St Helens Street 17 Grey Goat pub on right and opposite side of the street has a grocer, and two other businesses. The Olde Grey Goat was situated at 17 St Helens Street. This pub closed in 2009, reopened June 2011 and now its closed again. (Source Andy Roberts www.closedpubs.co.uk September 2012 ) Unknown carnival festival c 1919 p2
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Cockermouth from St Helens All Saints spire one of the tanneries in the foreground c 1920
St Helens School now Wyndham caravan park 2020
St Helens Street 44 on right buildings on left now demolished c 1950
St Helens Street 44 on right new buildings on left. The houses on the right have been demolished and new houses there today. c 1970
St Helens Street 4 c 1960
St Helens Street 4 Crown and Mitre Hotel became flats so the building on its right was demolished to make off street car parking, and later allowed access for a new house set back. Next door to pub is Fish & Chips and further left is the petrol station with National Benzole sign. c 1950 p3
St Helens Street looking towards Market Place. Behind the car on the right is the three storey building that was the Crown and Mitre Inn. Today the buildings on this side of it, to the right of the Crown and Mitre, were demolished to make access to the space at the side which allowed the Crown and Mitre building to be converte4d into flats and also gave access to the area behind on which a new house was built. c 1950
St Helens Street large double fronted house with ventilation grills to basement. Consider the poor state of housing here in the 1950s with the adjacent photo taken in 2020 after tasteful renovation. The bowed multiple panes of glass in the adjacent house have been modernised. c 1950
St Helens Street 81 at the end of the row was originally the Pheasant Inn [Bradbury book 10 p4] House number 73 has a date above door 17nn. The tree has gone and the area beside the bus is now access to St Helens Close. c 1960
St Helens Street leading to Market Place at junction with Kirkgate. To the right of Sizzles is the narrow entrance to Kirkgate, often the scene of traffic issues. Ken Routledge busses once used this garage. Now it is the antique store with exposed cruik beams on the gable end, today a rare and special feature of some old buildings. c 1980
St Helens Street St Helens School Cockermouth Preparatory School for boys Kindergarten 5 to 8 years Boarders 7 to 14 years from 1950 guide
St Helens Street 11. The ornate features around the door and windows show an ongoing respect for this old building with its original unusual shape of chimney. Google Maps 2022
St Helens Street 12 c 1950
St Helens Street 17 Grey Goat pub on right and opposite side of the street has a grocer, and two other businesses. The Olde Grey Goat was situated at 17 St Helens Street. This pub closed in 2009, reopened June 2011 and now its closed again. (Source Andy Roberts www.closedpubs.co.uk September 2012 ) Unknown carnival festival c 1919 p2
St Helens Street 17 Grey Gote Inn. Number 19 has a large arch to a yard behind that indicates access for horse and cart and the large window indicates a shop, but more information required. Note the newly painted fronts of the buildings. c 1990
St Helens Street 17 Grey Gote Inn 19 arch and yard Googl Maps c 2000
St Helens Street 17 shows the Grey Gote before it closed c 1980
St Helens Street 4. The three storey building was the Crown and Mitre with adjacent building demolished to make car parking for the building to become flats 2024
St Helens Street 4 Crown and Mitre Inn now courtyard for flats. Google Maps 2024
St Helens Street 12 left was Crown and Mitre pub that had an adjacent building that had to be demolished to allow parking spaces when the pub was converted into multiple flats. 2024 p4
St Helens Street the bank of earth is where buildings were removed for new housing and at that time was the entrance to the Drill Hall, now it is the rear entrance to the Sport Centre. c 1960
St Helens Street 44 compare this photo with the old one with warehouse building on the left that had been demolished 2024
St Helens Street Cockermouth Sports Centre was developed from the building that had been the Drill Hall of the 5th Border Regiment that had been built in 1886 for the Cockermouth Company of the Rifle Volunteers (a part-time defence force). Alongside its military role, the hall was also intended to be used by local people for gymnastics and athletics.
The hall and some land were bought by the Territorial Army Association in 1923, who sold it to Cockermouth Urban District Council in 1968. Access to the Drill Hall was from St Helen’s street but now it has been developed as Cockermouth Sports Centre it is normally accessed from Castlegate Drive.
