41 when I was a teenager, working for a long distance transport company from the midlands. We had left Carlisle on our way south via Shap Fell when we were caught in a blizzard and the roads were impassable. Our lorries had to be left on Shap and somehow we got back to Carlisle and I think for about two whole weeks or so we were marooned there. Fortunately we found lodgings with the Harrison family at either 3a or 4a West Tower Street. I have never forgotten the kindness shown to us by the mother, Mrs. Harrison and her daughter Nora. If any of that family are still around I would love to get in touch with them so if anyone reading this has information on them please get in touch at dnr55@shaw.ca
Barclays And Taylors of Tarraby Farm
My mother Gladys Taylor (nee Barclay) and father James Taylor married and lived at Tarraby Farm, Carlisle in 1927. My mother's parents were Alexander and Isabella Barclay, who lived and worked on the the farm. My grandfather was originally from Nigg, Aberdeenshire, where he was headmaster of Cove Bay public school, till approx 1918. My father was from Great Strickland, his parents were James and Barbara (nee Gowling). My eldest brothers Maurice and James (Jim) were both born at Tarraby. If anyone has any more information on my family or of Tarraby Farm at that time, or photos, I would be grateful for any more info.
Memories of Cumbria
Early Childhood
After retiring from the RAF, my father was with Air Ministry Constabulary and we moved to Stanwix in 1938 when my father was posted to 4 MU. We lived in Knowe Park Avenue and I attended Stanwix School. My sister attended the Margaret Sewell School for Girls. I was five years old when we moved to Stanwix and ten years old when we left. World War 2 began soon after we arrived but we did not have many air raids there except when the Lake District was bombed. My childhood years in Stanwix were very happy and I loved the school. After we left Stanwix, we moved back down south to Middlesex. I met up with my childhood best friend from Stanwix when we were both in our fifties and we reminisced about those happy times.
Margaret Sewell Girls' Selective School, Carlisle
A cousin of mine, Winifred Dogherty, was appointed Head of this school in 1933 and I believe stayed there until her death in 1952. She lived at 3 Beech Grove North, Stanwix. Some of her family joined her in 1937/8 and seemed to stay until after the War, when they moved in stages to Surrey, the last to leave being her mother, Annie Dogherty, wife of John Edward Dogherty, Headmaster in Newcastle upon Tyne from 1895 to 1924 at the same school as his father had run from 1864 to 1895. This man became President of the National Association of Headmasters in the 1920's. Does anyone know any more about this lady and her career, or about the school?
The Mission Hall
I was born in Caledonian Buildings on Etterby Road...what a wonderful place it was to play, with all the green grass, trees, and horses, our imaginations would go wild. The best days were when there was a wedding in the Mission Hall and we would sit outside waiting for the men to throw us some pennies, we would then go and spend our money at Copelands sweet shop. Further down Etterby Road there were flats that had become empty due to refurbishing, in those days the windows and doors didn't need boarding up, so we would climb through a window and play amongst the 'rubbish'...it did feel very scary, maybe it was the worry of being found out! I loved my childhood in Etterby and maybe one day I will knock on the door of the house where I was born...
Garden Terrace
My grandmother, Nora Green, lived in Garden Terrace, Lower Cumbersdale and raised 9 children there. I remember visiting often, walking over from Denton Holme by the river. Lots of happy times. If anyone has any memories of the Green family I would love to hear to hear from them. I know my grandfather, Robert, worked as a screen printer and died in his 30s.
Kirkandrews School in The 50's
We moved to Woodside, Kirkandrews in l956. It was a boarding kennel and my father, Harold Brown, turned the l4 acres into a small farm. The school was two rooms, one heated by a stove and the other with a fireplace. The toilets were outside, and the sinks in the school porch. I don't think there could have been more than 20 pupils. Mrs Wannop came from Carlisle and taught the younger children. She brought her baby boy, John, with her every day. Mrs Walby was headmistress and lived in the school house on the premises. The yard wasn't paved then and we had many games of rounders outside. Education was basic to say the least, very low key. I moved on to Caldew eventually and took the standard secretarial course. Thanks to Mrs Southern those skills have always been useful. I was the Matron's secretary at the Infirmary and after I moved to the USA, got a... Read more
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