Howden history book launch

We spent yesterday in the Shire Hall at Howden , meeting people and selling copies of my new book about the history of Howden ('Howden, a Pictorial History').

Friday is when Howden has a small market and so we set up our display of old photos and artefacts amongst stalls selling clothing and handmade crafts. There is also a regular coffee morning in the hall and so while signing books we were able to have coffee and toasted teacakes.

I am very pleased with the book. Broadleys of Goole who have printed it have done an excellent job of reproducing the old photos which are all clear and sharp. There is also quite a lot of text which I hope is informative and interesting.

I have been researching the local history of Howden for some 40 years and people have loaned me many beautiful pictures to copy as well as sharing their memories. It was lovely to meet so many of them yesterday.

My book is now available to buy in Chappelows' newsagents in Howden and Goole  or through my website Howdenshire History at a cost of £10.50.

I am hoping for a peaceful weekend, nursing my cold and sitting over a log fire.

Launch of Howden, a Pictorial History in Howden Shire Hall

Howden book launch - Friday November 23rd

It is a lovely sunny November weekend and I have been out with Molly having a bonfire of hedge clippings and old cardboard boxes. Molly has enjoyed snuffling in the undergrowth in the wood and I have been collecting fallen twigs to bring in to dry. They make good firelighters for both the Rayburn and the front room fire.

I have now fixed a date to launch my book about Howden. I have booked a table in the Shire Hall for Friday 23rd November from 9 am  (there is a market in Howden on Fridays) and am going sit behind it,  sign my books and hopefully meet lots of old friends and make new ones!! There will be an exhibition of old local photos and objects as well as refreshments available.

I am selling my books that day at £10 a copy - the normal price will be £10.50. I hope readers will enjoy it - I have enjoyed writing it. Many people have shared information and photographs with me and although like any author I am always a bit nervous about possible mistakes I am looking forward to sharing what I have written with a wider audience.

It seems appropriate to launch it actually inside the building which is shown on the front cover - see my previous blog post for the front cover picture.

Back cover of my Howden history book 

Goole family history day and new Howden book

Just a reminder that there is a family history day in Goole library on Saturday 3rd November from 10am to 4pm. I shall be there, as will the Boothferry History group, the Goole First World War research group, the Marshland history Group and, I think, the Isle of Axholme family history society.

We all have lots of indexes and information and will try to help anyone who needs help with their family history.

I am relieved this week to have taken my new book on Howden to the printers. I hope to have it on sale by mid November.

In 1994 I wrote a book on the history of Howden [ Howden an East Riding Market Town] with my fellow local historian Ken Powls. This book told the story of Howden from its earliest beginnings to 1900. It has long been out of print and so I decided to continue the story into the twentieth century.

This new book is a pictorial history of the town and contains 88 pages of old photographs as well as a detailed text describing how Howden developed from late Victorian times.

I have been lucky to talk to many local people who have both loaned me pictures and shared their memories.

Now I can perhaps spend a bit of time in the garden before it gets too cold. The leaves are coming down fast and our lawn is a beautiful orange carpet. There are far too many to collect and so I shall just enjoy looking at them.

Front cover of new history book about Howden

East Cowick church book

Recently published is a fascinating booklet on the history of Holy Trinity church, East Cowick. Written by local historian Ken Sayner [for the Snaith and District Historical Society] the beautifully produced A4 booklet is entitled A Walk around Holy Trinity Church East Cowick.

The foundation stone for the church was laid in 1853 at the same time as the stones for churches at Hensall and Pollington. All three churches were designed by architect William Butterfield.

While the Cowick church was being built  church services, including baptisms took place in a room in nearby Cowick Hall. There is a list of these baptisms in the book.

There is also a lot of detail about the clergy and other families involved with the church as well as details of those local men who have been lost as a result of war; not only the world wars but also the conflict in Northern Ireland and the war in Iraq.

One of the families who were long associated with the church was the Clark family who were solicitors in Snaith. Sadly the plaque recording the dedication of the lychgate to Miss Frederica Louisa Clark in 1938 was recently stolen, presumably for its scrap value.

The proceeds of the sales from this booklet will be used to replace the plaque.

Copies of the booklet are available from Ken Sayner at 8, Walnut Crescent, Snaith at a cost of £6. [plus £1.50 p and p].

Below is a page from the booklet showing the church interior and some of the stained glass.

Inside East Cowick church

Beverley local history book fair

It has been a busy week for local history. On Wednesday I attended the Howden Civic Society awards evening. The room was full as Mike Smith presented Tom Asquith awards to Howden Junior school pupils who had made superb pencil drawings of Howden's heritage.

