From Eddy Wilson - Workington - 2021

eddy.wilson [@] live.co.uk

Police Station Ravenstonedale

My dad was the village bobby PC392 Eric Wilson, we moved to Ravenstonedale from Alston around 1958-9 leaving about 1963. We lived in the then police station, eldest brother Clive joined the army in 1959, eldest sister Helen, Janet, myself John Edwin and David (Dave) went to the village school, sister Christine was too young for school. Brother Eric Andrew (Andy) was born in the police station. Ironically Dave and myself were both born in Nenthead police station, all three of us have place of birth as the respective police stations, of course we all wind our mother Florence Edith up with how she made a habit of getting too drunk and what cell number we were born in? We all loved Ravenstonedale, I have been back many times over the years. Dave has taken part in the road race a number of times. Both Dave and me managed to find cars to hit us, Dave was coming out of the Greenhow’s top of the village and was struck, Clive was on his first leave from the army he gave me some money for sweets so being 5 or 6 years old set off running from the police station to the shop across the road. I simply ran out into the road and was hit broken leg in 5 places, laying on the road I saw a black vehicle stationary I thought I had better get off the road crawling to the shop side I saw my shoe in the road and crawled back for it. My recovery took some time after discharge from Kendal hospital, my mam would set up two chairs in the front garden so I could get fresh air. I recall there was quite deep snow, my mam couldn’t understand my keenness to go out on the chairs every day, quite funny really one of the staff at the shop Jenny would take her dinner break and would chuck sweets to me. It was only when I had miss caught some sweets, they were on the snow, only then did my mam work it out why I loved fresh air. I am trying to work out who Jenny is, she lived on or near the Laws.

All of us apart from Christine and Andy would help out at harvest time. The village bonfire night was quite a spectacular event, I think all of went every year. One year the telegraph poles had their cross bars and wite insulators removed and a single core cable fitted, I spoke to the guys about the wood and asked if I could have some to build a rabbit hutch, I was asked where I lived and later that day the yard was filled with wood. My mam told me I would be in trouble when my dad got home as he wouldn’t be able to get his police motor bike in the garage. My dad was actually pleased he didn’t even tell me off but didn’t get to build a rabbit hutch we had roaring fires for quite some time.

We moved to Workington in about 1962-3, police in those days were lucky to stay anywhere longer than 2-3 years, all of us hated the town a right culture shock, 1st day at school I was attacked simply because of my dad’s job, in Ravenstonedale no one cared what job your parents had.

A few weeks after moving to Workington my mam wanted a break so booked a mystery trip with a bus company lo and behold the trip was to Ravenstonedale.

Dave, Andy and myself all joined Clive’s regiment 1st Bn Kings Own Border, Christine also joined the army.