The building had been the Drill Hall for:
L Company, 1st Cumberland Rifle Volunteers
D Company, 5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment
ds ‘B’ Squadron Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry
The Cockermouth entry in Bulmer’s History & Directory Of Cumberland, 1901 records, ‘The Drill Hall, in St. Helens street, was erected in 1886, chiefly through the exertions of E.L. Waugh, Esq., and members of the family. It is the headquarters of the L. Company, 1st C.R.V.’ Following the Territorial reforms of 1908 this unit became D Company, 5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment.
It is understood that the Cockermouth and Papcastle Recreational Charity is funded from the sale of the drill hall in 1923, the funds remaining untouched until 1994. (Source: Cockermouth and Papcastle Recreational Charity web page on papcastle.org.uk)
Times and Star article:
Who wants to be a gymnast? Not the Cockermouth menfolk of 1889
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink! How many times has this thought crossed your mind over the years? We all know of people who, courtesy of others, have had opportunities put their way – only to fail, for whatever reasons, to take advantage of them. There’s no understanding some people. Like, reportedly, the young men of Cockermouth in 1889.
A gymnasium had been installed in the town’s Drill Hall which, as well as being used by local volunteers, was also intended to be used by the young men of the area. Only one problem – most youths didn’t want to go in for gymnastics or even, and they most certainly needed it, to do a spot of keep fit. Then, as now, there was a belief that the health and fitness of the nation was not what it should be.
This was of especial concern to the military, which had little use for unfit recruits. The gym did have some 40 young men training there, but the members of the committee felt that this was not enough. They were – in 1889 – “even willing to cater for the fair sex.” It seems that the young men of the town were much more interested in the billiard hall and the ballroom than mastering the trapeze or the horizontal bar.
But they weren’t totally downhearted and decided to run a membership drive. The publicity must have worked, because in 1891 the Cockermouth Gymnastic Club, as it was then called, held its fourth annual gymnastic exhibition, otherwise known as their assault-at arms, in the Drill Hall. It seems that more young men – and women – had joined the club. Perhaps the presence of female members might well have boosted male attendance. Just a thought!
The event was well attended – perhaps the crowd turned up to witness the gymnastic artistry on the rings and the flying trapeze of a novelty guest performer, Edaras, the one-legged gymnast. And here I make my usual plea for further information. I’ve been able to unearth info about other one-legged gymnasts and circus performers, but I’ve been unable to discover anything about Edaras. So, anyone know anything?
As it turned out, all those who turned up just to see him were disappointed. He didn’t perform. It seems that he considered that the Drill Hall’s equipment “was unsuitable.” Having injured himself during rehearsal might also have influenced his decision.
It was a varied programme. Men performed on the horizontal bar. This was followed by some 20 juniors demonstrating their skill in a musical dumb bells routine. Your help required again. J Bowe and J Sewell had their names listed against the category Rapter. So what was Rapter? The ladies weren’t left out. Misses M James, l James, JA Gloag, A Fearon, E Fawcett, MA Rydiard, SM Banks and N Hewitt earned enthusiastic applause from onlookers for their musical Indian clubs routine.
A couple of items on the programme caught my eye: Sword exercise and Quarter-staff combat. I wonder what Elf & Safety would have to say if these were on any gym display nowadays? And would Indian Clubs be permitted?
After the show, there was a ball. This was quite common in Victorian times, whatever the occasion. I don’t know who supplied the music. The short newspaper piece preceding the event stated that Goddard’s six-piece string band would provide the music, while the report of the evening had the music being provided by Mr Burn’s string band. Someone got their wires crossed. Or were these one and the same?
In September of that year, the club held its AGM. The members decided to hold their practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They also set the subscriptions for the coming year. The club had to pay for itself. Subs were: Family tickets for four or more, 21s; adults, 7s 6d; ladies, 5s; apprentices, 5s and boys, 3s 6d.
This was in 1891 – one of the most economically disastrous years to hit Victorian West Cumberland. I wonder how many of the unemployed would want, or be able, to cough up a guinea for gymnastic club membership. Using RPI, a guinea in 1891 would today be worth almost £90.
