25 Years Ago

February 11, 1978

Step down

A STEEP flight of steps on Carnforth's council estate is causing difficulty for mothers with children in prams.

The mothers have to take their children out of the prams before negotiating the steps because they are so step the babies could fall out, Carnforth Town Council has been told.

Mothers were having to use the steps because a communal path between the front of houses in Windermere Road and gardens was so overgrown with weeds the prams could not get across.

But council clerk, Mr Frank Morris, reported that a city council housing official had visited the road and had found only one mother who wanted the path re-opening.

Coun Mrs Jean Wilson said she knew of another mother who was complaining about having to use the steps.

The council agreed to repair the steps.

50 Years Ago

February 14, 1953

Taxing work

MORE licences have been issued this year by the Motor Taxation Department of Westmorland County Council than in any previous January, the 11,500 taken out representing an increase of 3,000 on last year.

For the first time no licences were issued from Post Offices. About half the applications for licences were dealt with by the post. The staff spent two hours daily investigating incorrect and incomplete applications, of which they received more than 600.

100 Years Ago

February 14, 1903

Milk protests

SINCE the mass meeting of milk consumers protesting against the continuation of the payment of 4d. per quart for milk, the subject has been the general topic of conversation in Ambleside.

In fairness to one or two of the milk purveyors, it must be stated that, personally, they were willing to return to the old price of 3d., which prevailed prior to the drought that caused the rise in price but, as a body, the purveyors decided to hold out, so that a conference between them and the deputation appointed by the mass meeting, which took place on Saturday, did not lead to immediate settlement, though it was freely discussed.

On Tuesday evening the rumour was current that the purveyors had had another meeting themselves, and decided to reduce to the original price.

150 Years Ago

February 12, 1853

Lucky escape

DURING the past week an accident occurred on the South Devon Railway, which was likely to have resulted in the instantaneous death of a gentleman. It appears that on the arrival of the up mail at St Thomas station, the gentleman, who was in a first class carriage, not waiting for the door to be opened by the guard, stepped out, as he imagined, on the platform, but it turned out to be the parapet of a viaduct. He fell the distance of twenty-one foot. Porters immediately ran to his assistance, expecting to find him severely wounded, but to their astonishment he had received little injury.

February 13, 2003 10:00