God's Own County

Fiery Fred Trueman Fantastic Raconteur

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Hortoris

Fred Trueman’s last recording talks about cricket and life in the Dales in his own unique style on this Fathers Day CD.

For the first time in a longtime Yorkshire cricket club seem to be ‘framin’ and it would have been interesting to know what Fred would have made of our current exploits.
20 Twenty cricket was played in the local evening leagues for decades, long before it became a money raising venture, and I think FST’s comments about this subject would have been slightly on the caustic side.

My favourite Fred story was, as you may expect, dragged out as a long tale but I will edit it drastically and hope he isn’t able to breath fire down on me.
The scene was an Ashes test with England fielding .. ‘and I went back to my mark and hurtled into the wicket, a rap on the pads, Howzat? One for none. I went back to my mark and hurtled into the wicket and the bails were off, two for none. Then in came the great Sir Don Bradman. I went back to my mark and hurtled into the wicket, the ball was in the air, a fantastic catch on the long on boundary, three for three hundred and seventy six.
Told by a bowler with a stammer you were amused long before the punchline.

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work, Yorkshire Folk, Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes | Tagged characters, sport | 2 Comments

Huddersfield’s Harold Wilson – Baron Wilson of Rivaulx

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Hortoris

Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, 11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995
Harold Wilson was born in Huddersfield where this statue is on display. He attended Royds Hall Grammar School, Huddersfield and Jesus College Oxford where his intellect enabled him to become a don at the age of 21. He wrote ‘A New Deal for Coal’ before becoming an MP for Ormskirk.
When Hugh Gaitskell died in 1963, Wilson was one of the main contenders for the party leadership and defeated his more right-wing rivals George Brown and James Callaghan. As leader he won a narrow margin of 4 seats in the 1964 elections.

Quotations and Sayings of Harold Wilson

This Wont Affect the Pound in Your Pocket
Wilson coined the name of the charity ‘War on Want’
Thirteen years of Tory mis-rule…..
A week is a long time in Politics
The white heat of the technological revolution.
Robert Maxwell the original Bouncing Czech
Given a fair wind, we will negotiate our way into the Common Market, head held high, not crawling in. Negotiations? Yes. Unconditional acceptance of whatever terms are offered us? No.
The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.
I’m an optimist, but an optimist who carries a raincoat.
And like many Yorkshire folk ‘If I had the choice between smoked salmon and tinned salmon, I’d have it tinned, with vinegar.’
I’ve buried all the hatchets. But I know where I’ve buried them and I can dig them up again if necessary.

Books by or about Harold Wilson from Amazon

Other Wilson Facts

Harold Wilson was the youngest minister since Pitt and Prime Minister at 48.
Harold Wilson was created the first Chancellor of the University of Bradford in 1966 a position he held for 20 years.
In Wilson’s resignation honours list he caused some consternation with what was called the Lavender list and honours included Lord Kagan, the inventor of Gannex, who was eventually imprisoned for fraud.
In his period as prime minister Harold Wilson saw reform of the divorce laws, the legalisation of abortion and homosexuality the advent of the Open University and the abolition of capital punishment. Wilson kept Britain out of the Vietnam War despite American pressure to join them.

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Facts About Sheffield

Posted on October 15, 2015 by tejvan

Sheffield ‘the city of steel’ has undergone profound change since its iconic steel industry closed down in the 70s and 80s (as well as coal mine closures).

Sheffield Town Centre

The name Sheffield is derived from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city.
Historically Sheffield is part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and is now part of South Yorkshire.
The population of the City of Sheffield is 555,500 (2010 est.) and it is one of the eight largest regional English cities.
In the Nineteenth Century, Sheffield gained reputation for being premier producer of steel. It made key innovations in the development of stainless steel. This was used in a variety of tools and cutlery and became very popular. This growth of the steel industry made Sheffield a key player in the industrial revolution.
After much regeneration, the Sheffield economy is said to be worth £9.2 billion in 2007 (2007 GVA)
Sheffield has two universities – Sheffield University and Sheffield Hallam University.