Even if an intending member was ready to pay, membership was not automatic. Sited after the list of subscription rates were these few words. “All names are to be given to the committee or secretary for approval.” If they chose to vet all membership applications, they’d obviously come a long way since the despairing days of 1889.
https://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/17033791.who-wants-to-be-a-gymnast-not-the-cockermouth-menfolk-of-1889/
From: The Drill Hall Project> Database> Cumberland & Westmorland> Cockermouth
St Helen’s street
L Company, 1st Cumberland Rifle Volunteers
D Company, 5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment
ds ‘B’ Squadron Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry
The Cockermouth entry in Bulmer’s History & Directory Of Cumberland, 1901 records, ‘The Drill Hall, in St. Helens street, was erected in 1886, chiefly through the exertions of E.L. Waugh, Esq., and members of the family. It is the headquarters of the L. Company, 1st C.R.V.’ Following the Territorial reforms of 1908 this unit became D Company, 5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment.
It is understood that the Cockermouth and Papcastle Recreational Charity is funded from the sale of the drill hall in 1923, the funds remaining untouched until 1994. (Source: Cockermouth and Papcastle Recreational Charity web page on papcastle.org.uk)
St Helens Street Cockermouth Sports Centre was developed from the building that had been the Drill Hall of the 5th Border Regiment that had been built in 1886 for the Cockermouth Company of the Rifle Volunteers (a part-time defence force). Alongside its military role, the hall was also intended to be used by local people for gymnastics and athletics.
The hall and some land were bought by the Territorial Army Association in 1923, who sold it to Cockermouth Urban District Council in 1968. Access to the Drill Hall was from St Helen’s street but now it has been developed as Cockermouth Sports Centre it is normally accessed from Castlegate Drive. c 1970
St Helens Street Cockermouth Sports Centre was developed from the building that had been the Drill Hall of the 5th Border Regiment that had been built in 1886 for the Cockermouth Company of the Rifle Volunteers (a part-time defence force). Alongside its military role, the hall was also intended to be used by local people for gymnastics and athletics.
The hall and some land were bought by the Territorial Army Association in 1923, who sold it to Cockermouth Urban District Council in 1968. Access to the Drill Hall was from St Helen’s street but now it has been developed as Cockermouth Sports Centre it is normally accessed from Castlegate Drive. c 1970
Toot Hill. Deer Orchard 1991
Within Cockermouth itself is the small Toot or Tute Hill opposite the castle, unexcavated but traditionally considered to be a tumulus. The name derives from the ME ‘tote’, a look-out hill. Nearby Charley Hill is a natural mound, used on more than one occasion as a base for bombarding the castle. Bradbury Chpt 2
Toot Hill with All Saints spire. Within Cockermouth itself is the small Toot or Tute Hill opposite the castle, unexcavated but traditionally considered to be a tumulus. The name derives from the ME ‘tote’, a look-out hill. Nearby Charley Hill is a natural mound, used on more than one occasion as a base for bombarding the castle. Bradbury Chpt 2. 1991
St Helens Street 63 Tannery by Tannery Cottage
St Helens Street 74 demolition of houses and pub now new buildings. The Bowling Green Inn on the left was going in 1985 with a new extension, the Gardening Club used to meet there, it closed in the late 1980s. c 1950 p3
St Helens Street 81 Fletchers Tannery now demolished for housing of St Helens Close. On St Helens Street there is St Helens Close 1-7 which had been the site of this tannery. The whole land was offered by Leslie Fletcher to the Cockermouth Gardening Society in the late 1970s but due to lack of funding, were only able to purchase one part of the plot on which a large shed was built. The shed is still there at the right entrance to St Helens Close, but the Gardening Society that had used the shed to store fertilizers etc ceased to exist in the 19909s. The remainder of the site was bought by David Hill, accountant businessman, to build St Helens Close. c 1950
St Helens Street Waste Lane development c 1950
St Helens Street 50 was known as William Mackreth’s Parlour where prisoners were locked up. [Bradbury 20 Courts Crime Police]
Today this building has been demolished and garages replace the site, and the row of houses on the right have been demolished and is now the earth bank below the Sport Centre, with the St Helens Street entrance to the Sports Centre.
c 1900 p2
