February 2011

Your letters

Female fire heroes

I was interested to read about the National Fire Service (NFS) truck (Nov) which reminded me of a tragic event which happened in World War Two.

In February 1943 my aunt, Sybil Young, was waiting at a bus stop in Winchester with two colleagues prior to going on duty with the NFS. A German raider, running for home, jettisoned his last bomb which landed nearby, killing the three girls instantly. I understand that that was the only bomb dropped on the city.

Afterwards, three memorial cherry trees were planted in the nearby churchyard; two survive today. Many years later a memorial was erected in Paternoster Square, outside St Paul’s, in tribute to the firewomen of the NFS who were killed by enemy action; Sybil’s name is the last on the plaque.

On a lighter note, I have noticed that a K2 fire truck has been standing at the bottom of someone’s garden in my village, possibly awaiting restoration?

Miles Rhodes, Northampton

Reunited in Ingleton

I was very interested in the article ‘Those Who Left The Dales’ (Oct). I think it was during 1933-1935, when a farmer named Bill Burrow and his family, furniture, farm equipment, and some animals, boarded a train from Ingleton to Liphook, Hampshire, then to a farm in West Sussex near Fernhurst. Three of the children then went to the same school as my wife and me.

About twenty-five years later they moved again to a farm at Sidlesham near Bognor on the south coast. In the meantime Henry and Marjorie, the two oldest children, had returned to Yorkshire.
In 1973 when I was on holiday in Hawes, we travelled to Ingleton where I went to the barber’s. The barber said, “You don’t come from this area do you?”

“No, West Sussex,” I said.

“Oh,” he replied, “We had a farmer who moved to Sussex some time ago.”

“Yes,” said I, “I went to school with two of his sons.”

He then said four farmers moved out at the same time, then four years later they all came back the same weekend on holiday and landed up here. The barber shut the shop and let them talk it out.

J Newman, Tadcaster

Saved by Scarth Nick Ghost

Recent inclement weather has reminded me once again of the ‘great snow’ which started on 21 January 1947.

I was eight at the time and living with my gran and granddad at Fag Dale – Home Farm at Potto Hall. Gran had given me a penny to go to the blind shop at Potto to get some sweets, when on my way back, about half a mile from the farm, I looked towards Scarth Nick on the hillside above Swainby, and saw a very bright light coming towards me.

All of a sudden the snow descended to such a degree that being only a small lad, I found that I could not walk and the snow was beginning to bury me. The bright light descended upon me… the next thing I can recall is sitting in a hot mustard bath in front of the range, being revived by Gran.

Later on, living up Scugdale in Chapel House, and attending Swainby Parochial School, I heard the rumours of the Scarth Nick Ghost, but never did find the origins of these stories or what they meant.
Then, when I was about ten, coming down Scarth Nick on my rickety bicycle, the brakes failed on the steep decline with the sharp left hand bend and I was thrown into the air and landed on a narrow ledge of moss above the Nick. On getting to my feet I found the bicycle at the side of me was not damaged and I did not suffer any injury whatsoever.

Hence I believe that the Scarth Nick Ghost had saved me on these two occasions.

In later life I have done some limited research and discovered that near the top of Scarth Nick a monastery was once founded, I think, by the Black Monks. I wonder if any other readers have any information about Scarth Nick?

Tony Grierson, Ardsley

War memories

I found Phil Penfold’s article ‘The North’s Blitz Spirit’ (Nov) exceedingly interesting.

Mention of the last raid on Hull on 12 August 1944 brought back memories. On that night I was at RAF Driffield and had no knowledge of a raid being so close. I was a fifteen-year-old Air Training Corps cadet there for a week’s camp and watched the Halifax bombers take off on a bombing raid. 466 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force was based there and also 462 Squadron re-formed there on that day.

