A LOOK at how progress has taken away many of the shops, jobs and leisure activities we took for granted will start a short series of talks looking at change and traditions in South Cumbria.

The three Saturday presentations - all starting at 11am - have been organised by The Friends of the Coro and are designed to raise funds to support the work of the Coronation Hall at Ulverston.

On January 18 The Mail’s nostalgia writer Bill Myers will take the theme of 80 Things Not Done in Ulverston Anymore.

Expect the Coronation Hall talk to get you all nostalgic about vanished pubs, the end of Hartleys beer brewed in Ulverston, the old Rose Garden and shopping at places like Woolworths.

On February 8 Graeme Livingston looks at the world of diarist William Fleming: The Pennington Pepys. Fleming lived from 1770 to 1829 and was a yeoman farmer at Pennington.

His diary gives us a taste of town and country life in South Cumbria before the growth of heavy industry.

He recorded details of events, the weather, visits to the theatre and balls and his travels through the district.

Mr Fleming also wrote down his thoughts on the local clergy, about tourists visiting the romantic ruins of Furness Abbey and about the poorer members of society he saw during his daily life.

The talk on February 29 is by author Graham Whalan on a traditional community event which has survived through the decades.

His presentation is called The Story of Ulverston’s Carnival Parade: More than 100 years of Celebration.

A few pictures from The Mail archive give a taste of the crowds, floats,carnival queens and money raised for good causes.

As an example, in September 1999 Furness Mountain Rescue received a cheque for £1,250 from the Ulverston carnival committee.

What used to be called the Hospital Saturday Parade produced a programme for its event on May 29 in 1909. Its main event in Ford Park starred the coronation of the May Queen.