God's Own County

Band Of Hope Burmantofts to Salvation Army

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Hortoris

Temperance societies in the early 1800’s were worried about drinking amongst the youth of Leeds. The reverend Jabez Tunnicliffe welded several together to form the Band of Hope. He died age 56 but was the chaplain at Burmantofts cemetery where his grave can still be seen close to Stoney Rock Lane.

The Band of Hope started in 1847 when Ann Jane Carlile a temperance pioneer was invited to Leeds to speak at some children’s meetings. She was convinced that children suffered because of the ready availability of ‘strong drink’. Hope UK still works as a children’s charity ‘enabling children to make drug free choices’. ‘First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you’ Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.

After exposure to the Band of Hope William Booth and his wife Catherine opened The Christian Revival Society renamed in 1878 The Salvation Army. There are many icons associated with The Salvation Army including The Citadels, The War Cry, the Red Shield and the slogan “Blood and Fire”. (Representing the Blood which was shed by Jesus for our sins and the Fire of the Holy Spirit).

The good works of the Salvation Army include

3,000,000 meals served every year at community and residential centres
79,000 prisoners visited each year in 134 prisons
3,200 homeless people given food and shelter every night in 57 centres
709 local church and community centres
636 elderly people accommodated every night in 17 residential centres
300 youth clubs providing a caring environment for young people
120 drop-in centres offering support and help for people in need
70 day centres for elderly and disabled people
50 nurseries and playgroups
30 Red Shield support centres for military personnel in the UK, Germany and the Falkland Islands
10 people reunited every working day with their families through the Family Tracing Service

Perhaps the most obvious icon is the Salvation Army Band that is one of the activities that supports the necessary fund raising activities.

‘Eleven pence halfpenny more to make a bob’ a fund raising slogan of the Salvation army.

Photo credit
Salvation Armys Hope in the City Breakfast presented by Rogers Wireless photos by CIBC-PacBluePrinting and RonSombilonGallery-109.jpg by RON SOMBILON MEDIA, ART and PHOTOGRAPHY, CC BY-ND 2.0

Posted in Yorkshire Arts & Music, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Comments Off

Sheffield Romance

Posted on December 4, 2016 by tejvan

…………for Rose there is the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a clippie on Sheffield’s trams but war may shatter her ambitions……….

What is a clippie

a woman who is a conductor and ticket-taker on a bus’ – Merriam-Webster dictionary

A bus conductress – Oxford Living

A clippie is a female bus-conductor but a connie, with otherwise the same meaning, need not be female. – Wordnik

Sheffield Humour

A husband was always down at Bramall Lane watching Sheffield United. This caused a a protracted row that had lasted 7 years when the wife questioned the husband
‘I don’t think you love me anymore I think you love United more!’.
The husband replied woman, I love Sheffield Wednesday more than I love you.

All men are not homeless but some are home less than others.

If you want to make your wife happy, tell her she makes you so.

Scottish Kelty Clippie

O’ she’s just a Kelty clippie, she’ll no tak nae advice,

It’s ach drap deid, awa bile yer heid, or I’ll punch yer ticket twice,

Her faither’s jist a waister, her mithers on the game,

She’s just a Kelty clippie, but I love her just the same.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Why there are Ghosts at Clifford’s Tower

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Hortoris

The original wooden castle keep in York was destroyed by fire in 1069 by locals unhappy with William the Conqueror but it was rebuilt again also in wood.

A more bloody event took place 100 years later. According to the inscription on a commemorative tablet:-
‘On the night of Friday 16 March 1190 some 150 Jews and Jewesses of York having sought protection in the Royal Castle on this site from a mob incited by Richard Malebisse and others chose to die at each other’s hands rather than renounce their faith.’ As the few survivors exited the keep the following day they were set upon and killed by the besiegers and angry mob that they had feared. The protection the Jews had had from Henry ll was dramatically diminished under Richard l for whom they had to contribute ransom money.

In the thirteenth century the keep was rebuilt in stone and later became known as Clifford’s Tower after Roger de Clifford, who was executed by Edward II for treason in 1322. Clifford was reputedly hanged in chains from the walls of the tower until dead. Enough to create a ghastly ghost.

