Hillam, the Square c1960

The Chequers Inn

Annette and I (Annette Schofield and George Allen) became landlords of the Chequers (no longer a pub) on 23 January 1967. It was a BYB pub and James Hubert Dibb was the landlord before us. We ran the pub for about 18 months and then moved to Thornton-le-Dale in 1968. We rented the pub from the brewery and I recall the rent was 10 shillings per week, the valuation of all the stock when we moved in on the 23rd, including a upmarket till was 281 pounds 10 shillings and 11 pence. We were able to get to know some very interesting characters who lived in the village at that time. Some of the regulars in the pub were Cyril and Charles Stoker, both farmers, and the chap who ran a bakery who we knew as 'Doughy', I cannot recall his name, also Richard Robuck, Jack Gundill, Les Drury, Mr Riley the farmer, Mr Lomas and 'Lofty' who was the landlord of the Cross Keys in Hillam. One night my younger brother Steven was asked to run the pub while we had a night off. He mixed up the bitter barrel with the mild barrel (it could have been my quick explanation of the pumps) and consequently pulled mild pints for all the bitter drinkers and bitter pints for all the mild drinkers all night long. When we returned home and I discovered this bitter mild mix-up, I thought I would be in trouble from all the locals for leaving my very young brother Steven in charge, but I was surprised when the next evening, they all (the bitter drinkers and mild drinkers) said "A-up, thy youngster pulls a better pint than thee". It just shows a change is often as good as a rest.

Roadhouse Family pre 1840

I have never had the pleasure of visiting Monk Fryston but my eldest son Brett did while he was in school here in Canada. He was part of the Harrogate Music Festival in the 80's. Dear friends, Pam & Harry Roebuck of LumbyHill looked after Brett while he visited the town. Pam died on a few years ago but before she did we built up a very special relationship. She sent us many photographs which she and her family took for us, she also sent us two excellent maps of Monk Fryston. My ancestors came to Canada in 1820 and settled north of Toronto, Ontario. Letters were written back and forth about the family in Canada and what they had left in Monk Fryston. One of the sons wrote extensively of his life here and at home in England. He wrote of the joy of the the end of the Napoeonic War and described the glee of the soldiers returning to Selby.He and another brother, "James," also wrote of life in different parts of Ontario. The old Methodist Church which was on Roadhouse property is now a private residence, I believe and I would very much like to contact the family who reside in the converted church. I am looking for pictures of, if not family but their homes. Thank You and Merry Christmas

My Mother's Memories of Ledsham

I would sometimes go to Downing Street if I had a day in London but I always worked at Chartwell. They were very nice people to work for, Mrs Churchill never wanted me to leave, I can't remember why I did. Mother, Pop Gamble and Charles had gone to Yorkshire to live at a little place called Ledsham, as Mr Wheeler wanted a man to work on his estate in Yorkshire. There was a nice little house attached to the job. They had only been in one week when they were flooded out, there was no help in those days. Mother and family had to go and live in Ledston Hall until the house was made fit to live in again, Mother got new furniture bit by bit and soon got the place comfortable. I was still living in Kent and when I had time off I would visit my grandparents in Ospringe and go and stay with Aunt Alice and Uncle Bill at Kemsley near Sittingbourne, they made me so welcome. I had a long holiday so I arranged to go to Yorkshire, having never been before. I caught a coach from Victoria bus station, in those days it took one full day to travel up, then I caught the bus from Castleford to Ledsham. It seemed very strange, there were no shops just a little inn, closed on Sundays. Mother used to bake her own bread and baking. The landlady at the Chequers Inn was called Mrs Tindal but we called her Agnes, she had just lost her husband Ted. She had two children, Margaret and John. Her sister Jessie and brother stayed with her, they were very nice people and made us welcome when we went across. There were just a few farms. It was a pretty place. People would walk from Castleford to Ledsham in the summer so Agnes at the pub would make afternoon teas, we were able to help in many ways and enjoy the company. We soon made a lot of friends in Ledsham. There were dances in the school that we went to.

CHILDHOOD DAYS

I was born in Ryther in 1956 in the house that my parents still live in on Mill Lane.

I have lots of happy memories of my school days at the primary school which has now been converted into a house.

We had lots of adventures especially in the floods which happened every year then. The milkman used to come in a boat to bring us milk.

My father now 81 years and mother 89 years are the oldest residents in the village and have been there since 1954.

My father has lots of pictures of Ryther and lots of stories.