Sowerby Bridge Day

Today started and finished with Sowerby Bridge

For lunch we met a friend at The Moorings situated on Sowerby Bridge Canal Wharf [ or Basin, depends on choice of name ]

For many years we leased the site from British Waterways and started its restoration as our main Canal Tourism Centre in the area.

Shire Cruisers Ltd Canal Holiday Hire, was our venture and now sold on a great success.

The Moorings was the first Pub Restaurant to be opened at the Wharf and has recently undergone a refurbishment and with is new Menu's is attracting a lot of custom.

In the sun one can sit outside bt we prefer to sit where we look out onto the Canal and the view to Wainhouse Tower, a main attraction in the area.

To finish today I went to the monthly lecture of the Halifax Antiquarian Society which was on the history of Sowerby Bridge Town Hall, opened in 1856 by Sir Henry Edwards, with a Masonic Ceremony.

The Hall part was demolished some years ago to become the Car Park for Lloyds Bank which remains in the building as well as the retained Clock Tower, a prominent feature when crossing the Bridge over the River Calder.

The illustrated lecture was given by local historian David Cliff who has also published a book of old photographs of the Town.

Dog Walking

A nice sunny afternoon, although the short rain in the morning was welcome for the garden.

We took our Terriers Poppy and Jessie for a run on their favourite Norland Moor this time to the paths where there a a number of seats we can rest on while they root around in the small stream running by.

There were lots of other dogs on walks and our managed to get into TWO scraps, first with a wire haired terrier and the owner had to jump into the stream to get his dog away from ours, they just did not like each other.And then we reached the last seat by the stream another dog, much bigger and very friendly, came rushing up and suddenly a fight started. We think Jessie, the Border type is the one that gets ' stuck in ' first. No damage done and Jessie put on the lead again.

Then 2 ladies with collies, and throwing balls for them - Poppy likes that game and was away chasing until they went some distance and she decided we were the best company.

We next encountered a Horse and Rider and the dogs decided it was too big to tackle and stayed quite.

We then went for a drink, wine for Roma and a Beer for me at the Spring Rock Pub near the Moor, a favourite place for the locals.

On the way home called at a Garden centre for a bag of compost.

Sunday in Halifax

A nice day - our daughter came over and took Roma to Church and then we visited a new [ renovated ] Public House Restaurant for Lunch. Named Crossroads and situated on the hills above our town with nice long views over the Pennine Moors.

It is owned by the famous Yorkshire Brewery Timothy Taylors of Keighley and has been completely renovated and has 6 ensuite bedrooms and a nice Bar & Restaurant.

Food was Sunday Lunch Carvery type, I had Lamb and the Yorkshire Puddings were very good and not soggy ! Excellent choice of Vegetables and Puds - I had a Yorkshire Rhubarb Crumble type.

The Manager was born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe as was our daughter when I was working at the Kariba D am.

He appears to be an expert on Wines from South Africa and runs a company to import them, so again a good selection.

Then after lunch I went to support Halifax Rugby League Club at The Shay Stadium, in the new East Stand - our team had a tough match against Barrow, but our defence was very good and the result was a win 46 - 24 for Halifax

Back Blogging

It seems a long time since I blogged

During this recess I have been quite busy on the web on Family History and other Genealogy also with In Bloom and more recently our General Election

I am now more knowledgeable of the subject of Blogging so will now start to give it another go

End of the Month

Well it is some days since I posted and now it is the last day of May

The main event that took place on the 22nd was our visit to the East Riding to my old school at Swanland

We travelled the evening before and stayed at the TravelLodge near Cave so we arrived at the school well on time.

I was to present them with a picture of my brother Sgt Pilot Stanley ANDREW , who also attended the school. Some time ago the local MP David Davis presented the school with a Battle of Britain School Memorial Plaque in his memory and the Head has kept in touch.

When he heard I had pictures of Stan in Norway in 1940 with his Squadron the 46th, he asked for a copy. So I had a one framed to present

On arrival we also met the local East Riding Councillor and Chair of the School Governors, Helen.

But when we were ready it was announced that we would be watching a Dress Reshersal for the School Play - what an experience

The school hall was once our Village Hall, the stage has gone but a modern type stage for the play was in position.

Afterwards I had to speak and present the picture and was able to say that when I was a boy at the school I had performed in a Pantomine in the Hall, on the old stage, dressed as a Pirate

The Pantomine Picture

Afterwards we went to the village of Thorngumbald to meet my cousins Janet and Margery.

Janet has a most wonderful garden which is mainly due to the fact that she helped run her late Father and Mothers Nursery Garden and Garden Centre

I made a recording with my camcorder so will see if I can post the video here.

We stayed the night at Beverley which is a historic town and enjoyed the walk around that evening.