If you take one of the several ghost walks available then you will be regaled by further tales of the walls running red with blood on certain anniversaries. Charred wooden beams have been recovered from deep in the ground as evidence of the early death by fire and this also contributes to the ghost tellers tales. For 5 more ghost tales read Ghosts of York

The History of the Castle of York from Its Foundation to the Present Day, with an Account of the Building of Clifford’s Tower by Thomas Parso Cooper

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923 and that seems to becoming a norm for republishing old books by digitisation,. There are many other books about ghosts at Clifford’s Castle and The Diaries of Lady Anne Clifford on amazon.

Posted in Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage, Yorkshire Trips and Places | 1 Comment

What They Teach in Bradford History Classes

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Hortoris

A good Yorkshire education began with a Bradford wool merchant and Member of Parliament for Bradford in 1861. William Edward Forster was the son of a Quaker who was active in the anti slavery movement.

W E Forster moved to Bradford into premises that were eventually to become Swan Arcade sadly demolished. The business at Waterloo mills employed over 500 at it’s peak and W E Forster organised reading facilities and education classes for his workers that included children aged eight. The workers even enjoyed a ‘works trip’ to London from Apperley Bridge railway station when W E F was elected as a Member of Parliament.
In 1850 with his partner he purchase two cotton mills at Burley in Wharfedale and converted Greenholme Mills into a worsted manufacturer also employing upwards of 500 people.

After the 1868 General Election, William Gladstone appointed Forster as Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education. Forster therefore had responsibility for carrying through the House of Commons the 1870 Education Act. This role had the responsibility of providing some form of education for the hordes of industrial towns children who were not catered for before the act came into force. He set up school boards who had to make provision for schools in their area. Thus he earned the right to be called the father of universal elementary education.
It is for education that W E Forster is best known and he had Braford’s Forster Square and subsequently the Midland railway station named in his honour.

From 1880 he was chief secretary for Ireland, and worked tirelessly on the Compensation for Disturbance Bill a task was made more difficult by the agitation which arose in consequence. ‘During the gloomy autumn and winter of 1880-81 Forster’s energy and devotion in grappling with the situation in Ireland were indefatigable, his labor was enormous, and the personal risks he ran were many: but he enjoyed the Irish character in spite of all obstacles, and inspired genuine admiration in all his coadjutors. On the 24th of January 1881 he introduced a new Coercion Bill in the House of Commons, to deal with the growth of the Land League.’ Read more about Home Rule for Ireland and Forsters part in the process.

W E Forster died in 1886, on the eve of the introduction of the Home Rule Bill, to which he was stoutly opposed and is buried in God’s Little Acre at Burlay in Wharfedale.

‘This looks like it may be a Victorian municipal graveyard. Its name is “God’s Acre Cemetery” and it is situated just north of Menston. There are a couple of churches in the vicinity but nothing immediately nearby. It’s a very pretty place.’

Photo credits
Forster Square – Post Office & Cathedral by Bradford Timeline CC BY-NC 2.0
15a – Swan Arcade, Bradford by Bradford Timeline
01 – Forster Square & Richard Oastler statue, Bradford (1890s) by Bradford Timeline all CC BY-NC 2.0
Village Cemetery by tj.blackwellCC BY-NC 2.0

Posted in Photos, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Comments Off

Plane Crazy Kangaroos, Skuas, Sharks and Hawks in Brough

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Hortoris

Back in 1915 Robert Blackburn (RB) set up a base for the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company in Brough. Amongst the aircraft made by the company were the early Kangaroos, Sharks, Skuas and the Swift.

Aeroplanes From Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company Brough

From 1916 the military commandeered the Brough site building 2 large extra hangers. The Kangaroo was then the first pure Blackburn plane to win type approval for military planes.
In 1920 the Air Ministry asked Blackburn to work with Napier to produce a torpedo plane called the Swift.
The royal airforce reserve training school was set up in Brough for piolts of sea and land planes using Blackburn Dart, Ripon and Velos planes.
Large flying boats were also built at Blackburns including the Iris, Perth and Sydney making inaugural flights from the Humber estuary.
The Blackburn built Skua was the only naval plane for dive bombing and was the first plane to shoot down an enemy aircraft in the second World War. The Shark and the more successful Swordfish were also built around the same time.
180 Botha, 635 Fairy Baracudas, the Firebrand and the Roc naval fighter were built during 1940’s. The Sunderland flying boat was built at Blackburns Dunbarton factory.
In 1948 Blackburns was taken over or amalgamated with General Aircraft and produced the Universal fighter.
The production of the Buccaneer (bottom) dominated output at Brough during the 1960’s.

