This is the very first published timetable for the Maryport and Carlisle Railway. Look carefully, see the printer's name?
Ostles got everywhere in the 19th Century!
Joseph Ostle was a great-grandson of Jonathan and Jane Saul (See 'The Saul Ostles'). He ran a successful printing business and also founded "The Maryport Locomotive and Monthly Advertiser" in October 1841. He sold it to Robert Adair two years later but continued to do the printing
He lived at Bradlingill. His daughter and heir, Jane, married Frederic Robertson Sewell, D.L., J.P. Lt-Col. commanding the 3rd Batt. The Border Regiment.
Their son, William Woodville Robertson Sewell, B.A. (Cantab), practised as a solicitor in Cockermouth before becoming a fruit grower in Jersey.
Jane was a good catch for Lt. Col. Sewell. She inherited not only her father's estate but also a large sum from her Uncle and Aunt, William and Elizabeth Ostle of Birkby. William had been a director of the M&CR. Perhaps it was family influence which got Joseph the timetable printing job!

Radio Days

Thomas Ostle's two sons, William Edmondson (Bill) and Joseph (Joe) were businessmen. After leaving school, Joe attended a Radio College in London and qualified as a Wireless Engineer.

They felt that Aspatria offered little scope for their skills and headed south to Lancaster where they opened their first shop in 1937.

On the outbreak of war, Joe joined the RAF and Bill followed him a year later forcing the closure of their business.

Following their demob in 1946, the brothers restarted the business, using the old dairy loft behind The Outgang for their workshops. Shortly after, a shop was opened in Senhouse Street, Maryport which Bill managed, leaving the technical side of things with Joe at Aspatria. Originally the business was known as the Television & Electronics Company (tec). A name somewhat ahead of its time as TV had not reached Cumberland yet. In the mid 1950's a third branch was opened in Wigton and the business name was changed to Ostle's Radio and Television.

Radio was not only Joe's work, it was his hobby too. He was a great "Ham" (Amateur) Radio enthusiast. His call sign was G2DYV and he enjoyed great success in the international Ham contests of the 1950's, as can be seen from the two cuttings below taken from the May 1959 edition of "CQ" the leading American magazine for Ham Radio operators.

In later years, Bill and Joe expanded their business into the manufacturing field. They made Language Laboratories, Electronic Organs, Smoke Alarms and even a primitive valve-driven machine for Discounted Cash Flow Calculations.

Bill died in 1998. Joe has just celebrated his 80th Birthday.

A gathering of the clan

In May, 2000 three intrepid Ostle researchers met for the first time in the County Records Office at Carlisle Left to right: Pauline Harkness, Peter Ostle and Ann Perry, both the ladies are neé Ostle.
Pauline lives in Great Broughton, Cumberland, Peter in Newhall, Derbyshire and Ann was on holiday from Milton, Ontario.
A good time was had by all!