David Hockney galleries, a Round Church, a Reed Organ museum and a model village are just some of the highlights to savor on a trip to Saltaire. The village was founded in 1853 by Sir Titus Salt for the workers in the mill and their families. It included neat stone houses with running water, a hospital, an Institute for recreation and education now called Victoria Hall where music and dance events are staged. The village also provided almshouses, allotments, a park and a boathouse which was recently damaged in a fire. Sir Titus was a canny philanthropist siting his massive mill complex between the river Aire and the Leeds Liverpool canal alongside a railway station that is still open on the Leeds to Settle line. To get staff to move over 10 miles from Bradford he needed to make some facilities available but the model village has stood the test of time and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The mill has fantastic vaulted ceilings and stone slabs for flooring that would pull down many modern buildings. The space is now used by the NHS, an electronics manufacturer but mostly as a unique exhibition and retail space. As the UK home for displaying David Hockney’s works the mill has 3 floors of singular works by this artist from telephone book covers to Opera sets, photographic montages to paintings in several mediums. Interspersed are retail opportunities notably specials book sales and 3 eateries. The whole facility exudes quality and this is replicated on their web site
The Saltaire streets are given girls names that are reminiscent of a gone by era like Maud Street and Grace Street. (Sorry if these are popular modern names but I doubt that somehow)
Leeds Station is one of the UK’s biggest and busiest train stations. Leeds only has one major train station and has over 18 platforms. It has recently been refurbished to increase capacity.
Victoria Arcade. The posher part of Yorkshire
Who would have thought – Harvey Nicholls in Yorkshire. Doing well, despite the economic downturn
There is a Yorkshire racecourse to suit all tastes for a day visit or evening out! Some key links are listed below to find dates and times of key events.
Where there’s muck there’s brass but it might be horse muck and horse brasses so don’t bet the farm.
Catterick Beverley Doncaster Pontefract Redcar Ripon Thirsk Wetherby York York Special Mention
The celebration of fifty years of the John Smith’s Cup on 10th 11th July 2009 is an event not to be missed. The informal party highlight of the year combines betting excitement and summer fun. Ever since it was first run in 1960, the John Smith’s Cup has had a story to tell.
The support of the Tadcaster brewer makes this the longest running sponsorship on the flat anywhere in the world and the golden jubilee celebrations promise to be fun. A range of special cask ales will be brought in specially to toast the occasion. Other special events will be announced here as the big day approaches.
The white rose of Yorkshire is the symbol for the House of York. From the fourteenth century it has also become the symbol for Yorkshire.
The use of the White Rose of Yorkshire goes back to Edmund of Langley in the fourteenth century, the first Duke of York and the ruling Plantangenets
The symbolism of the white rose is related to the Virgin Mary, who was known as the Mystical rose of heaven. White is a common colour for purity in religious ceremonies.
In the war of the Roses (Lancashire vs Yorkshire), the forces of Yorkshire fought the Lancastrians who had a Red rose.
The War of the roses was ended when King of England Henry VII united the warring factions and symbolically created the Tudor rose.
At the Battle of Minden 1st August 1759, Yorkshire troops from a Yorkshire batallion were able to pluck white roses from close to the Battlefield in tribute to their fallen comrades. Ever since Yorkshire day has been celebrated on August 1st.
The white rose has also been used for many different causes as well.
During the Second World War, German students who resisted Hitler’s Nazi Regime founded the White Rose league – a movement seeking to overthrow Hitler and his party.
In his book Yorkshire Greats Bernard Ingham provides a fascinating selection of 50 great Yorkshireman and Yorkshirewomen.
From Captain Cook to William Wilberforce, from John Wycliffe to Fred Trueman, Yorkshire has produced a surprisingly large array of people who have left a lasting mark on the world.
Every year the World Coal Carrying Championship is held in Yorkshire on Easter Monday. On the 13th April 2009 in Gawthorpe grown men will run the mile from The Beehive public house to the Royal Oak, known locally as t’Barracks , carrying a hunderedweight sack of coal.