Modern Brough

In 1960-65 Blackburns became Hawker Siddeley, Brough, and later part of the British Aerospace Kingston-Brough Division.
Arguably one of the company’s best known aircraft is the Hawk or T45. This is the jet trainer plane seen the world over as part of The Red Arrows RAF aerobatic display team.
The origins of the Harrier vertical/short take off and landing multi-role fighter can be traced back to Blackburns in Brough. The Harrier’s vertical take off was a stunning sight. On lookers were amazed to see 6 tonnes of fixed wing jet fighter hover, and even fly backwards.
Earlier this year 2012 BAE Systems announced it would be ending manufacturing at its site in Brough. This will mean 845 employees are redundant and our aeronautical heritage will be cut short.

Photograph Credits
Red Arrows by Richard Towell CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Short Sunderland by Adelaide Archivist CC BY-NC 2.0 ‘Short Sunderland Mk.1 Flying Boat L2163 DA-G of No. 210 Squadron .
Photograph published in ‘The Royal Air Force in Pictures including aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm’, prepared by Major Oliver Stewart, 1941. Page 55.’
Blackburns last by Elsie esq CC BY 2.0 ‘A Buccaneer of the RAF. These aircraft had “wing blowing” a technique to artifically increase the lift of wings by ducting air from the engines over the top surface of the wing. This resulted in very high speed capability at very low altitude. Even today few modern strike aircraft can match the Buccaneers down-low performance’.
See air-ambulances-of-yorkshire

Read about Yorkshires Air Ambulances

Posted in Transport and Travel, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Comments Off

York Footpath or Snickelway Map

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Hortoris

Snickelways were recently nominated as one of York’s seven man made wonders. Snickleways often lead the walker to fantastic pubs or act as short cuts to other watering holes.

The Complete Snickelways of York – Mark W Jones

If you like maps then you will like this book. If you like quirky maps and routes you will love this book. If you like York, and who dosen’t, then you may have already got this book or one of the earlier editions. Written and published like the Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast book in hand written text with drawn and sketched routes this book gives an exceptional insight in our York, past and present.

For quirky who would have thought that Arthur Gemmell’s stile maps couldn’t be beaten for content or detail of presentation but they are? All these three cartographers Gemmill, Wainwright and Jones put the Frank Wilkinson walking series to shame from a cartographic perspective.

So what on earth is a ‘Snickelway’? In Mark Jones eyes it is a cross or hybrid between a Snicket, a Ginnel and an Alleyway with the odd Court, Yard or Throughway thrown in for good measure. What is more he takes us on walks through 50 of them all within a quarter of a mile of ‘The Shambles.’ That would be 51+ Snickelways if you count the top of the wall. A complete walk would be in excess of 3 miles plus the wall if you choose to tackle it all in one go. My favourite review of the book says ‘ My wife and daughter set off after breakfast with a copy of Snickelways, and I am still waiting for them to get home to make my midday meal’. Angry York resident at teatime.

Mark Jones should be an honourary memeber of the International Cartographers Society or you yourself may wish to be a member of the Map Collectors Circle. I doubt the Roadmap Collectors Association have discovered Snickelways yet.

Look out for more humourous slogans on the snickleways of York. Opposite the Bluebell there is a T shirt shop with some great captions in the window. Try Too Beer or not two Beer’ Shakesbeer.

Posted in Wit and Humour, Yorkshire Arts & Music, Yorkshire Facts - Interesting and Unusual, Yorkshire History and Heritage | 2 Comments

North Yorkshire’s Notorious Smugglers

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Hortoris

The Yorkshire coast is just 200 miles from the Continent across the North Sea. Ships taking our 16th and 17th century exports abroad often returned loaded with gin, brandy and even tea that was destined to avoid the ‘preventives’ and revenue duty.
The principal smuggling ports were Staithes, Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay. Large gangs of workers building sea walls or working in the alum mines helped ‘professional smugglers’ to unload and also provided extra local customers.