The head teacher of the school then explained to us how the school was celebrating its  centenary in  2013 - previously I had always believed the date to be 1912, but this was when the school was being built and it did not open until April 7th 2013. She asked for our help to gather photos and memories for an exhibition. Can you help? Please do get in touch if you can.

On Friday I gave a presentation at Newport Wesleyan chapel to celebrate its opening in May 1812. I began by playing the 1812 overture and explaining how Europe was at war whilst in Newport they were peacefully opening their new and impressive chapel. I showed pictures of many of the 48 villages who had had grazing rights on the old Wallingfen Common before it was drained and the settlement which became Newport grew up where the road crossed the new canal.

I always enjoy giving talks at such community events as the atmosphere is so friendly and I often learn a lot from listening to the audience.

Don't forget that October 20th 2012 is the local and family history book fair at Beverley in the Treasure House. I shall be there with the Gilberdyke Local History stall. If you are coming and have any particular photograph requests then please do let me know in advance (you can contact me through my website) and I can have a look for you:

howdenshirehistory.co.uk

I have hundreds of old photos of the East Yorkshire, Howdenshire and Goole areas - most of which haven't made it onto my website so do ask. There will also be our Gilberdyke Remembered book on sale and my books on Eastrington and Goole.

Do come and say hello.

Howden tomatoes and grapes

While researching material for my book on Howden I often become distracted and spend much longer than necessary following up ideas.

One such distraction this week has been market gardening around the town. There was a lot of soft fruit grown which was transported by rail to the fruit markets of Hull, Leeds and sometimes London. Apparently Howden was a good plum growing area.

But most interestingly I have been reading and talking about the grape growing industry. There were grapes grown in hot houses in all the large houses such as Howden Hall, Sandhall and Knedlington Manor but in the later nineteenth century commercial vineries were established.

Mr Henry Holmes Moore is credited with beginning this - his vineries were down Hailgate. But soon afterwards Mr George Henry Shaw built grape greenhouses at the end of St John St. I have seen a lovely picture of a wedding reception held in the greenhouses where the tables are laid out under the vines which are bearing huge bunches of grapes.

An area of new housing in Howden has been named The Vinery but as yet I have not found that grape growing took place on the site [do get in touch if you know differently]. It lies off Kensington Gardens where I know that tomatoes were grown.

Howden Tomatoes were famed throughout Yorkshire and travellers from the West Riding to Bridlington and the coast would often stop and buy them on their way home. I recently sampled a Clibran's Victory tomato - grown from an original Howden tomato seed. Its taste was delicious and I could understand why they were so popular.

Charles Briggs of Howden

I am researching details for a book I am writing about Howden. It is some years since I wrote a history of Howden with Ken Powls. The book was very popular but is now out of print. So I am now writing a pictorial history  (probably in several short volumes as I have done for Goole) which will include both pictures and text.

Whilst writing about the Ashes Playing Field which, along with the Manor House was given to the people of Howden by Charles Briggs in 1927 I came across an article about Charles Briggs' will which I thought was interesting. It appeared in the Hull Daily Mail in 1950:



"£2,000 FOR 'SUFFERING MIDDLE CLASS': £12,000 LEGACY FOR POOR REVOKED

Charles Briggs, of Howden, who left £75,933 (£75,612 net), said in his will, published today, "In a previous will now revoked I had provided a legacy of £12,000 to establish and endow six rest houses for the poor of Howden. Since then the various trade unions have caused a general unrest among the working class and, in consequence, I have thought it necessary to provide for more deserving persons than the misguided working class.

"I consider that by taxation to meet the unemployment, old-age pensions and assistance from Government in these ways I have already contributed sufficient to a trade union-ridden class, whose extravagant demands for higher wages, shorter hours and restricted output, and unwillingness to work overtime, has resulted in withdrawal of my sympathy from them to the suffering and neglected middle class, who are so deservedly looked after by the said Royal United Kingdom Beneficent Association."

 Mr Briggs. a benefactor to Howden, died at Bournemouth in February, aged 86. Probate of his will has been granted to Gerald R. H. Wright, of Homeland, Greyfriars-crescent. Beverley and Charles A. C. Wilkinson, of Wakefield. He left £400 to Charles A. C. Wilkinson, and the residue upon trust for his wife for life and then:

 Two thousand pounds to the Royal UK Beneficent Association, to found the "Charles Briggs Annuity," to show my sympathy for the suffering middle class as present - day legislation only tends to ease the lot of the worker, and entirely overlooks the condition of the class that is eligible for assistance from this excellent association.