According to the organisers this is how thew World Championship came about ‘Reggie Sedgewick and one Amos Clapham, a local coal merchant and current president of the Maypole Committee were enjoying some well-earned liquid refreshment whilst stood at the bar lost in their own thoughts. When in bursts one Lewis Hartley in a somewhat exuberant mood. On seeing the other two he said to Reggie, ” Ba gum lad tha’ looks buggered !” slapping Reggie heartily on the back. Whether because of the force of the blow or because of the words that accompanied it, Reggie was just a little put out.‘’ Ah’m as fit as thee’’ he told Lewis, ‘’an’ if tha’ dun’t believe me gerra a bagga coil on thi back an ‘ah’ll get one on mine an ‘ah’ll race thee to t’ top o’ t’ wood !’’ ( Coil, let me explain is Yorkshire speak for coal ). While Lewis digested the implications of this challenge a Mr. Fred Hirst, Secretary of the Gawthorpe Maypole Committee ( and not a man to let a good idea go to waste) raised a cautioning hand. ” ‘Owd on a minute,’’ said Fred and there was something in his voice that made them all listen. ‘Aven’t we been looking fer some’at to do on Easter Monday? If we’re gonna ‘ave a race let’s ‘ave it then. Let’s ‘ave a coil race from Barracks t’ Maypole.’
2009 will be the 46th World Coal Carrying Championship and the BBC claim these facts about world champions (more…)
John ‘Prezza’ Prescott or ‘Two Jags’ as he was known during his time as Deputy Prime Minister has been his eloquent self again. When asked about a potential second home in Blakeney he said ‘Why would I want to go and live in bloody Norfolk for God’s sake? Nothing good ever came out of bloody Norfolk since Oliver Cromwell.’
Prescott Quotes
‘But I generally recognise, unless we lift the amount of houses in supply, we are not likely to reduce greatly that increase in prices in housing, which even now is two or three times people’s yearly earnings.’
‘I love coming to Tories’ seats and roughing them up… that is what elections are about.’
‘The objectives remain the same and indeed that has been made clear by the Prime Minister in a speech yesterday that the objectives are clear and the one about the removal of the Taliban is not something we have as a clear objective to implement but it is possible a consequence that will flow from the Taliban clearly giving protection to Bin Laden and the UN resolution made it absolutely clear that anyone that finds them in that position declares themselves an enemy and that clearly is a matter for these objectives.’
That famous punch worthy of Richard Dunn at his best ‘is the only memorable moment Prezza provided in a political career stretching over four decades’ according to Trackacrat. where you can see the hook on You Tube. There is 15 minutes of John Prescott on You Tube if you want some elocution lessons.
Football clubs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but our two Football league teams in Sheffield have a combined 242 years experience behind them. The grounds at Bramall Lane (Sheffield United) and Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday) have a combined capacity of 72,426. However the oldest football club in the world is Sheffield FC(now playing in the Unibond First Division and the Ladies team in North East Regional WPL Premier division). The last thing I am suggesting is a combined team playing as Sheffield City – that would be an own goal of epic proportions.
A wife tired of her husband spending so much time at Hillsborough said ‘Sometimes I think you love Sheffield Wednesday more than you love me’ and he replied ‘Lass I love United more than I love thee’
At the junior end of the leagues Sheffield and Hallamshire FA (what a naff name) run SoccerScene holiday football camps scheduled for the Easter and Summer breaks at the Westfield Sports Centre, Sheffield. Each camp costs just £8.33* per day for 5 hours of football coaching, fun and games with FA qualified CRB checked coaches. The SoccerScene Camps have continued top grow in popularity since they were launched in summer 2007. Boys and girls between the ages of 7-11 years are welcome.
Within 10 miles of Harrogate there are several stunning gardens and historic houses to visit. Newby Hall and Ripley Castle are covered in some detail on the Yorkshire Gardens page of Gardenerstips alongside some valuable comments about the Royal Horticultural Gardens at Harlow Carr. What is unaccountably missing is any reference toHarewood House above.
Since the mid 18th century the gardens around the great house have been enhanced by a series of garden designers starting with Capability Brown. The Walled Garden was built in stages from 1755-1780 followed by the Rock garden created to prevent a lake flooding. The Woodland Walk the Parterre and the Archery border provide enough interest to fill the best part of a day and there is still the house to visit.
Make a point of visiting these great Yorkshire gardens and houses this summer starting at Newby in Spring, Harewood in summer and the the others to suit. All of them make a good half day or full day trip or you could arrange to visit all four during a planned holiday.