This image of Staithes takes your imagination back to the notorious smugglers of previous centuries.

The section of the coast between Saltburn and Redcar is almost as notorious as Whitby as a location for smugglers.
John Andrew was a well to do smuggler with a high profile he was known as ‘The King of the Smugglers’. John was the landlord of the Ship Inn at Saltburn a centre of ‘Free Trade’ for the region. Local houses were allegedly connected to the tavern by tunnels. John Andrew also owned a cutter called the ‘Morgan Rattler’ and the White House and stables in Saltburn. He served at least one jail sentence at Hornsea but was personally well connected with what passed for law enforcement around Saltburn.

Watch the Wall my Darling: The Story of the Smuggler King by Richard Swale
‘This story is based loosely on the lives of the author’s great, great, great, grandfathers, John Andrew and James Law. Both were well known smugglers in the late 18th and early 19th Century, and operated at the same time on the north Yorkshire coast between Scarborough and the Tees estuary.’

Whitby women were adept at aiding the smuggling effort. Large ships hovered off the coast and local cobles, fishing boats or luggers ‘ran’ the goods ashore where women waited in loose fitting clothes. When the women returned there buttons were bursting with contraband. Mrs Gaskell a Whitby resident remarked ‘Whitby women applied themselves to smuggling with more tricks, impudence and energy than any man. The whole town supported free-trade even two local Quakers.’

Image Credits
Staithes at Dawn by Chris J Parker Photographer CC BY-ND 2.0 ‘View of Staithes fishing village taken at dawn from top of cliff. Manipulated image.’
Whitby Boat Trip by Bluecowboy2002 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Whitby at Night by TGIGreeny, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Too much light would be shed on old fashioned night time smuggling as this illuminating photo shows.
Of course there is still a lot of smuggling, of illegal and heavily taxed products, through airports and our North Yorkshire coast line.

Posted in Yorkshire History and Heritage | 1 Comment

Jowett the Yorkshire Javelin Ahead of Time

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Hortoris

The two seater soft top Jowett Jupiter was developed from the success of the Javelin in 1950. The streamlined shape implied speed and was a well engineered car with stronger brakes and new features. It had a steel tube frame and a drop-head coupe body of aluminium. For three successive years Jowett won the Le Mans 24 Grand Prix race 1950-1952.

The Bradford Van shown here in the old colours of the local paper the Telegraph and Argus (T&A). It had an engine size of 1005 cc and was first registered in 1953.

The oldest car club in the world is dedicated to Jowett vehicles they also have a second web site. There aim is ‘To celebrate classic British cars made in Bradford from 1906 to 1954 namely- Jupiter, Javelin, Bradford, Jason, Black Prince, Curlew, Kestrel, Weasel, Flying Fox, Falcon, Long Four, Focus, Blackbird, Kingfisher, Black Prince, Wren, Grey Knight, Silverdale, Chummy, 7cwt Van, Short Two’. I like the idea of a car called a ‘Weasel’ and it reminds me of a pub with that name in Pudsey now a bomb site.

Continue reading →

Posted in Transport and Travel, Yorkshire Business and Money, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Comments Off

Terry’s of York – A Bite of History

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Hortoris

Can you see what it is yet? Yes you probably guessed it is a mug!

Some History of Terry’s of York

What do an apothecary, confectioner and citrus peel importer have in common? When one of them was Joseph Terry you may make the connection to Terry and Berry the forerunner to Terry’s of York. Joseph Terry married into the partnership that had worked from 1767 and brought his Apothecary skills to the business with a factory in Brearley Yard and a shop next to the Mansion House.
Early products included candied peel, marmalade and medicated lozenges as wel as cakes and confections. In the early 19th century the conversation lozenges bore messages a bit like modern day Love Hearts such as ‘Can you Polka’ and the racy ‘Do you flirt’. After the arrival of the railway to York Terry was selling his Coltsfoot Rock, Jujubes, Gum balls and Acid drops to many towns throughout the country. (Price 52/- per cwt Mmmm a sweet price).
Joseph Terry was born in Pocklington in 1793 the son of a local baker. He grew up in the town before moving to York and starting out in business as an apothecary, then switching to making cakes and confectioneries.
Joseph Terry died in 1850 but his 3 sons including Joseph jnr took the business forward building a Chocolate factory in Clementhorpe in 1887. The business grew through two world wars and remained in family ownership and management until 1960. It then passed through various corporate hands including Forte, Colgate Palmolive, United Biscuits, Philip Morris, Kraft and Suchards.
The family were civic minded and Joseph Terry jnr was Lord Mayor of York during Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. The war office recognised the value of chocolate for the troops before the first world war as being of benefit ‘…..on the march, at manoeuvers or any occasion when staying power is needed’. Between the wars new products were created including Spartan and All Gold.

