God's Own County

Hull History Centre Homage to Heritage

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Hortoris

Now a couple of years old the Hull History Centre is home for nearly 2 miles of archives. It is well worth a visit.

Key exhibits and archives include

The charter of 1299 which marks the birth of Hull as a strategic port.
The most extensive range of WW2 records nationally
The personal letters of pioneering aviator Amy Johnson,
The personal papers of Philip Larkin and author Winifred Holtby
Archives relating to anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce,
National Council for Civil Liberties now named Liberty’s historical archives are maintained by the University of Hull but accessed through the Hull History Centre.
Whaling logs, crew lists and a wealth of local history and maritime records.

Family History

Family history and records are a key asset for the Hull history centre
The East Riding of Yorkshire Family History Society will be able to help you with researching your surname.
The Genealogical Research Directory is published annually and contains lists of names being researched.
The Guild of One Name Studies (GOONS) and the Society of Genealogists also maintain lists.
‘There’s no point spending hours going through old records if your gran can tell you it all anyway.’ HHC

Facilities at Hull History Centre

Computer and microfilm zone including the Yorkshire Film archive online.
Conservation room and the ability to donate and deposit your records for preservation.
Lecture theatre for various events
library and search room
Inner and outer arcades including cafe and exhibition space.

South Riding audio CD from the East Riding Feminist Winifred Holtby

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Fishy Goings On Deep in Hull

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Hortoris

The Deep, one of the most spectacular aquariums is also named a Submarium. This award-winning visitor attraction in Hull is home to over 3,500 fish including spectacular sharks and rays.

There are 30 aquatic displays covering waters from a tropical lagoon to the ice deserts of Antarctica. The variety of sea borne life is amazing from a variety of Sharks, Picasso Triggerfish, the Saddled Butterflyfish and Surgeonfish with sharp scalpels on their tails swimming in the shallow lagoon waters.
For an educational experience that kids will enjoy watch the fantastic shark 3D film, lagoon feeding and diving displays. Everything is there from Angel fish to zooplankton an A-Z of the seas in Hull

The dramatic building which overlooks the Humber estuary was designed by Sir Terry Farrell. Beijing and Charing Cross railway stations were designed by Farrell who also created the original masterplan for Newcastle which led to the regeneration of the Quayside now famous for the Baltic Arts Centre, Gateshead Millennium Bridge and The Sage Music Centre.
The Deep is only a few minutes walk from Hull Marina and is operated as a charity dedicated to increasing enjoyment and understanding of the world’s oceans.

Fish by Martha Riley

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Ribblehead Train Trips

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Hortoris

The viaduct is photogenic at the worst of times but this picture was definately not taken during the worst of times.
Chantry Bee (using creative commons from flickr) explains ‘In August I came across from Brussels to visit my granny, my parents also travelled up. We went to Wensleydale (of Wallace & Gromit cheese fame – my favourite cheese after Lancashire) to visit friends of my granny’s and on the way back down from Hawes we approached Ribblehead as a mist descended and lifted again, I managed to take a few shots.
The only editing is with the levels and burning the bottom corners a little.’ Granny should be proud.

At about the same time I took the steam train trip on the same line from Shipley station pulled by 45231 Sherwood Forester. Approaching Conniston Cold the train ran out of water and it looked like we and the full load of passengers were in for a frustrating wait.
However the fire brigade came up trumps and ran a series of large hosepipes attached to a pump from the young river Aire back to the trains tanks. We drew enough water to get us to Hellifield and then on with the journey.

A curtailed stop in Carlisle due to the late arrival was not a problem as we got good food and drink on the return trip. All in all a good eventful day trip and one we will remember for some time to come.

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Beautiful Iconic Yorkshire

Posted on August 11, 2016 by tejvan

ribblehead

Ribblehead Viaduct by Joe Dunckley, Flickr.

Wensleydale by Alden Chadwick

Burnsall

Lower Wharfedale by Tejvan

haworth

Haworth Village – Bronte Country Continue reading →

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Dandelions in Yorkshire

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Hortoris

Weeds you may think! but connoisseurs think Dandelion think drink! or think wine to be more precise.

Dandelion wine is made from the flower petals and you are recommended to pick flowerheads mid- to late-morning. Remove the bitter stalks and depetal if you are keen.
Resulting dandelion wine is light and as it lacks body it can be beefed up with raisins, oranges or other fruit. Light it may be but potent it certainly can be.
After adding sugar the many yeasts in Dandelions get to work. The must starts cloudy but rapidly settles when fermentation is finished.
Traditionally picked on St Georges Day 23rd of April this may be a bit early for Yorkshire crops of Dandelions. Best to pick a time in early May when the fields are a mass of yellow (and I don’t mean from buttercups).

