Penrith Museum, Robinson's School, Middlegate, Penrith, CA11 7PT
Currently on show until the end of January 2007 is a small but intriguing display by the Alston Moor Historical Society 'A Glimpse into Alston's Past'. The photographs, documents and objects cover a wide range of themes. One photograph shows a Cumberland style wrestler thought to be Gemmy Fawcett of Nentsbury, another a boy getting water from a 'pant', one of the gravity fed standpipes set up in the town in the 1890's.
You can find out about the Alston Rifles, and the local Victorian novelist 'Austin Clare' (Miss James of Clarghyll Hall) and read the letter written from Moonyoonooka near Geraldton, West Australia (where land could be got for 50 pence an acre) by Jos. Hodgson who had emigrated from Alston. He describes shooting wild turkey and kangaroo, and how an eight-mile long bushfire is raging as he writes.
On a darker note, from the Museum's own collection you can see the Mauser pistol and bullets used by Charles Corbett Kennedy in September 1949 to kill an Alston bank manager, a taxi driver, and shortly afterwards, himself. Kennedy the son of a Morpeth Grammar School maths master was a dirt-track rider. If you want to pursue the history of Alston and neighbourhood in more detail the Penrith Tourist Information Centre has sourced some of the latest books on the subject which will make ideal Christmas presents.
Free admission
Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm
Saturday: 10.30am - 4pm
Closed:
Sunday 24 December to Wednesday 27 December 2006 and Monday 1 January 2007
Museum Curators
Penrith Museum curators are available to answer questions on current and future exhibitions as well as any other questions concerning the museum:
-
Contact: Dr Sydney T Chapman or Mrs Judith Clarke, MA AMA, Joint Curators,
-
Address: Penrith Museum, Robinson School, Penrith CA11 7PT
-
Telephone: (01768) 865105
-
Email: museum@eden.gov.uk