Tinsley_Viaduct_and_Blackburn_Towers_21-04-06

Sheffield Cooling Towers. The two towers were destroyed in a controlled explosion in 2008. (BBC link) There were part of the former Blackburn Meadows power station and they were situation close to the viaduct on the M1.

Interesting Facts About Sheffield

Sheffield has the highest ratio of trees to people of any city in Europe. 2.5 million trees.
As early as the fourteenth century, Sheffield was known as a place for the production of knives. It was even mentioned in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
In 1991, Sheffield hosted the World Student Games at the new Don Valley Stadium and Sheffield Arena
In the 1980s, it was often called ‘The Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire’ because of its strong left wing politics.
The Sheffield District of Hallam was said to the wealthiest part of the UK, outside London, in a 2004 report by Barclays bank.
Sheffield is known as a ‘green city’ It provides much energy from incinerating waste.
Sheffield boasts the world’s oldest football club – Sheffield F.C. It was formed in 1857, mainly by a group of cricketers. Sheffield F.C. won the F.A. Amateur cup in 1904.
Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world, and the fourth oldest in the English leagues.
Sheffield Crucible Theatre stages the annual World Snooker Tournament
The Sheffield Ski Village is Europe’s largest outdoor artificial ski resort
Sheffield is sometimes informally known as the largest village in England because of isolated location amongst seven hills, though city status was granted in 1893.
Sheffield hosted the world’s first football tournament (played under Sheffield Rules) – the Youdan Cup in Feb-March 1867, featuring 12 teams. The competition was won by local side Hallam at Bramall Lane. It preceded the FA cup by four years.
The Sheffield Rules was a code of football used between 1857 and 1877. They had a big influence on Football association rules, which later finally codified the game. Sheffield Rules introduced the concept of corners, free kicks, heading the ball, and goal keepers.

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Posted in Our Yorkshire, Villages, Towns and Cities | Tagged facts, sheffield | 7 Comments

Howard Webb the Refs Referee

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Hortoris

Known for his bald head and refereeing the World Cup final, Howard was born and brought up in Rotherham. His middle name is Melton and you don’t get many of those to the pound.

Refereeing Career

In 1996, he was appointed as a Football League and two years later the Premier League as an assistant referee
In 1998 he was promoted to the Football Conference as a referee.
2003 saw him as a Premier League referee and was appointed as a FIFA official in 2005.
An FA Cup Final, a UEFA Champions League Final and a FIFA World Cup Final have all been refereed by Howard Webb

Controversy

Referees face unfair and biased criticism all the time. Howard gets less than most by dint of his integrity and skill (not because there are currently no Premiership teams from Yorkshire).

‘Webb bore a one-week demotion from officiating in the Premier League down to the Football League Championship in April 2009, a punishment sporadically imposed on referees who make high-profile contentious errors. Webb had been earlier been appointed to referee the year’s FA Cup Final, arguably the highest domestic honour for an official, when he awarded Manchester United a debatable penalty kick while they trailed 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. The penalty was converted and United went on to win the match 5-2. Webb later admitted he had made “a mistake” but had made the decision “honestly”.’*

This year Howard was pilloried by some media for awarding a penalty to Manchester United in the FA cup against Liverpool when Dimitar Berbatov gulled him. Later in the same match he sent off Steven Gerrard for a dangerous challenge on Michael Carrick further inflaming Liverpool supporters.

What footballer doesn’t make numerous mistakes. It is time referees were treated with far more respect.

Last year Howard Webb received the MBE for service to sport. Howard Webb has been a serving police officer through most of his refereeing career.

Sources photo creative commons Crop of [http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetelf/2114896330/in/datetaken/ Howard Webb] |Date=December 16, 2007 |Author=[http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetelf/ thet)
*wikipedia

Posted in Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire Folk, Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes | Comments Off

Goldthorpe a Gory Glimpse

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Hortoris

Regeneration has not worked particularly well for Goldthorpe in the South Yorkshire coal mining area.
Shops are boarded up and the market of up to 64 stalls the means of buying cheap food and clothing has had regeneration plans cut.

A village recorded in the doomsday book, Goldthorpe was a medieval farming area in the Dearn Valley. In 1988 it got a railway station but lost the coal mine that had helped the village to grow to 7000 people.