Next morning Cll Helen had arranged for me to have a private visit to the Councils new Treasure House. This contains the Archives, Library and Museum and the Archives are in a new section. I was shown the rooms where all the archive material is safely stored and around the offices and staff rooms. The Conservation section is not yet workig but appears to have a good space for this important work of conserving and repairing documents.

I was able to spend a little time using the computer search system and they found and copied for me part of the book I once deposited. It was written up in 1939-40 by my father who was Clerk of Swanland Parish Coucil, it shows the names and addresses of all who enlisted for voluntary service as Air Raid Warden, Firemen and First Aiders.

Also a list of emergency food rations and where they were stored.

We left Beverley before lunch and stopped en-route at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington near York and had our lunch in the NAFFI

Then a quick look round - I am a member - especially in the Archives Hut and that of 609 West Riding Squadron with many pictures and records from their actions in The Battle of Britain

A most interesting 2 days to remember

A few days have gone by since my last Blog as it has been a busy time.

Last Sunday we went to Skipton where I was to help Sara with her garden, it seems nearly a year since I did anything so there was a big clear up in the back, cutting down the box hedge, emptying old soil from pots. Lots for them to take for composting.

The to the nearest Garden Centre and lunch at the adjoining Pub, nice Sunday Roast.
We bought a lot of plants, mainly for containers but it started to rain on the way back so I had to finish wearing my flat cap and still got rather wet

I had our Terriers with me and they were well behaved for once. No long walkies

On Tuesday we had a bevvie of lady visitors, a long standing friend from my daus with Cumbria Best Kept Village, Cumbria in Bloom and Rail users council. Her first visit here, an amazing lady and she was driven down by another friend of ours from Cumbria.

We we joined by two local friends of Roma's so had a good Lunch Party

This evening it was the AGM of The Friends of Lister Lane Cemetery in Halifax. This was the towns oldest private cemetery and contains and graves and monuments of many of Halifax' prominent citizens of the past. I volunteered some time ago to take care of the few war graves from World War One, only one War Grave by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, a Drummer bot from the Duke of Wellingtons [ our local ] Regiment, but a number of family graves and monuments to those who died in Gallipoli and Italy and well as France and Belgium

We had 3 more attending than last year, not many of our Friends will come to these meetings, but agreed good reports and financial statements as is necessary under Charity Law.
There was a overhead computer display show the Cemetery from 1999 to the present day, one big issue was ridding the area of Knotweed and removing trees that were damaging the graves and monuments

I will find some picture, Roma and I were in one on the display tonight.

Dave & Terriers watching the sheep at Broughton Hall

May Bank Holiday Week-end and very busy

On Saturday we went to Skipton to meet Sara and Dave at the Waterways Festival and Street Market on the Canal Wharf. They were at their friends 'Coffee House Cafe' and we were able to sit outside in the sunshine with the Terriers

I had a look around and was pleased to meet Lesley from British Waterways who has been helpful with Sowerby Bridge in Bloom. Also pleased to see The Rochdale Canal Society Caravan there with Brian, wonderful Secretary and Organiser.
Also Inland Waterways Branches, West Riding and Lancaster, both with stands so bought some of the IWA Christmas Cards showing Sowerby Bridge.

Met and had a quick chat with the Chairman of Craven District Council who I had met at last years Yorkshire Day at Penistone.

Then we went to The Bull PH at Broughton, s few miles outside the town and sat in their garden area for sandwiches and bottle of SA Wine.
We were able to have the terriers there and they enjoyed the company of another dog and the House dog who liked going for thrown sticks and bringing them back to me.

It is a nice location by the grounds of Broughton Hall, home of the Tempest family. I camped there in 1947 ? with Swanland Scouts and recall it rained most of the time except the day we hiked to Lothersdale and back.

So we were able to walk the Terriers, the first field, public footpath, had sheep so we had to keep them on leads, but over the river bridge they went loose, we tried to get them into the water but they were not really keen but enjoyed a run around

I had some gardening jobs this weekend and with the help of John next door I was able to cut the top off the Blue-gum tree as it was geeting too tall and they grow up again quickly. Luckily we have had some rain after a very long hot spell, the garden needs it and it saves me watering

On the computer I have been editing the camcorder tape using Pinnacle software and making a ' movie ! video.
This is my 3rd attempt so I am improving - it was taken on April 23d at the Dinner of the Royal Society of St George, Halifax & District branch

Today Bank Holiday, we went for Lunch to The Old Bridge Inn Ripponden, I claim to have been its first bar customer in 1963 ? when it was re-opened, and we were about to live in the area.
We have entertained so many visitors from Overseas, USA and Japan to mention 2 lots. It claims to be one of the oldest Pubs in Yorkshire and is next to the original Packhorse Bridge and the route of the Roman Road.

As it was Ripponden's Gala Day we walked there with the terriers and met a lot of people we know, Ripponden in Bloom, Gardening Club where in bought some Lily of the Valley plants, Church, bought books and School, Roma bought a cake, and Councillors we are friends with.