Stones House

One of our Charity parties at Stones House

On Wednesday evening we were invited by the present owners to visit our former home Stones House, Ripponden.
We purchased it in 1963 when it was very run down and had a lot of dry rot, but with a barn, out buildings, large garden with victorian lake [ no water [ and 10 acres of land it just needed care and attention and was a great place to bring up children and we stayed there for 25 years before we moved to allow another person to finish repairing the roof !

The former family home of the Whiteley's of Stones Mills, Cotton Manufacturers and after they had ' banked ' one of the main victorian parts had been demolished.
The main delights were the victorian interiors, wooded floors and sliding doors, painted glass, painted ceilings and interesting fittings.

Luckily since we moved 2 other owners have completed restoration but not changed anything of the ground floor special interiors.

The sad part is that 4 houses have been built on the gardens and site of the lake, and the barn converted to a house.

But the visit was unexpected and we liked being shown round again and explaining how we had taken it on and the history of the house and its families

Monday after

Just a quick blog today

We had lunch at The Rock Hotel, Holywell Nr Elland, which is the same ownership as The Design House Restaurant at Dean Clough.

An excellent lunch in the new Restaurant called ' Churchills '

Then some quick shopping in Elland and Brighouse before taking the Terriers into Shibden Park.Sadly they have to be kept on a lead as otherwise they would chase the Ducks into the Lake

The Week End and Otley Show

Yeadon Air Cadets Band

Catching up after a busy week end
Friday evening we went to a performance at The Actors Workshop Theatre in Halifax by the Studio Group who help the Workshop by raising funds.
A repeat performance of ' A rose between two thorns ' great Northern Humore, sold out as usual

Saturday was the 201st Otley Show. It is the first of the Yorkshire Agricultural Shows to take place and often the weather is poor, but this year if anything it was too hot.I understand that between 16 and 17,000 people attended.

We spent more time in the Members enclosure and watched the Local Horse Judging, clapped at the Airedale Beagles and later the Badsworth Hunt.
These are very popular with the young children who rush into the ring to stroke the hounds.

Last year the 200th Roma presented a new Trophy for the Best Dog in the Dog Show, in memory of her Grandfather Maude Barret, Lawyer of Otley, and one of the first breeders of the Airedale Terrier and Judge at national level.


But this year we failed to make it to the Dogs as our Terriers on a lead were too much to handle on our own for a long walk to the far end of the ground.

The last event we saw was by the Air Cadets Band, they are based near Yeadon, Leeds Bradford Airport.


On our way home we called in for a journey breat at Saltaire, to visit the Chapel which is undergoing more restoration. partly funded by the national Lottery.

Sunday was again HOT and we had lunch at The Travellors Rest Pub in Sowerby and then took the terriers onto Blackwood Common where they can run free.