Mr. Paul Grout

Paul is an architect in private practice with his office in Angel Yard. He has a life-long interest in the conservation of historic buildings although not a dyed-in-the-wool conservation architect. In Kendal he has worked on the repair of the sandstone on the Town Hall Clock Tower and the reconstruction of Castle Dairy after the flood. His main interest is in fitting new building work happily into its particular context.

Mr John Bateson

My ancestors, Thomas and Eliza, were married at Kendal Parish Church in 1733 and my parents, Ken and Trudy, were brought up in Kendal. Their irreducible integrity inspires me still. I was born in Oxenholme and schooled in Kendal. I was Mayor in 2009-10. Since 2016 I have been Chair of the society. I retire as Chair this year but will continue to play an active part in KCS.

Mrs. Patricia Hovey MBE

Patricia joined the Executive Committee in 1978 as the Hon Secretary. It was forty-one years later before she finally stepped down. During this time, she led hundreds of Guided Walks, talks to schools’ groups and the public, organising exhibitions and giving tours of the Mayor’s Parlour. She has written books and booklets and articles on Kendal’s history, as well as having a regular column in the Westmorland Gazette (‘Within Living Memory”).

Mr. Robin Yates

As Treasurer of the Society, it has been satisfying to have managed some of the Society’s projects over the years as well as ‘keeping the books’. I believe it is crucial we work in close partnership with other organisations, such as the national ‘Civic Voice’, and local authorities to help ensure there are planning structures in place that achieve our aims of preserving our heritage without stifling sympathetic economic development.

Mr. Trevor Hughes

Born in Kendal, attended Kendal Grammar School and trained to be a shoe designer at K shoes where he eventually became Head of Children’s’ Design. Later to became Clarks. Has been very keen on local history and has now written many books about Kendal. He has collected a vast collection of early photos and memorabilia about the town and has been on the Executive Committee for over 20 years.

Mr. Tony Wrathall

Tony was born in Underbarrow, moved to Kentmere in 1940 and was educated at Kentmere School, Windermere Grammar School and (after National Service) Edinburgh Veterinary College. Did general practice in Windermere then joined Ministry of Agriculture’s Central Veterinary Laboratory in 1966, specialising in animal pathology. Moved to Kendal in 2000 and joined the Society’s Executive Committee in 2003, serving as Chairman from 2009 to 2016. Loves the town and its surroundings.

Mr. Jon Robinson

He originally trained as a Town & Country Planner at Newcastle University but then moved into digital mapping and GIS and then general ICT. He has a particular interest in the practical use and promotion of lime and other traditional materials in historic buildings. He also thoroughly enjoys local history research, photography, collecting local postcards and pictures, open water swimming when he can and a bit of community emergency planning.

Mrs. Toni Yates

In addition to my role as the Membership Secretary I enjoy looking after the Civic Society memorial garden on Blackhall Rd and the planters in Police Office yard.

I have always been taken by how much interest is shown by both locals and visitors to the history, the culture and the heritage of our town and so I am pleased to be able to support the aims of the Society.

Mr. Tony Rothwell

Tony has been a long serving member of the Committee and has a vast knowledge of Kendal and its history. He was a Town Councillor and was Mayor of Kendal in 2003. He is also the Society’s ‘handyman’ and undertakes many tasks, not least of which is the installation of the Society’s information plaques around the town. For many years he represented the Society on the Town Council, Kendal in Bloom Committee.

Mr. Ian Gibbard

Ian qualified as an architect in 1981 and worked in the private sector on schools, housing, churches, leisure and commercial projects throughout the UK. He has a passion for urban design and loves to spend lazy Summer days in Italy mapping and sketching hill towns. Retired from directing his own architectural company, he now makes music and loves painting, history, reading, astronomy and anything that runs on two metal rails!

Mr. Ian Reay

Brought up in Ulverston, and then worked in different parts of the country working in the pharmaceutical industry and finally in organisation development in local government. In Local Government I worked extensively with Planners, Architects and Engineers. I attended University in Manchester and Wolverhampton where I completed an MBA, Mary and I retired to Kendal in 2016.

Mrs. Roz Taylor

I am a co-opted member of the Executive Committee. As a member of ‘Kendal Swifts’, I update the committee on Townscape Biodiversity focussing on swifts. Buildings are a much-overlooked valuable habitat for several of our beloved species of birds, and Kendal, with its stone buildings provides nesting and roosting sites which are often overlooked. I work with Kendal Civic Society and the planning system to enhance these sites.

Mr. Paul Crosby

Paul is a conservation accredited architect, SPAB Lethaby Scholar and director of Kendal based Crosby Granger Architects with 30 years’ experience specialising in the sensitive conservation and adaptation of historic buildings. He is also a technical advisor for The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings giving advice to homeowners and professionals throughout the country. The historic environment and its importance within the present day are vital to Paul’s view of Kendal.

Jenny Wilson MITG

Born in Kendal to Harry and Peggy Wilson, Jenny attended Dean Gibson School, Kendal High School and York University, before starting a career  teaching Music and Drama in Cumbria, London, Dubai, Jordan and Oman. Her husband Brian, also born in Kendal, is a Civil Engineer. After retirement she retrained as a Cumbria Blue Badge Tourist Guide  and joined our Executive Committee, having a keen interest in all things Kendal. She is now coordinating our Guided Public Walks Bookings, Advertisement and Mailing List.