The River Kent (Town Centre Views)and Bridge Mills

The River Kent taken from Stramongate Bridge

Looking towards Goose Holme

with Ruins of Kendal Castle in the Distance

A similar view to the above,

but the white building in the centre of the photo

was part of Kendal High School for Girls.

Another view from Stramongate Bridge

looking up the river to Victoria Bridge

with the office block that replaced Bridge Mills

on the left bank of the river.

Bridge Mills was the main Knitting Factory

for E.W. Thompson's better known locally as "K" Socks.

K Socks employed over 400 people at four factories

in the area, two in Kendal and two in Kirkby Stephen, and

was one of Kendal's largest employers for many years.

In the 1970s it was supplying to many of the leading retail companies in the UK

including Marks and Spencer, and Woolworths

The Managing Director at this time was Alan Collison

(whose office was in the Sandes Ave site) and

Alan Oates (whose office was in Bridge Mills)was the Production Director.