 £8,000 to York Diocesan Board Finance upon trust to pay the income to the curate for the time being of the parish of Howden. or to any existing stipend fund of the said parish.
 £275 upon trust to pay the income between  the bellringers of Howden Parish Church as a Christmas honorarium,
 £165 to the parochial church council on condition various family graves are maintained, and £165 towards the general maintenance of the churchyard.

 He desired that a tablet commemorating all his and his wife's benefactions to the church and town of Howden be erected on the wall of St. Peter's Church, Howden.

 He left £100 to Richard Tiplady, whether or not still employed as groundsman at the Ashes Playing Field, Howden, "to mark my appreciation of the interest he has always shown in my playing field scheme."

Other bequests included: £500 to Hull Guild of Poor Brave Things; £300 each to Dr Barnardo's Homes, and the NSPCC; £250 to the Yorkshire Home for Incurables, Harrogate; £150 to Leeds Children's Holiday Camp Fund; £3,000 if a spinster, £500, if not, each Janet, Evelyne, Ethel and Hilda, daughters of the late Henry Green, solicitor, of Howden; £50 to Mrs Jane Loving, of  Bridport, Dorset; £5.000, if a spinster or widow, otherwise £1,000, to his wife's niece. Neta: £1,000 to Gerald Wright, and £1,000 upon trust for Mrs Edith Wright and then to her son, Gerald Wright: £1,500 upon trust for Laura Wright for life and then for her sons, William and Ruby, and £550 each to them.
 Other legacies, and one fourth the remainder to Ashes Playing Field, Howden, upon trust for the maintenance of the 16 acres of recreation field, which he had given to Howden, and three fourths to the vicar and churchwardens of Howden, to one part for the church fabric fund, providing a memorial tablet  which has been or will be erected to the memory of Rev William Hutchinson. MA (vicar there from 1862- 1902), and two parts for the assistant curate fund."

R38 airship book

My friend Ken Deacon of Howden has just published a novel based on the crash of the R38 airship in 1921.

 The airship, which was crewed by both American and British servicemen, was on a trial flight before flying to America. Unfortunately while carrying out a tight turn over the Humber off Victoria Pier in Hull she broke in two and most of the crew were lost.

Ken's book [available from him direct on kenneth.deacon@sky.com  ] tells the story of a Goole girl who, having lived through the Zeppelin attack on Goole in 1915, gets a job on the Howden airship station where the R38 was based and meets a young American flyer.

 Their story, entitled My American Sky Sailor ends with the crash but you will have to read the book to find out what happens to the young lovers.

Eastrington memories

I often write about the history of Goole or Howden but I was brought up in Eastrington where my mother's family (the Nurses) have lived  since the seventeenth century. I wrote a book about the village a couple of years ago (Eastrington, an East Riding Village) which had taken me perhaps 30 years to research and write. The problem was that there was always something new to find out but I finally decided enough was enough and published.

Since then I have sold almost 700 copies (there are still plenty left!) and have met, either in person or over the internet, many people with Eastrington connections. Some are descended from those who emigrated to Canada in the 1830s, a few from the criminals who were transported to Australia, but many are people who were born in Eastrington, often went to school there and then settled elsewhere in the UK.

Eastrington is still a rural community where most people know their neighbours. It has a school, a beautiful old church, a shop and post office, a pub, a garage and a village hall.

I attended the village school (the old one) where I was taught by Mrs White, Mrs Leadill and Mr Thomas. I went regularly to St Michael's church and remember when Rev. Maurice Clarke was the vicar. My ancestors are commemorated on the walls and in the churchyard and I always feel at home there.

I went to buy kali and sherbert from the village shop run by Joan Dove, a childhood friend of my mother's and sometimes went to the other shop run by the Holland family. In my childhood too there were Lilleys' and Holmes' butchers where you could buy pork pies and sausages.

I went to buy stamps from the village post office run by Arnold Hoggard but never went in the Black Swan. My father did sometimes and would bring us home a packet of crisps but the pub was not then for families.

I remember the old garage being built by George Benson and going there a lot when my friend Susan  lived there and Joe Kendrick ran it. Now there is a new garage run by Kevin Stevens where my car goes for its all too frequent repairs.

The village hall too is new - there is now a house built where the old one stood and where we had Sunday school parties, blind sales  and agricultural show dances.

Do add your memories in the comments box below.

Richard Cooper Street, Goole

My new book about the history of Goole seems to be going well - I think that quite a few are being bought as Xmas presents.

