East Witton, The Blue Lion c.1960

Photo ref: E78002

I wonder how many Ryders still live in Leyburn and East Witton. My mother was the daughter of George Ryder who was born in East Witton in 1881. George's parents were William G and Margaret Ryder who had at least 9 children, all born in East Witton. William G himself was the only child of Joseph Ryder whose brother John farmed Witton Lodge. Joseph and John were sons of Ellen Ryder, born 1779 was farming Witton Lodge as ...see more

East Witton's interest to me began as it was the birthplace of my grandfather and his parents resided in Wast Witton Without (i found this through the 1901 census), though I cannot get any further back in time. I worked in nearby Leyburn and visited East Witton daily to get a sense of its aura and atmosphere, hoping to meet someone who knew my ancesters as my grandfather became well known and his actions in the First ...see more

This picture reminds me of the days spent in East Witton at my grandfathers house it was on the right as you look up the green with the pub behind you, it had a archway and it was a working farm there was no electricity and the water came from two pumps in the village green one at the top and one at the bottom. He kept sheep and he had two sheep dogs one of them was a trainee because he would always be larking around in ...see more