The Barnsley council ‘Goldthorpe Masterplan’ was approved in January 2009 to address:
• Poor quality housing
• New housing that is becoming isolated from the existing settlement
• Poor condition of the existing school
• An underused main shopping area, and a popular but poorly located market

But little was done when funds were available and now cash is tight action seems to have stopped all together. All the talking and quango involvement has done nowt. What a shame the hot air and cash wasted wasn’t better directed into action!

Sources
‘Goldthorpe: Queen Street Sunday morning. Easter 1968

This one features the air pollution which struck me when I visited the area for the first time that same Easter. Of course these days the air is crystal clear. No mines, no jobs, no air pollution!
My mother-in-law told me how her mother-in-law (Edgar’s mother) on a visit to their new home on the Hampshire coast said: “You don’t wash your curtains very often, do you Sheila?” Apart from not being exactly the way to endear yourself to your daughter- in-law, this highlighted the extent to which the struggle to keep the home clean in the coalfield just didn’t pose the same problem down South.
Note that by 1968 at least one family in Queen Street had a car to wash of a Sunday morning, and everyone appears to have a telly.
I think that during his Easter 1968 trip to Yorkshire Edgar must have been consciously trying to record the place, time and people with a few quality shots.
From by florriebassingbourn, on Flickr under Creative Commons (above)
Goldthorpe – backs also from florriebassingbourn, on Flickr shot by Edgar (top)
Thanks, the photographs are evocative of another era.
Big Issue North
Exterior picture of Goldthorpe Church by Dearnsman
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Posted in Villages, Towns and Cities | Comments Off

A Yank In Bradford – Margaret McMillan

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Hortoris

Margaret McMillan born New York USA 1860 died London 1931.

Born in USA of Scottish ancestry, in October 1889, Rachel and Margaret McMillan were helping the workers during the London Dock Strike as part of their work spreading the word of Christian Socialism. In 1892 it was suggested that their efforts would be appreciated in Bradford.
Possibly Margaret was inspired by Richard Oastler’s work for the poor and William Edward Forster another Bradford figure who was committed to change and was largely responsible for the 1870 Elementary Education Act which was the first National Education Act.

Margaret McMillan and her sister Rachel worked in deprived 19th century Bradford and this convinced them they should concentrate on trying to improve the physical and intellectual welfare of the slum child. ‘In 1892 Margaret joined Dr. James Kerr, Bradford’s school medical officer, to carry out the first medical inspection of elementary school children in Britain. Kerr and McMillan published a report on the medical problems that they found and began a campaign to improve the health of children by arguing that local authorities should install bathrooms, improve ventilation and supply free school meals.

Margaret toured the industrial regions speaking at meetings and visiting the homes of the poor. With her sisters joined the Fabian Society, the Labour Church, the Social Democratic Federation and the newly formed Independent Labour Party (ILP).The sisters remained active in politics and Margaret McMillan became the Independent Labour Party candidate for the Bradford School Board. Elected in 1894 and working closely with Fred Jowett, leader of the ILP on the local council, Margaret now began to influence what went on in Bradford schools. Fred Jowett is credited with starting the first free school meals in the UK. Margaret McMillan wrote several books and pamphlets on the subject including Child Labour and the Half Time System (1896) and Early Childhood (1900). ‘ (1)

‘In her later years Margaret McMillan became interested in the subject of nursing. With the financial help of Lloyds of London, she established a new college to train nurses and teachers.’ (2)
She is still remembered by virtue of the McMillan School of Teaching, Health and Care at Bradford University, Primary schools, Childrens day care centres and a Street named in her honour.

