In the last of a three-part series, historian Peter Holme. of Kendal, describes the history of Kendal Mountain Rescue Team . . .

The rise and rise of mountain rescue can be best described by using the history of Kendal Mountain Search and Rescue Team, whose diamond jubilee it is this year, as an example.

Formed in 1953 following a series of 15 deaths in one weekend on the fells and mountains of Britain, the main function was to make use of experienced climbers and walkers with a sound knowledge of the locality to assist in finding lost or injured fellow mountaineers.

In those early days the team was responsible for the area covered by Longsleddale, Shap, Tebay and Sedbergh.

The rescue ‘gear’ consisted of a Civil Defence stretcher, some blankets loaned by the Youth Hostel Assocation and a first aid kit supplied by the St John Ambulance Brigade.

Any climbing equipment needed belonged to the various members.

Following a reported incident they were (and still are) to be called out by the police, who would send out a constable on his bicycle to knock on the doors of the members - there were few home telephones then.

Today all members have pagers and the team can usually have the first team vehicle leaving its Busher Walk base within 15 minutes.

In December 1959 it was reported that the original 12 members had increased to 65, including at one time Alfred Wainwright, and the team was called out three times in the year. In 2012 they were called 55 times.

Members of K Fellfarers, an outdoor group originating from the K Shoe factory, were critical for the development of the team in the early years. In 1966 over 30 per cent were from there.

The team’s headquarters moved almost from year to year at the start, using rooms at the old YMCA, a room above a betting shop, old police cells in Lowther Street, a room at the old Conservative Club and, from 1973 to 1979, the Brewery Arts Centre. Plans for a purpose-built HQ started in 1975 but it was not until July 1979 that the current buildings were opened.

Nowadays the team’s equipment is extremely sophisticated, with state of the art radio equipment, which can be followed on a computer to keep every member in touch with base.

On one early occasion members had been called out to a rescue in a remote part of Kentmere, dragging a stretcher behind them in poor weather, arriving to see a Whirlwind helicopter winching the casualty into the sky. The police had called it out but had been unable to contact the climbers.

They are also becoming more and more involved in ‘non-mountain’ incidents, such as the Lockerbie Pan-Am Flight 103 in 1988 and the Grayrigg train derailment in 2007.