LATEST NEWS - MAY 2008

The April lecture was given by Paul Myercough, MD of James Walker & Co. Ltd , a major employer in Cockermouth. The company was founded in 1882 and was sited in London Docks, the product being a new type of seals for high pressure steam engines. From that small beginning, the company expanded to a world class organistaion with a turnover of £36m and employing almost 500 people, the majority of them at the Cockermouth Headquarters. The product is still seals but for the specialist market – from wind turbines to ship propulsion pods and oil wells to nuclear flasks. Now over 50% of the production is exported and the company continues to expand as sales grow year on year. Although not in the mass production of seals, the number of different parts on offer total 300,000.

That lecture was the last of the current series and we are at present organising next winter’s programme to start in September.

The Trust held its Annual Dinner in the Tithe Barn recently where the after dinner speaker was local architectural designer Darren Ward. His theme was that good design, in whatever form, enhances our lives and makes the world a better place. Use of quality materials in projects encourage a higher quality of life.

A group of ladies from St Michael’s R.C.Church, Workington was given a conducted tour around the Town Trail and enjoyed seeing the sites beyond the usual Main Street.

If you are interested in joining the Trust please complete the Membership Application Form on this website or contact our Membership Secretary Barbara Barker on 01900 827093 or at any meeting.