Diane Barraclough
Our new Group Co-ordinator is Diane Barraclough. Diane started work at the beginning of November and is working alongside Sue Clarke for the first month. In December Sue will reduce her hours and continue as Fundraising Co-ordinator.
Diane has close links with the Northern Fells area and many people will already know her. She has written a brief family background article to introduce herself to those who have not yet met her.
Diane's family history:
I have prepared a brief family history to introduce myself to those of you in the area who do not already know me. I am a Cumbrian born and bred, and must express my belated thanks to Dr. Michael Cox for my safe delivery.
My parents were Tom & Vera Mason from Welton. My father was born there, as were his family going back many generations who were involved with the building of Welton church. The Mason family were carpenters, farmers, grave diggers, butchers (reading my great grandfathers work journal going back to 1876 a lot of "pig killing" took place leading up to Christmas) farm labourers and overseers, who collected the village rates and oversaw boundary issues. I have some old maps dated 1863 for Sebergham Parish which includes Sebergham, Welton and Warnell. If anyone would be interested in seeing them please get in touch and l could display them at our weekly Drop In at Millhouse.
My mothers maiden name was Dalton and she was born and brought up at Fellside . Her father was Charles, his brother James "Pearson" Dalton, who was the last shepherd at Skiddaw House and sister Mary Elizabeth, who was a Sunday school teacher at Fellside from the age of 14, and a village school teacher all her working life. She taught at Caldbeck, Sebergham and Welton schools, travelling about on her motor bike.
My grandmother was Sarah Mein Hindson from Skelton. I have a scrap book full of clippings from newspapers covering events from weddings, funerals, tattie-pot suppers and anything in the press about Caldbeck and the surrounding area.
One of the most famous Daltons was Jim (my great-great uncle), who was the longest serving huntsman of the Blencathra hunt from 1894 - 1930.
We can trace our family history back to James Dalton, who was christened in Caldbeck church in 1760.
I am married with a son, daughter and step-daughter, who has 2 young children. I worked in banking, am a keen gardener and enjoy all country pursuits, especially working my 2 gundogs.