October 2011

Your letters

Mum’s special day

Today has been a wonderful day.

Through your magazine and the kindness of a man called Richard Freeman, my eighty-one-year-old mother found out that the Shipley Glen tramway was still operational and was able to travel on it for the first time in over seventy years.

My Mum is Jo (Ethel) Warwick (née Luty). She was born and bred in Bradford but moved south in the war to join the Women’s Land Army. She met my dad and never came back, even when he passed away in 1978.

She wrote to Dalesman, asking if the tramway was still operational, and was put in touch with Richard Freeman, who is a trustee of the Shipley Glen Railway. He spoke with her and as a result we drove up from London to visit the tramway. Richard was lovely, as was everyone else there.

The tramway was just as Mum remembered it from the 1930s. She was treated like a VIP and felt so special and happy to revisit her childhood memories. What do you give to someone in their eighties to make them happy? This was definitely the answer in Mum’s case.
Thank you Dalesman and Richard for allowing Mum back to relive happy times.

Jill Warwick, by email

Green men & tiny churches

Regarding the piece on Upleatham Church by Gerald Atkins, July. It is always very difficult to make claims like England’s smallest house, pub, church, etc, but I too was brought up to believe that Upleatham held the ecclesiastical record.

I attach a picture (below) of an envelope cover posted in the church in 1966 whereon both the envelope and the church stamp make the proud claim.

I must also comment on Phil Penfold’s article about the Green Man, August.

The face looking out from the middle of the Mildenhall Hoard silver plate in the British Museum is not that of a Green Man. This plate’s alternative name is the Oceanus Plate, and it is the face of the sea god Oceanus that is there.

His hair is waving seaweed and there are dolphins springing out of the weed. He is at best a marine cousin of our Green Man. Some of the best Green Men in the country are to be found in Southwell Minster.

C David Gibbons, Skipton

Amy’s airport

Phil Penfold’s interesting article on the Green Man pub name (August) ends by taking a pop at the operators of ‘Doncaster Airport’ for naming their pub after Amy Johnson, who has “nowt” to do with Doncaster.

I’m afraid Phil hasn’t done all his homework. The (admittedly clunky) name of the airport is ‘Robin Hood International, Sheffield Doncaster’. Amy Johnson was a graduate of the University of Sheffield.

If it was a choice between a probably mythical figure who not everyone believes came from Yorkshire, and a pioneer woman flyer with a real connection with the area, maybe it’s not surprising they went for Amy, wonderful Amy.

Valerie Bayliss, Sheffield

Family quest

I have been researching the Hudson family tree and have come to a full stop with Christopher Hudson 1803-1865.

He lived and worked in the East Marton, Elslack, Broughton, Carlton areas and latterly in Skipton where he died and is buried in Christ Church graveyard.

Based on christening records of his children from Broughton Church he had numerous occupations ie. agricultural worker, husbandsman, carter, miller, labourer and finally a delivery man for the railway. However, I cannot ascertain Christopher’s parentage.

If any readers can help me I would be pleased to meet them.

Philip Hudson, 11 Greencliffe Ave, Baildon, Shipley BD17 5AF. Tel: 01274 591467.

The Dalesman website contains a comprehensive alphabetical section on people searching for their Yorkshire roots. Please visit www.dalesman.co.uk.

Can you help?

Jean Haffner has a signature cloth with over 100 signatures from the Girls Friendly Society sent to her via a friend in Australia. The cloth contains the name ‘Wath’ but she is not sure which Wath it is. The date on the cloth is 1911– anyone who has any information about the Girls Friendly Society can ring Jean Haffner on 01282 430318. The Society is still running and is based in London.

Mystery church located

It was with great interest that I read the feature on St Andrew’s Church, Upleatham (July).

I have a paperweight, acquired by my late father in about 1910, showing the church. My father was born in Horsforth in 1896 and was a member of the Church Lad’s Brigade. The souvenir was brought back from summer camp for his parents.

His name was Harry Riley and he kept the item in his desk. He would show it to my brother John and me from time to time and describe it as the smallest church in England. I’m sure that he must have told us where it is situated but in our youth we forgot what he said.

I have often wondered about the church’s location and even made enquiries to the ecclesiastical people in York. I shall treasure the article and keep it alongside the paperweight.

The only change between the two pictures seems to be the overhanging trees in your picture and the extensive growth of ivy on the roof in mine.

Many thanks to Gerald Atkins.

Richard Riley, Shepley

Fictional map based on Dale

Regarding July and September editions referring to Thomas Armstrong.

