I recently acquired a vintage Jones sewing machine, although without the ‘J’, so technically it’s a Ones sewing machine. I found in the box a copy of The Whitehaven News from Thurday March 17th, 1975. It’s only a tenuous link to sewing but was pretty interesting to read so here are some snippets of what was happening in Whitehaven on that day:

• The Bootle Womens Institute won through to the finals of the WI darts championship. I’ll post a photo, none of them look like ladies you’d want to mess with!
• Rates went up 6.4p.  Shocker.
• Ambulance drivers went back to work after a dispute over pay and hours.
• The West Cumbria Pigeon Fanciers Darts & Dominoes League held a domino play off at The Ship Inn at Lowca. Darts and dominoes appear to be popular.
• You could buy a large tin of beans for 12p, a tin of Baxters soup for 12.5p, 1Lb pack of Ready Brek for 18.5p, and 2Lb’s of sugar for 26p.
• Union men at Sellafield plant lifted a ‘blacking’ of materials coming in or out of the plant following  settlement of a dispute.
• You could buy a 1968 Wolseley saloon  – ‘Ideal family car’ for £375.

WI darts finalists

The West Cumbria Pigeon Fanciers Darts & Dominoes League Finalists.

Grocery Prices

The ever popular girdle!