In 1911 a Coronation Committee was formed to organise the village
celebration of the coronation of King George V. The committee organised parties
and other activities and gave seven pounds to the village Lighting Committee to
erect a memorial street lamp. The parish council agreed to help and voted to
contribute a maximum of eight pounds to the project. The council minutes for
the meeting in October 1911 read-
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presented a drawing by Mr Benwell, architect of Carlisle, showing a stone octagonal
base, with an oak pillar erected therefrom, from which a lamp was suspended on
a bracket, surmounted by a crown and weather vane. It was proposed to erect
this structure on the Post Office Hill - the stone forming the base to be
inscribed with crown and cypher in commemoration of the coronation of the
present king and queen.
The contract for the construction was awarded to local builder Walter
Wilson. The total cost of the project was £14-16s-4d.
Workmen arrived and dug a large hole 'about two feet deep '. Two carts
arrived with gravel, cement and mixing boards and a large crowd of onlookers
gathered to watch. The boards were laid and the workmen began hand mixing of
the concrete for the foundation. Young Bill (Bet th'a pint) Walton on his first
job for Walter Wilson after leaving school ran to and from the pump in Low
Fauld yard carrying water in two large galvanised buckets. Many spectators
threw coins into the mix saying 'God save the King' as they did so even though
most of them doubted the wisdom of using concrete for a foundation. It was the
first time concrete had been used in the village and few believed that the grey
slurry they saw before them would harden and set. But young Bill Walton knew
better. Still blowing hard from his enthusiastic water carrying he addressed
the crowd and assured everyone that it would set 'as hard as Caulda cobbles',
'last for ever' and it was 'bomb-proof'. He then explained how it had been used
in the Boer War to build block houses. How the crowd cheered and clapped when
he finished. The lad was on his first job but he was the village expert on
concrete!
The concrete did set ,the stone work was built and the wooden lamp-post
erected on top. Fitting the paraffin lamp with the village emblem and motto
painted on the glass completed the job. Dalston had its first street lamp!
The regulars were sitting around the fire in the Swan Inn. A Mr Murray
who lived on The Green, a good and regular customer, rose uncertainly to his
feet and left closing the door behind him. A few seconds later he burst back in
and bolted the door. He was very sober, shaking and so frightened he couldn't
tell anyone what was the matter. When he was able to speak he said no-one
should open the door as the devil was on the green and the devil had chased
him. Someone had lit the lamp!
Many villagers were delighted with the lamp but others were furious. Was
it not an insult to place the name and emblem of the village above that of the
king on a monument built to honour the king? Surely the king's name should be
at the top. Families were split on the issue, there were arguments in the pubs
and fights on the Co-op end. Feelings were so intense that in a short time the
lamp was not lit and eventually the lamp and the lamp-post were removed. The
stone base remained and was popular as a seat until the parish council erected
more comfortable seats nearby and on Glave Hill. Villagers continued to call it
'The Lamp' and it became the gathering point for children and the base for games
of Jack shine the light, king of the castle, monty-kitty and many others. A
large octagonal slab which topped the centre of the base was broken and not
replaced. Wooden slats were fastened to the seat a few years ago to make it
more comfortable to sit on.
The new lamp and sculpture was designed and built by John Parkinson of
Up Front Gallery and paid for with grants and donations from local sponsors.
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Sources: |
The late Kate Scott (nee Bell) |
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Parish Council Records |
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Author: |
Olly Roberts July 2000 |