Kentmere
Death of Mr. James Airey (1805-1898)-- A Nonagenarian Yeoman
(article in unknown local newspaper) [Westmorland Gazette?]
A long familiar name has just been added to the annals of a quiet neighbourhood and another link with the past has been removed from among the dwellers in the peaceful vale of Kentmere, which lost its oldest inhabitant by the death of Mr. James Airey of Hallow Bank, who passed to his rest on Sunday last, at the ripe old age of 93.
He was a native of the valley where he spent almost the whole of his long tenure of life within its picturesque seclusion and was a true type of the old order of level headed and independent Westmorland statesmen of whom in these latter days but few remain. He came of one of the oldest and most respected families of the neighbourhood, for the Airey's of Kentmere date far back in the history of the dale. Among its more conspicuous members in days long gone by who rose to considerable eminence in the world of letters and science was a certain Dr. Airey, who flourished about 1560 as Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, where he founded a scholarship for Westmorland youths. Though he was the author of a few learned pieces in his day he is said to have been mostly remembered for his virtues which included a bequest of forty shillings a year for a monthly sermon to be preached in the chapel of his native parish of Kentmere. Another illustrious member of the same family in more recent times was the late Sir George Biddell Airey, Astronomer Royal, who some years ago when staying at Ambleside drove with his daughter in a carriage and pair over Garburn Pass to visit his relative in Kentmere, who forms the subject of this memoir, -- a remarkable fact on that occasion being that they were both in their ninth decade.
Born on the first of May, 1805, when George the Third was King, it has been the privilege of few men like Mr. James Airey to live under the reign of no less than four monarchs of this country, and to witness within their allotted span not only the jubilee rejoicings held in the time of George the Third but also both of those celebrated during the reign of our present sovereign.
When about 21 years of age, Mr. Airey succeeded to the estate of Brockstone, where he lived and farmed successfully for over half a century during which time he married a Miss Wright from the neighbouring valley of Longsleddale and brought up a family of seven sons and a daughter, only three of whom are now living, his wife also having predeceased him eighteen years ago.
In his young days he was a famous fox hunter, and Brockstone was always looked upon as the headquarters when the pack were in the district, and where both hunter and hounds were ever sure of a hearty welcome and the best of hospitality. It was always a treat to see the merry twinkle in his eyes as he recounted his hunting experiences. He used to tell with all the enthusiasm of a keen sportsman the incidentals of desperate hunts, the old jokes, the old songs and the days of hearty good fellowship and of physical exercise when he had followed the hounds over hill and dale, even climbing Red Screes three times in a day beside the long tramp home after a successful run. One such memorable occasion was when the hounds unkennelled a fox in the neighbourhood of Birket Houses. Reynard made off in the direction of Windermere, doubled again by Ings and over Stavely Head through Kentmere and over into Longsleddale, where they had a good three-quarters of an hour's hunt round the dale before the kill. Two packs having joined in the chase some discussion arose as to who should claim the fox. In order to settle the dispute two of the company who were in at the death -- James Airey and Ben Martindale -- were appointed a court of arbitration to look over both packs and select out of the whole six hounds which in their opinion did the best work in the last half-hour, and whichever pack they belonged to, the huntsman of the pack should decide what was to be done with the fox. Ultimately the award went to Bob Holme's pack, and the huntsman had the pleasure of handing the fox over to James Airey as the old veteran of the hunt who had long wanted one that had been killed by hounds. The company afterwards gathered at the Duke William Inn for refreshments, and on this occasion the head of the fox was dispensed with as a funnel through which to pour the ale as Mr. Airey had secured the fox for preservation. As a stuffed and mounted trophy of his hunting days it was always pointed out with pardonable pride as one of the treasures which adorned his room along with a silver tea and coffee service presented to him by the public subscription of the hunt when increasing years caused him to relinquish the pleasures of the chase.
His genial manner and hearty good nature will long be remembered by all who came in contact with him and up till within recent years his excellently retentive memory enabled him to tell many a good story of men and events long passed out of current knowledge. Always taking a keen interest in social and political matters his extended experience of life was a never failing source of interesting information and after he had retired from active farming operations to Hallow Bank where he spent his declining years, he was ever ready for the enjoyment of a social "crack" the course of which many times opened up a page of what is for the most part forgotten history among the present generation.
Always an ardent Liberal, in his later years he was a staunch supporter of Mr. Gladstone whom in feature he resembled somewhat closely. He could tell a good tale about the way elections were fought and won in the good old days. The first political contest in which he took an active part was in 1826 when he walked from Kentmere to Appleby to record his vote for Harry Brougham. The poll lasted nine or ten days. It was long before the Ballot Act and when bludgeons were in active operation. The voter had to sign his name for his man and there was free meat and drink for all with the probability of a broken head in the bargain. Since then he consistently voted "blue" at every election until the last, when he was unable to undergo the fatigue of a journey to Staveley to record his vote.
His remains were interred yesterday in the Kentmere Churchyard, where rest many of his neighbours and friends of former years, and the record of his sterling qualities of character and his cheery, kindly presence will long he held in pleasant remembrance by a wide circle of the farming community of that district.