Eat dandelions if wine is not your cup of tea. Dandelion leaves contain abundant amounts of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A , C and K. Leaves are also a good source of calcium and iron, higher than spinach and good in a mixed salad.

Kill or cure dandelions if you are a gardener who has had their fill of dandy wine and faddish salad leaves. In these garden circumstances you will want dandelions to pop there clogs long before they seed and turn into clocks.

Roundup Weedkiller concentrate. Good for large areas which need treating at Amazon.

Related Posts

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Hockney Rebel

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Hortoris

If you are a Cockney Rebel when you come from London are you a Bradfordney Rebel or Yorkney Rebel from Yorkshire? naw tha’s just normal.

‘Hockney’s Pictures’ is a retrospective of one of the most popular pop artist in the world today. Covering all media and presented thematically it shows David Hockney’s prolific paintings, drawings, watercolours, prints and photography.

From Hockney’s early years as an Art world rebel to acknowledged innovator, communicator and preeminent artist of world class.

Conversations with Paul Joyce entitled ‘Hockney on Art’ contains musings and insights, interspersed with works by the artists who have inspired David Hockney.

These books and many more with insights into David Hockney as the ‘enfant terrible’ are available from Amazon

Read about David Hockney his large tree painting and brief history on Gods Own County

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work, Yorkshire Arts & Music | Tagged artist | 1 Comment

Butterfly Conservation in Yorkshire

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Hortoris

The Butterfly Isles: A Summer in Search of Our Emperors and Admirals by Patrick Barkham from Amazon

The Yorkshire Branch of the Butterfly Conservation charity is advocating we use our gardens to help butterflies.
There are many simple tactics that can help including planting food plants and nectar giving plants like nasturtiums and buddleia without spoiling our gardens. Even a pot of oregano or lavender will help. Read more at ‘Get Butterflies in your Garden’ from Gardeners Tips

Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union works with the Butterfly Conservation Society and promotes the recording scheme known as ‘ButterflyNet Yorkshire’.

As an alternative visit one of Yorkshires Tropical World of Butterfly houses. Wander among free- flying tropical butterflies and exotic birds in a rainforest setting at butterflyhouse.co.uk Sheffield or see between 30 and 40 varieties of butterfly in a mature environment of flowering exotic plants and Citrus trees. The types of butterfly change regularly so there’s always something new to spot. Some of the specimens are bred here from pupae, which is also displayed at Tropical World Roundhay Park Leeds.

Resources

These pages from the Yorkshire butterfly site offer a guide to the most common micro and macro moths found month by month in the county of Yorkshire. A-Z of British Butterflies

Butterfly seed mixture from Thompson & Morgan or Plant collections

Get Butterflies in your Garden from Gardeners Tips

Top photo by Lindsay Sorenson, second photo by Sophiea on flickr under creative commons license.

Yorkshire Butterflies.org

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Visit Rodley Nature Reserve

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Hortoris

Set in an oxbow on the river Aire near Leeds is Rodley Nature Reserve. Close by is a section of the Leeds Liverpool canal and these two waterways attract wildfowl and waders in great profusion. Created on a floodplain this makes a natural ‘flyway’ for migrating birds.

Inside the many bird hides are chalkboards recording the species recently spotted and many RSPB information panels. We spent time in half a dozen hides some wooden but a couple of new metal versions installed after vandals set fire to their predecessors.

The main lake or ‘Lagoon’ is home to little grebes and tufted ducks but you may also spot Oystercatchers, Pochard and Gooseander. The shallow duck marsh for dabbling ducks such as Gadwall, Snipe and Shovelers. The ground is well maintained with areas left as wet grassland, flower meadow, Reedbeds and a willow coppice. One areas is renown for it’s ‘Farming for Birds’.

On a hot spring day (yes I said hot and spring in the same sentence) I was most grateful for the visitors centre which provided chocices at 30p and a cup of tea for a donation. The display tank full of pondlife included beetles and snails of many varieties and childern were give pond dipping lessons and the loan of equipment.

Several small ponds have been grouped together to attract a large variety of Damselfly, Skimmers and Dragonflies. For more information and a club to join check out Yorkshire Dragonfly the local branch of the British Dragonfly Society

In June at Rodley Nature Reserves events including pond dipping, moth trapping, small mammal trapping, a bug hunt, bird and botany walks and other activities take place.