Pocklington is obviously proud of Joseph Terry and wrote a longer biopic on it’s web site From the son of a Pocklington baker to founding one of the greatest of York’s businesses – Terry’s of York

Terry’s Chocolate Works York

Contemporary History of Terry’s of York

Sadly in 2004 the production at York was stopped and transferred to Europe bringing an end to a proud Yorkshire food manufacturing operation. The old factory isn’t Terry’s anymore it’s For Sale as The Press report

Other products you may remember include Neapolitans, Twighlight, Spartan, Waifa, and York Fruits. I am not sure the other fruit product below were quite the success of the Chocolate Orange that goes right back to the companies origins as peel importers. In fact I never saw a Chocolate Banana or the Chocolate Apple for that matter.

There is a packaging display at York’s Castle Museum and more information from York history
For those interested in Confectionery there is a great American blog
By the time of Joseph Terry’s death in 1850 his firm, Terry’s of York, was the city second biggest employer, and under successive generations of the family it became a world famous chocolate manufacturer that is still renowned to this day for such delicacies as ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange’ and ‘Terry’s All Gold’. Sadly it fell into the hands of the American food giant Kraft in 1992and the factory was closed in 2005.

Photo Credits
Chocolate Orange by jovike CC BY-NC 2.0
Terry’s Chocolate Works, York by True British Metal CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Terry’s All Gold Imagine Milk Chocolates by hemanth.hm CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Posted in Food and Drink & Yorkshire Products, Yorkshire Facts - Interesting and Unusual, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Tagged business | 5 Comments

Welcome to Saltaire – BD18

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Hortoris

As a UNESCO World Heritage site a visit to Saltaire is a must. This is due to the present amenities and Saltaire’s extremely interesting past. Set alongside the river Aire from which it gets part of its name Saltaire also has the Leeds Liverpool canal running through it’s heart.

Sir Titus Salt, a Victorian mill owner, built Saltaire as a model town and endowed it with many employee friendly features. Workers cottages built and named after Salt family members, Alma, Ada, Mary, Constance , Helen, Fanny, Grace Streets are now occupied by West Yorkshire commuters. I guess the names seemed modern in the 19th century. Sir Titus built his mill on the river Aire to clean the Alpaca wool he imported from Peru.
The former mill now houses a small museum, retail emporium, art gallery, 3 eating establishments and workspace.
Shipley glen tramway is just across the river and canal bridges and runs up to picturesque Shipley Glen. Even if the tram is not running the glen is a good place to take children with rocks to climb, woods to explore, Brackenhall Countryside Centre to visit and a tea house.
Roberts Park is squeezed between the river and the canal and has 2 cricket pitches to deposit balls into either waterway.
“1853 Gallery” which houses a collection of the works of the famous local artist David Hockney.
Victoria hall and exhibition premises hold a range of events. the Antiques Road Show was fillemed here last month..
The United Reform round church based on Italian architecture and built by Titus Salt in 1859. His mausoleum is situated below the lead dome with sunbursts in round arches.
The old tramsheds are now a restaurant and entertainment venue but it is easy to see where the old Trolley buses stopped when they reached their Saltaire destination. Another licensed and thus irreverent location is called Don’t Tell Titus.
Walks include paths on the ‘Dalesway Bradford Link’ that lead up to Dick Hudsons and over Ilkley moor to the official start.
Salts Walks is a demonstration of the local enterprise culture which keeps the community spirit live and thriving.

Posted in Villages, Towns and Cities, Yorkshire Facts - Interesting and Unusual, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Tagged trips, weekend | 2 Comments