Sources

Spartacus Schools net

electric scotland

The Story of School Meals in Bradford

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Scarborough Facts Interesting and Unusual

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Hortoris

Scarborough Castle Facts

The castle is managed and maintained by English Heritage.
This natural fortress was used by prehistoric settlers, Romans and the castle built for King Stephen in 1136
During the civil war the castle was under siege for 12 months and then taken by the parliamentary army. There are some stone cannon balls on display at the castle.
In 1914 German warships shelled the castle Keep and curtain walls and in the town 19 people were killed.
St Mary’s Chapel (below) is on the edge of the headland and was built around 1000 AD. It needed rebuilding in the 12th and 14th centuries

Scarborough Facts

Scarborough is blessed with two sandy bays in the blue flagged north beach and south bay.
In 1829 Anne Bronte died and was buried in Scarborough.
There are blue plaques around the town including ones celebrating Anne Bronte, Wilfred Owen the poet and the birth place of Charles Laughton the actor amongst others.
It surprised me that the Conservative club hosts regular bingo sessions, do they shout government instead of house when there is a winner.
The Spa has been refurbished at a cost of £6.5million and reopened in May 2011 with a performance by the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra.

A view of South bay, St Mary’s, the Town and the Castle on the Headland.

Childern’s Facts

Kids are well catered for. There are numerous amusements, rock stalls and fish and chip suppers available.
Based at the Rotunda there is a Dino club and Plesiosaur Party events. Dinosaur Coast fun days happen along the fossil coast.
Dad can go watch county cricket on North Marine Road.
The 100 year old Peasholm Park has a boating lake and you can hire boats including ones designed as swans to enjoy the water.
The lake is used for many Naval Warfare Shows during summer.
What is it about Scarborough and fiction?

Doctor Who visited Scarborough in years to come.
Below is a picture of another Scarborough time traveler.

Continue reading →

Posted in Villages, Towns and Cities, Yorkshire Facts - Interesting and Unusual | Comments Off

Beverley Facts Interesting & Unusual

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Hortoris

History of Beverley

St John of Beverley built the Minster during the late 600’s as a site for pilgrims.
Further pilgrimages from Europe began after the establishment of Franciscan and Dominican religious locations.
Beverley opposed Henry VIII during the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ – the pro Catholic rebellion. The religious establishments were still closed but not decimated.
Beverley has stood independent of near by Hull and since the Middle Ages has had a flourishing trades guilds originally based on wool.
As the capital of the East Riding of Yorkshire, Beverley prospered in the eighteenth century and many Georgian buildings remain.

Retail in Beverley

Beverley Friary YHA, shown above, is located in a restored historic friary that dates from the 1330s. The building has lots of character with a history room with an exhibition on the building’s history as well as the oldest wall paintings in Yorkshire.’
Wednesday market is a triangular square with restaurants pubs and shops plus some stalls selling fruit and veg.
Butchers row is a main shopping area
‘Toll Gavel’ leads off Butchers Row and up to Saturday Market that would be square but for the former Corn Exchange.
‘Nellies’ or the White Horse Inn is a Sam Smiths16th century hostelry.
Myth or not but it is said Lewis Carroll noticed the 18ins high carved stone figure of a rabbit that serves as a corbel at one side of a stone archway in the historic St Mary’s Church. There is a White Rabbit shop on Dyers Lane and Beverley is quite an Alice in Wonderland.
A milliners and hat shop survives due to mad hatters at the racing and good marketing. It is called the Beverley Hat Company.

Interesting and Unusual Facts

Beverley is known for hosting various music festivals throughout the year including June Folk Festival and an Early music festival.
There are often food festivals and events in town or on the Westwood.
Affordable affluence voted Beverley the best place in England to live.
The Guildhall is only open on a Friday.
Beverley is located between the River Hull and the common land of Westwood about 6 miles from Hull.
Beverley Grammar school is the oldest in England.The Beverley Building Society was founded in 1866 and is one of the UK’s oldest established societies.
‘Ode to Joy Beverley’ is not by Beethoven or anything to do with Beverley but is a lampoon written by Les Barker on one of the Beverley Sisters.

Beverley Racecourse

Beverley probably had a permanent race track as far back as 1690.
The first grandstand was built in 1767
The mile and a half circuit located on the historic Westwood is ideal for the flat racing.
The Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire Pudding Handicap Stakes will take place at the evening meeting on 1st July 2011

Hospitals and Hospitallers

In the early 13th century the Knights Hospitallers came to Beverley
The mayor and aldermen built a hospital in 1740 endowed with money from Ann Routh and Chris Moor for the maintenance of 12 poor church going widows.
Wharton’s hospital was endowed before 1712

Ann Routh’s Hospital.