Continue reading →

Posted in Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes, Yorkshire Trips and Places | Tagged birdwatching | 1 Comment

Clapham Gate Way to the North

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Hortoris

The Dalesman History in Clapham

The Dalesman or the Yorkshire Dalesman was founded in March 1939 by the Leeds journalist Harry Scott. It was produced in his home until 1955 when it finally outgrew his home, at Fellside, Clapham. New offices were opened elsewhere in the village where it remained until 2000. Now a thriving publisher it is operating from Broughton Hall in nearby Skipton.

Clapham Gateway to the North

Peter Sellers had an amusing song ‘Balham Gateway to the South’. One line spoken in his bluebottle voice said ‘ hon my porch I carve the holes in the top of toothbrushes manually or every year’.
Peter Sellers would not have suffered from his angst if he had spent more time in the Yorkshire Dales. Clapham claims to be the ‘Doorway to the Dales’ and I am not going to argue.

What has Clapham got to Offer

Well unlike the man on the Clapham omnibus there are no buses.
The Old Manor House a fabulous historic mullioned farmhouse built in 1640 is now a bunkbarn
There is a stream or beck, Clapham Beck running through the middle of this dales village.
Brokken bridge and Mafeking bridge straddle the beck which enters the village via a waterfall.
St James’ church is at the head of the village with a complex millennium stone display.
The Bethel chapel is across Cross Haw Lane.
Reginald Farrer who introduced Viburnum, Gentian, Buddleia and Geranium species to the UK & the Ingleborough estate.
There is a bee bole alongside the beck. This is a cavity or alcove in a wall in which to put Skeps or bee hives.
A nature trail, Trow Gill, Gaping Gill and the paths to the top if Ingleborough.
Green lane down to the old railway station.

Places to stay include;

New Inn Hotel 18th Century Coaching Inn, with 18 bedrooms, restaurant and 2 bars with open fires.
Primrose Cottage Cosy well appointed cottage, traditional features with log burning stove & private patio area with barbeque. Self catering. Country walks straight from the door.
Brook House Guest House & Restaurant Clapham’s little secret! Open all year round. Restaurant saturday evenings. Local produce, booking advisable.
Old Manor House Spacious and homely 18th Century self-catering cottage – 4 bedrooms sleeps up to 9 people. Open fires, lounge, dining room, garden room and secluded garden
Croft Café Delightful setting overlooking river,
Dalesbridge Centre Outdoor accommodation base, eight bunkhouses, campsite, B&B, s/c house, function bar & event rooms. Outdoor activity instruction can be arranged.
Halsteads Barn Accommodation
Witherspoons Home of Witherspoon’s Emporium and Bunkhouse Accommodation. A kaleidoscope of original locally made arts & crafts including local wines, preserves etc.

Sources

Welcome to Clapham North Yorkshire

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Beer that is Gluten Free and from Yorkshire

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Hortoris

Gluten is a protein found in products made from wheat, barley, rye or malts . In severe cases of Coeliac disease and wheat allergy a gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment.

The Gluten Free Kitchen began in Aysgarth in 2005 when Sue Powell, a qualified chef, became aware of the problems encountered by people with Coeliac Disease in sourcing quality gluten free food. You can now get pork pies, sausage rolls and even Yorkshire Puddings that are gluten free.

Pracitise Safe Beer

Against the Grain, from Wold Top Brewery, is gluten free beer that has been voted the most liked beer of all of the gluten free and low gluten beers in taste tests.

Slurp are bottling beers from 30 other Yorkshire breweries but in 2005, ‘Hambleton Ales Gluten and Wheat Free Ale’ (GFA) was launched. It claims to be the first British brewed beer of its type, providing the full flavour and satisfaction expected from a beer but in a gluten free formulation. There is now a sister product, GFL – a gluten free lager. In 2015 their Gluten Free Ale won the title of the UK’s and Europe’s Best Speciality Gluten Free Beer at the World Beer Awards.

Gluten-free beer was developed so that people with coeliac disease – an autoimmune disorder which makes it hard for the body to digest gluten and can result in stomach pains and severe cramps – could enjoy beer. Instead of wheat and barley gluten free grains and grasses such as millet, rice, corn, buckwheat or sorghum are used with abondant hops.

Recipe for Gluten Free Yorkshire Pudding or buy the Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding £5.99. Or buy Phil Vickery’s book in association with the Coelica society £10.59 from amazon