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Hampsthwaite
Hampsthwaite photos
Displaying the first of 8 old photos of Hampsthwaite. View all Hampsthwaite photos
Hampsthwaite maps
Historic maps of Hampsthwaite and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hampsthwaite maps
Hampsthwaite area books
Displaying 1 of 26 books about Hampsthwaite and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hampsthwaite
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North Yorkshire memories
Birstwith Remembered And Cherished
I was born in Birstwith and lived there until I married and my ancestors for several generations lived, farmed and owned the flour mill. In 1964 I was a member for the church choir and rang bells, they were such happy times. The choir mistress was Peggy Myers (nee Hewitt) abd we had such fun on the choir trips and festivals, we never stopped laughing. At Christmas the vicar Rev Capel Cure took us carol singing but he used to get so drunk we had to walk home but again I had some great times as a youngster. I was married at St. James's Church in 1981 and both my children were christened there even though we lived in Harrogate. My daughter was married there in 2008 and hopes to have her baby christened there too. Things have changed a lot in Birstwith but whenever I return to the church where my parents are buried I go inside and sit in the choir stalls and quietly reminisce, there is... Read more
Kettlesing School
I went to Kettlesing School from 1951-1957. Miss Cloak, then Mrs Bundred & sons William & James.
Early Childhood
My father was the manager at the bottom tannery in Shaw Mills and we lived in Sunny Lea from 1955 - 1960. Although I was only 6 when we left, I have numerous vivid memories of that idyllic time and feel privileged to have lived there.
My sister and I used to walk up to Hardcastle's farm to get eggs and our mother wasn't very pleased when we brought a kitten home instead!
On Saturdays we were allowed to walk down to Miss Stead's shop to spend our pocket money.
We went to Sunday school at the methodist chapel and were close friends of the Petches who lived next door on Millbank Terrace.
What a wonderful start to life!
My Birthplace.
I was born at 228 Springhill Cottages, Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw in 1939. I don't remember anything about Beckwithshaw as we moved to North Shields and lived at 3 Vickarage Street for a while,then came back to live at 23 Brunswick Drive in Harrogate, then to 87 Hookstone Avenue in Oatlands. I emigrated to the USA in 1965. My name is Muriel Grasso, maiden name Muriel Currie. I attended Harrogate Grammar School. My Email address is Smokeycat66@yahoo.com I would love to hear from someone in Beckwithshaw or Harrogate.
Muriel Currie's Memory of Living in Harrogate.
I worked at Robert Hirst rain coat factory in Oatlands Harrogate until I emigrated to America
Harrogate Station Square
Here is Station Square appearing as its architects intended, an open airy town centre piece. The gardens in the foreground are the Coronation Gardens of c.1953, which complimented the Victorian square admirably. Just as this picture was being taken, the lovely old and deliberately 'low roofed' railway station was being totally ruined by the new overscale Station Tower and new station foyer. Looks like Checks' Cafe in the background is boarded up and it wouldn't be too many years hence that the Market Hall and the Coronation Gardens (and their useful public conveniences) would be swept away in the name of progress, with the gross criminal loss a bit later of the re-buildable Victorian Lowther Arcade and the West Yorkshire Road Car Co bus station, where we all met our dates on a Saturday night under the clock. Harrogate needs to move with the times but didn't deserve this onslaught. These are some of the fond memories of a 1950-born Harrogate child coupled with a heavy heart!
George James McConney
Ironically this picture represents two important monuments relating to my maternal uncle. At St. Peter's Church on the right is where he sang as a choir boy. The war memorial on the left immortalizes his death in 1943 at age 20. His name appears on the side facing the church. He served in 1st Airborne, Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals and gave his life in Tunisia. He grew up nearby on Harlow Moor Drive. I bought this picture on my visit to Harrogate in 2005 and it hangs in my Mum's bedroom.