I have had quite a lot of interest in the pictures of the Richard Cooper Street coronation street party which appears on the front cover and, with another one, inside. It was then a very close community and it is very sad that both Richard Cooper Street and Phoenix Street are now demolished.

I had several Richard Cooper Street pictures to choose from. Here is one I did not use and wonder if anyone would like to identify the children shown here. I think it also dates from 1953.

Although it was identified to me as Richard Cooper Street, there is a chance that it is not and so I would be very grateful to know.

Richard Cooper Street party picture

New Goole history book

This afternoon I have collected copies of my new book about the history of Goole from Broadleys, the local printers. I am very pleased with how the book looks and hope now that people will buy it. Shaun Chappelow has taken several boxes to  the family newsagents shops in Goole and Howden where they will be on sale from tomorrow.

Although I have finished this book, lots more fascinating old pictures of Goole keep coming to light.  Perhaps I shall have to begin another soon.

We have been looking at some of them in my local history class and never fail to find something interesting on them to talk about.  Many of the pictures are unnamed and we spend a lot of time trying to work out who everybody is. Goole is still quite a tight knit community and usually we find someone who can help.

Here is a picture of the staff at Herons' mill on Hook Road in Goole.

The staff of Herons Mill, Goole.

I am adding some information to this post on December 3rd. I have received a letter from Josephine who has managed to name nearly all the people on the above photo. They are  as follows:

Back, from left: Alan Marshall, unknown, Phylis Sharp, June Mathias, Jean Naylor, Hannah Ogleby, Ellen Coggon, Minnie Cook, Agnes Thompson, Charlie Turton, Sheila Harvey, Margaret Charlesworth, Maurice Clarkson, George Gott, Mrs Gott, Elsie Mell, Madeleine Guest.

Front: Florrie Smith, Mary Roes, Margaret Guest, Rene Baxter, Biddie Taylor, Muriel Clare, Eileen Smith, Tom Howdell, Elsie,Blackwell, Dinah Dixon, Dorothy Abram, Ester Nichols, Roy Heron, Mary Brigham, Madge Whiteley, Margaret Moss, Olga Coolledge, unknown, Theresa Whitehead.

She believes the photo may have been taken in the late 60s. If you know more or can provide the two missing names please let me know.

Hallowe'en notes

I am writing this entry on Hallowe'en although where I live we do not have trick or treaters as it is quite remote. When I was a child we did not celebrate Hallowe'en at all. The big night was Bonfire Night but the night before was Mischief Night when children did just that. They swapped people's gates round and rang doorbells. Nothing too serious and most people took it in good part as they had done the same in their childhood.

I was very upset on Saturday morning when I went to feed my pair of little bantams and found that the fox had torn his way in through the wooden back of their ark and they were gone, leaving just a few feathers. I had had them about three years and had thought they were safe as they were in an enclosed pen and wooden hut.

I have been working on my website and have added a page about my new book, Goole, a Pictorial History Vol. 4.

I have also added some new pictures onto my old photo pages.

Molly is still growing and learning! She comes back most of the time when I whistle but is sometimes distracted by all the lovely smells. Also she does not seem to have grasped the idea that the clocks have gone back an hour. No lie in on Sunday for me.

Goole, a Pictorial History, volume 4

Today I have sent my last correction to the printer and now all I have to do is wait for my book to become a reality. I have been working on it for several months and so am suffering withdrawal symptoms as I have now nothing more to do.

It is the fourth book that I have written about the history of Goole, telling the story of the town through pictures. This volume roughly covers the 1940s and includes some 80 old photographs  as well as a lot of contemporary reminiscences about life in Goole.

The book should be ready for sale by the first week in November. It will be available from Chappelows newsagents in Goole and I also hope to sell signed copies at Goole library on 12th November when there is a family history day.

It will cost £7.95 and will also be available to order by post through my website - although until I have a copy to weigh I am not sure how much P&P will be.

This is the front cover - on the front is a Richard Cooper Street party celebrating the coronation in 1953. Sadly the street has recently been demolished.

Book fair and a new puppy

This has been a busy weekend. On Saturday I went to the local history bookfair at Beverley which was held at the Treasure House. I had a stall and met lots of old friends and some new ones. I managed to sell some of my books about Eastrington and Gilberdyke and had a display of some of my old pictures.
Then yesterday we went to fetch Molly, our new puppy. She is almost 9 weeks old and is a black labrador. She is settling in well although does not like being left on her own and  howled last night. Poppy, our cat remains aloof and suspicious. So far she seems to like eating raw apple and playing but has little idea of using the newspapers we have provided!

Here is Molly.

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.