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1. Cockermouth, Cumberland (c. 1938)
This shows the brewery, castle and two rivers
(the Derwent and Cocker).
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2. Crummock Water and the fells near Melbreak
(The photograph dates from about 1938)
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3. Ennerdale Water and the Ennerdale fells (c. 1938)
Part of the hunting ground of the Melbreak pack
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4. Huntsman Johnnie Richardson (left)
With his 'Whip' Stan Mattinson
Taken while they were with the Blencathra Hunt
(Courtesy of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery)
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5. The Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater and Melbreak fell
HMS Melbreak took its name from this fell
('Fell' is the local Cumbrian name for mountain)
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During a wartime goodwill visit to Cockermouth and the surrounding district some of the crew of ‘HMS Melbreak’ took part in a fox hunt with the local Melbreak Foxhounds. The traditional hunting area of the Melbreak Pack mainly covers the area in the vicinity of Crummock, Buttermere and Ennerdale.
Photographs 1 - 3 above, taken shortly before WW2, show views of Cockermouth, Crummock and Ennerdale. For the 14 crew members of 'HMS Melbreak' who visited this area of West Cumberland at the end of October 1944 hunting foxes was a welcome break from hunting German U-Boats.
Photograph No 4 is a postwar photograph of the legendary Huntsman Johnnie Richardson (left, blowing his hunting horn) while with the Blencathra Foxhounds. In WW2 Johnnie Richardson had been a P.O.W of the Italians and made a successful escape. He was on leave at his then home at Gatesgarth, Buttermere when the crew of HMS Melbreak made its goodwill visit to Cockermouth and Cumberland, meeting up with them to show them the rudiments of fox hunting - and the social aspect of it at the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater afterwards! Photograph No 5 is a recent photograph of the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater with Melbreak fell (mountain) behind. HMS Melbreak took its name from here. It is still one of the favourite meeting places for the Melbreak Foxhounds.
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