Regency Halifax

My friend Prudence Bebb, with whom I taught many years ago now, at Howden School, has recently published the latest in her acclaimed series of books on towns in Regency Yorkshire.

This volume, Regency Halifax,  deals with the woollen town of Halifax in Regency times. It looks at the lives of the people from  John Greenwood and Michael Pickles who were hanged for theft to  the Rawson family who were eminent bankers. The Rawson  family home and bank still exists in Halifax, now restored as Somerset House and available for weddings.

Prue  has already written about Regency York, Poppleton, Harrogate, Scarborough, Whitby, Beverley and Bridlington. This latest addition to the series is beautifully produced and contains several colour pictures.

An old photo of Whitgift cricket team

I have countless old pictures, many of them old press pictures but others lovely old pictures which people have given me over the years. The biggest problem however is that many of them have no names. At the time everyone knew who was in the photograph and what the occasion was. But no - one thought to write this information on the back.

So here is a picture of a cricket team. On the back is written T Halkon, Whitgift.  Does anyone recognise any of these players, or where the picture could be taken. I know it is a long shot but someone may have this very same picture with all the names on!!

Eastrington church

Now back from holiday and the temptation of the Hay on Wye bookshops I have plenty to do. The garden is becoming overgrown with all the rain although not as much fell here as at Goole where there was severe flooding.

We are eating green beans and courgettes at every meal and the poor damson tree has been pulled down by the weight of fruit. Unfortunately the damsons are not really ready and so I am leaving the tree alone and then will prune it after picking the crop.

I am busy now writing my fourth book on the Pictorial History of Goole and hope to have it ready  by autumn - lots of work to do but it is very interesting to write.

The exhibition at the Beverley Treasure House by the Victoria County History will feature three boards of my old photographs about Howden, Eastrington and Newport. It opens on 17th September, the same day as the local history book fair. I am having a stand there so will be able to sneak along and listen to comments on the exhibition!!

I am looking forward to the afternoon of Wednesday 31st August when I am giving a talk to a group made up of the Howden U3A and my WEA students at Eastrington church. This is my 'home' church where my family have worshipped since at least 1680 so I always enjoy sharing it with others.