Timeline for Beverley History

Beverley Church of St Mary’s

Folk Festival Abroad

Posted in Villages, Towns and Cities, Yorkshire Facts - Interesting and Unusual | 3 Comments

Pronounce on Keighley

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Hortoris

What can you say about a town who’s tourist brochure is called ‘See Keighley in 45 Minutes’.
Well it covers 26 town centre sites but I get ahead of myself.

How do you say Keighley

Pronunciation is not a strong point for many off cumdens
Keighley must rank as one of Yorkshires most erroneously pronounce place names
Say after me ‘Keeth Lea’ pronounces Keighley
A confused American was discussing pronunciation with a local over breakfast….’ now chap can you tell me how to say where we are, but say it very slowly so I can remember the pronunciation’ and the local says ‘B..U..R..G..E..R K..I..N..G’

Keighley In History

The town is at the meeting point of two important rivers The Worth and The Aire and hence it is in Airedale.
The name means farm in a clearing and Keighley was included in the Doomsday Book as an area under cultivation of about 700 acres. It was recorded under the spelling Cichhelai
East Riddlesden Hall was built around 1650 but also contains a priest hole from a century earlier and a large medieval tithebarn. It is now open to the public by the National Trust.
Cliffe Castle is a Victorian, neo-Gothic edifice that now contains a museum. The building is set in a park with views across the Airevalley towards Ilkley and Steeton
Much of the towns wealth over the centuries has derived from wool and the textile trade. Until recently it was a major center for textile machinery.
The well maintained and renovated Steam Railway, ‘Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’ starts or finishes in Keighley and runs to Oxenhope via Ingrow and Haworth.

Modern Keighley

Keighley was the setting for the film Blow Dry starring Josh Hartnett, Warren Clarke, Alan Rickman, and Bill Nighy. Blow Dry opens with the announcement that the small town of Keighley will host the year 2000 British Hair Championships.
When researching this article I intended focusing on the local pop concert called ‘Aire Do’. Now I wonder if the film provided the inspiration for the title of Keighley’s Glastonbury tribute. Talking of tributes two of the bands appearing in 2011 are ‘Quo Incidence’ and Stayed as Quo. Next year visitors may be Bogus Quo, Taste of Quo, or Shameless Quo.

Keighley Town Center organised the 45 minute brochure which is actually about a decent strolling route around the town. I popped into a coffee shop half way round but should have visited one of the many pubs selling local Timothy Taylors beer. If it is good enough for Yorkshire folk it is good enough for Madonna.

For the views of others read You’re welcome to Keighley

Posted in Villages, Towns and Cities, Wit and Humour | 2 Comments

Barnsley Born and Bred

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Hortoris

Markets were first established in Barnsley by Royal Charter in 1249. ( That is the year not nearly ten too one in the afternoon) The current markets in the local areas provide ‘quality products at bargain prices’. Small and casual traders can take space for a reasonable cost.

Goldthorpe Market every Monday (second hand), Tuesday and Saturday
Hoyland Market every Tuesday and Saturday, Thursday (second hand),
Wombwell Market every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
Penistone Market every Thursday
Barnsley Market Hall and Meat and Fish Markets every day except Thursday and Sunday,
Open Market Held every Tuesday (second hand and collectors), Wednesday, Friday and Saturday,
Car Boot Every Sunday 7:00am to 1:00pm

Tourism in Barnsley is still an unknown quantity with the Tourist Office closing on Saturday and Sunday but go figure. Still the greatest asset is the local people so go into Pub for a good listen if not chat. Alternatively see the links below for information on local attractions.

Cannon_Hall_Museum_Park_and_Gardens

Elsecar_Heritage_Centre

Cooper_Gallery

Worsbrough_Mill_and_Country_Park

Brilliant Book on Barnsley Born and Bred Boys and Blokes by Brian buyable by Barclaycard

Well I’ll go to t’foot of our stairs – we had a little dog we called Grieg after t’composer.
‘Did it like classical music or summat?’
‘No it used to pee agin t’suite’.

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work, Villages, Towns and Cities | Tagged Biography | Comments Off