Mention of no less than six George medals for bravery being awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry on raids on Sheffield in December 1940 reminds me that a relative was one of the recipients. He was Harold Collett ‘Gas Manager’. I understand he entered the gasworks during a raid and turned off certain important valves. A granddaughter of his lives in Dorset and another in Canberra.

Olaf Varley, South Australia

A modest poet

In his article about the Reindeer pub (Dec) Phil Penfold refers to the “anonymously written piece called A visit From Saint Nicholas”. This poem was written by Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) in 1822.

He was a reticent man and it is believed that a family friend, Miss H Butler, sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel who published it. The condition of publication was that the author of ’Twas the night before Christmas was to remain anonymous.

The first publication date was 23 December 1823 and it was an immediate success. It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry.

Steve Willimott, Scawsby

Strange old name

I was interested in the article about Guiseley Brass Band (Dec) and their long-standing musical director Ron Whybert Stevenson.

I also have the middle name of Wybert albeit spelt slightly differently. This name has been in the Birtle family for several generations with the only exception being my late father, Tom. On his birth certificate the registrar seemingly took pity on him, with Wybert being scratched out and replaced by William!

My daughter Zoe has told me of a Wybert who is a minor character in the True Blood series of books written by Charlaine Harris. Wybert is a vampire who comes to a sticky end. I wonder if any readers know the origins of the name, which has to be one of the more unusual names that you can be saddled with.

Martin Wybert Birtle, Billingham

A proud niece

I write regarding ‘Wensleydale’s Dunkirk veterans’ (Nov) and especially the photo of the standard being laid up in the church at Spennithorne.

Pictured standing between David Evans and Ron Dando was my uncle Len Sisson, 7th Battalion Green Howards, now deceased. He escaped Dunkirk only to be captured by the Italians at Tobruk. He was a prisoner of war in Lucca, north Italy, and he was then taken to Germany where he remained at several different camps until freed in early 1945.

At his funeral a guard of honour stood as his coffin left the church at Middleham.

I was so thrilled to see his picture in your magazine but alas no other members of my family are alive now to share this.

Mrs M McNamee, Stockon-on-Tees

Can you help?

Many years ago archaeologists unearthed a floor mosaic in a Roman villa at East Harpham in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

It depicts a maze and I have reproduced it on six by six inch (150 mm) tiles. I intended the central goal to be a representation of a Yorkshire Rose, but so far I have been unable to find a copy on the same-sized tile. If a reader knows of a farm which supplies one I would be very grateful if they would get in touch.

John Wall, Kirkbymoorside

Reading ‘Rail Disaster Remembered’ (Dec) reminded me of a poem written by John Thwaite of Hawes about the disaster on Aisgill Summit.

I cannot remember some of the poem, but it begins as follows;

Twas midnight at St Pancras
and the Scotsman was due away
With her happy load of passengers
round North for Christmas Day.
Chatting like this they looked forward
to meet friends who await their return
Ower the border in bonny Scotland
the land of the brae and the burn.

I would really appreciate a copy of the full poem.

Roma Dinsdale, Richmond

My wife and I have been fortunate to be given an original painting (oil/acrylic?) of Arncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales.

This came down to our son-in-law from his late mother and we are delighted to look after it for him as we have family links with Yorkshire.

The artist is clearly identified as John Dean, but we have been unable to discover more about him or his work. Can anyone comment?

Ron Kennett, Greenbanks, Toms Hill Road, Aldbury, Hertfordshire HP23 5SA

I took this photograph on the moor above Kepwick, near Thirsk. Although it’s not very clear, the stone is upright.

Can anyone perhaps tell me what the carving denotes – is it an old drovers sign to tell them something as they went about their travels?



Carol Chowns, by email

Family Quest

I am tracing my husband’s family tree and have discovered that his maternal great-grandfather was a Rawling Bosomworth who was christened in Felixkirk on 1 April 1830 and married a Charlotte Thompson in Helmsley in 1852.

I wonder if any readers belong to this family and might have family photographs or stories that they would share?

Wendy Calow, by email


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