North Yorkshire County Record Office (www.northyorks.gov.uk/archives) holds the original manuscripts of Adam Brunskill and King Cotton along with fictional maps that Thomas Armstrong made in conjunction with the two novels.

The map for Adam Brunskill, not surprisingly, bears a strong resemblance to Swaledale, whereas the map for King Cotton is based on Liverpool.

I know this because before retirement I was the conservator at the record office in Northallerton and was instrumental in making sure the Thomas Armstrong archive was put in a safe state of preservation for the future.

Stephen Allen, by email

Old origins disappearing

I read with interest the Dalesman’s Diary piece, What’s Your Riding (September).

I like to get postal addresses correct and use the Royal Mail website to confirm addresses and postcodes. My experience is that the county is not a requirement when sending anything via Royal Mail. Addresses found on their website list the postal town in uppercase but do not show county.

I would prefer to have my county and riding included in my address.

I was born in Middlesbrough in 1950 and regard myself as a Yorkshireman, although my surname may suggest otherwise.

Paul Ming, Fylingthorpe

Alderson all the way

Thank you for mentioning the Alderson Family History Society in the August Dalesman (Yorkshire surnames).

We have about 290 members worldwide (not 5,000) and we are always pleased to welcome new members who are researching their Alderson ancestors. Further information about the society and how to join can be found at www.afhs.org.

Yvonne Alderson, by email

The centre of the county

Regarding the possible centre of Yorkshire (Dalesman’s Diary, August).

My husband and his brother were reared at Wall Close, a farm on the Allerton estate, to the east of Knaresborough. On the west side of the A1 was Primrose Hill which they used to sledge down, taking care not to shoot out on to the A1. Mind you, it must have been less busy in those days because they biked to primary school at Arkendale along the A1.

On a copy of the 1577 Saxton’s map of Yorkshire this hill is clearly marked and looks just about central. It is now levelled and under the A1.

June Hall, Helperby

Ian’s started something

May I be permitted to make a few observations on Ian McMillan?

It has taken a long time for me to accept that someone with a name like that could in fact be a Yorkshireman, which he undoubtedly is.

When I get my magazine each month, after reading the editor’s exposition to the world I next turn to Ian’s column.

July’s offering is to my wife and I all that is essential in understanding the nature of the beasts (male and female).

As to the peak caps (August) my plan is to introduce it to the USA to take revenge on the matter of England cricket captains appearing on TV wearing the sponsor’s baseball cap (Urgh). What’s so wrong with a traditional cricket cap?

Shortly I will start preparing our Sunday dinner where rest assured the entree will be Yorksire puddings with lashings of gravy. Personally, I have a big big decision to make today: whether my meal will be accompanied by Theakstons Old Peculier or Samuel Smith’s Real Organic Ale. Decisions decisions.

Roy Hepworth, Bristol

Sudden floods

The first two letters in the July issue reminded me of the harvest camps my parents organised for children at Whitby Grammar School, of which my father was headmaster, during World War II. The group camped on the Batts below Sleningford Mill by the River Ure near Tanfield. There was a wonderful swimming place there with a sandy beach on one side and overhanging trees on the far bank.

We were well aware of the dangers of sudden floods and on one particular sunny afternoon knew that one would be on its way and kept a sharp lookout.

The swim ended and I walked back upstream to our caravan. I then realised that the river was becoming turbulent. I ran back to the swimming place, where all was still calm, and then watched as the rapids began to froth and, shortly after, the river was in a major flood.

I believe that an item in the Dalesman some time ago suggested the floods had become much worse as a result of extensive drainage ditches being added high in the Dales.

John Davis, Helston, Cornwall

Old construction methods

You might be interested in this photo (below) of an unusual wooden garden gate on my allotment at Bingley. 

I believe it was constructed about 1920 and is dowelled with the only metal being the hinges and bolts.

Keith Harkiss, Cottingley

A good local drink

The Ilkley Brewery story (August) reminded me of this advert (below) in a copy I have of Upper & Lower Wharfedale by Fred Cobley, published by Wm Walker & sons in 1888. The price per dozen is certainly interesting.

Mike Titterington, Melbourne, Australia, formerly of Ilkley

Holidaying in the Dales

My wife and I were married in 1962 and we hired a Triumph Razoredge saloon and toured the Yorkshire Dales.

Ever since then we have made sure we spend one week each year in the Dales, we never go abroad because we love the UK.

I think my reason for loving the Dales so much is because I spent my two years National Service in Catterick Camp, and liked being so close to the lovely town of Richmond.

I always read your magazine but I can’t ever remember seeing any pictures of Catterick Camp taken during the 1950s.

Mr G E Waters, Liverpool