Just the facts

One of the things that really irritates my older daughters is when they tell me something and I say "How do you know that?" or "Are you sure that's true?". Sometimes they get quite cross about this because they interpret my question as meaning that I don't believe them. The thing is, I don't think they've made it up, I just want to know where the information has come from.

Last night I went to see 'Jesus Christ, Superstar' at the school and afterwards I went for a curry and beers with some friends. Consequently, I left my car in Kirkby and this morning I walked back to get it, taking my camera with me. As I pass through a small hamlet called Kearstwick, I thought I'd take a picture of this building, which was designed by Lutyens and was home to the first ever Women's Institute.

At least that's what my first wife told me, about twenty years ago, and I've been telling people that ever since. But when I came to post this photo, I suddenly started questioning that information. Surely if it was true, the local tourist centre would make a bit more of it?

I took to Google and, whilst Lutyens seems to have done some work in Cumbria, there's nothing to suggest that he was anything to do with this building. I looked around a bit more, changing my search terms and skimming through pages of history and the most relevant thing I've found is that this building - "The Institute" - was the first Women's Institute in Westmorland.

Apologies, then, to anyone whom I've ever taken on a guided tour of Kearstwick!