People from our past

This was one of the earliest contributions to the site way back in 2000

      His   gravestone records him as : "A great English sportsman."  which is no surprise for his C.V. would have included such achievements  as ,long distance walker,horse rider, huntsman and hunter,cattleman and boxer,adventurer and explorer and wherever he went  " with his side whiskers,his   9" cigars and his gardenia buttonhole he was to the crowds the perfect specimen of the sporting grandee." When in town he was "Lordy"  but to most people was the sporting Earl and I refer ,of course, to the famous Yellow Earl of Lonsdale

HUGH   CECIL  LOWTHER.5TH

 EARL  OF  LONSDALE.  ( 1857-1944 )

     His direct connection with our town   began way back in 1882  when, at the age of 25 , he  unexpectedly inherited both the Lowther and Whitehaven estates .Sadly this came about   as a result of the death of his elder brother but by that time Hugh   had already pawned his inheritance to these estates  for £40,000 partly to fund a cattle scheme with which he had   become involved  in America and partly because , being the younger brother he had never really expected to inherit the estates.Fortunately  his  brother was rather more far sighted and had redeeemed the  "pawn ticket " in order to preserve the family estates.Consequently ,although overseen by the attentions of a body of    cautious Trustees,  the new, and fifth Earl, inherited both  Lowther and Whitehaven  Castles where he is said to have lived in  princely style playing hosts to royalty on several occasions.

.

LOWTHER  CASTLE        

    At the time he inherited the Whitehaven estates our town was in the hands of the Town  and Harbour Trustees, a body of men originally constituted by Act of Parliament in 1708. Between then and    1882 several  changes  occurred  in both the format and powers of that body  but the Lowther  presence remained, a situation which persevered until   1894    when , after  a somewhat  prolonged effort,   Whitehaven was incorporated as a  Borough. On November  9th  of that year, and by   a unanimous vote, Hugh Cecil  Earl of Lonsdale became the town's first elected Mayor and remained in office for   two years presiding over meetings himself from time to time.

WHITEHAVEN  CASTLE

             It was on this occasion of  the Earl   becoming our first Mayor that the Borough Insignia was   presented to the town and at that time consisted of  a Mayor's chain and badge of office as well as a mace all of which were the gifts of the Earl to the Borough. The   chain consists of  18 shield links alternating with the letters    composing the town's name and the central link shows the  arms and crest of the donor  Earl  from which is suspended   a badge  displaying the Borough arms which is itself surrounded by  4 small medallions representing    aspects of local industries.The   mace is silver gilt , bears the Earl's monogram and coronet, is embossed with roses and adorned with the arms of both the Earl and the borough as well as their respective mottos.On the base is enscribed : "Presented to the Borough of Whitehaven   by the Rt. Hon.  Hugh Cecil Earl of Lonsdale, first   Mayor .1894/95."

    The Arms of the Borough, created at the same time,  was an adaptation of   the

 Lowther Arms taking from the latter the   shield showing the  6  rings  and surmounted

by the griffin  to which was added  the Latin motto. CONSILIO   ABSIT   DISCORDIA."

   meaning  "Let discord be absent    from the Council."

The mayor's chair  also made  it's appearance at this time and   the picture shows the   men and boys who created it. The  bowler hatted gentleman is Mr Dixon , whose descendants still operate from the superstore on Lowther Street.

The Corporation continued to occupy the building  on Duke   Street from which the Town and Harbour  Trustees had   operated   paying  a suitable rent  to the Harbour Commissioners for the privilege. In time this grand old structure , originally a  mansion  known as the  Cupola   and  dating back to c.1715 ,  at that time  the proud possession of one   William Feryes , a local merchant, was    altered to accomodate the new Council.  In the 1920's , there was much debate    both in the Council chamber and on the streets of the town as to whether the   building should be purchased  by the Corporation. Eventually, and by only a very narrow margin,  the Town Council agreed to buy the premises for      £3,055. Until quite recently it housed the county court while the    Council chambers were situated in the former W.C.F. premises on Catherine Street. However, a brand new building,  has recently been built between Catherine and Irish Streets on the  site of the former Irish Street School and this now houses all the council offices.

      The  Earl and his wife were regular visitors to Whitehaven for one reason or another, and plaques   at various locations testify to this  as do both written and pictorial records.The most attractive, and interesting, monument to his visits overlooks the town from  a site high   on the brows at Arrowthwaite.Pleasing  to the eye ,and remarkably free from modern graffiti ,this inscribed monument not only commemorates two significant events in the town's history but is itself  historical in that it consists of stone   taken from Bransty Arches   which once stood across Tangier Street until their demise in 1927

   The monument  ,under the title ...   ." WHITEHAVEN ...AGED   MINERS HOMES " 

        records that....    

       " These  cottages were  erected for the use and benefit of  aged and infirm employees of   the   Whitehaven   Collieries by the contributions of  workmen,   friends and  sympathisers. The  building  site  was given by  the  Rt.Hon.Earl of  Lonsdale who opened  the first block of  cottages  20th March.1926.This stone  was  unveiled and two  trees planted  by H.R.H. the Prince of  Wales on his visit to Whitehaven 30th June .1927"

This picture  to the right shows the Earl of Lonsdale, accompanied by  local dignitaries from the Council, declaring the first    batch of  Aged Miners Cottages open. The gentleman to the  right   with the notes is Mr John Hanlon ,Secretary of the Committee whose hard work made the project possible.

      On the occasion of the Prince's visit , during which he was accompanied by our Yellow Earl, he  opened the Miners Recreation ground on Kells, descended  Haig Pit, dined at the Kells  Co op( Walkingshaws car showroom stood there until recently) inspected the new hospital , presented colours to    local scouts in   Castle Park and after a very busy    schedule left the town basking in the memory of his  visit.

   The Prince unveils the   monument   at the Aged Miners Cottages site.

Thanks for  calling in.  Next time "People from our Past " will take a look at

 the other end of the social spectrum.                                                                 

                                                                                 HOME PAGE       ...............NEXT PAGE