Remembered

Dr Arthur Raistrick died on the 9th April 1991, survived by his daughter and grandson. His beloved home: Home Croft Linton went on the market for £185,000.

Home Croft – Raistrick’s house in Linton

Description for Sale of Raistrick’s house

Many tributes were made amongst which were: The Craven Herald 12 April 1991, and the Yorkshire Post 11 April 1991. His obituary also appeared in the Guardian on the 18th of April 1991.

One of these was: “It was the closing of a vast encyclopedia, which could never be reopened. Through the legacy of his writings we can take at least a glimpse into parts of that encyclopic mind and unique personality.”

On behalf of the Upper Wharfedale Field Society, a tribute was paid to Dr Arthur Raistrick by the late Les Bloom at their AGM on Monday the 22nd of April 1991, and I quote:

“When Arthur passed away,” he said, “we lost the very keystone of those 19 people who gathered in Grassington, in May 1949 and eventually formed this UWFS. Arthur was one of those 19 people, and it was his infectious intellect which was so often the catalyst required to spark off such societies as this one. He had this infectious intellect which endeared him to so many of us, and if he recognised a group of people with like fertile minds, he would sow the seeds of a project — such as this Society — and help to guide it through its early years.”

“He was not our first President, but he accepted the office in 1952 and was President for 15 years.”

Mr. Bloom went on to say “Arthur was a legend in his own lifetime — known in all high academic circles and in all fields of Natural History, for his endless number of books, papers and lectures in so many parts of the country, but his speciality was always the North of England and the Dales he loved and knew and walked so much —this Society is proud to have had his leadership”.

The aims and the purpose of a Field Society, as Dr Raistrick saw them were quoted, and then some examples of his sense of humour “behind that otherwise quiet countenance.” “We all know a lot of very clever people, but to know Arthur was to know a true scholar— it was his ability and his dedication which lifted him above all others, and we shall remember him best for this immense scholarship and for speaking the truth quietly.”

If a permanent tribute is to be considered, Mr. Bloom asked the Society to remember the one erected in Dent to Adam Sedgwick — another eminent Dales scholar. “Perhaps a similar kind of simple token of deep respect could be considered — a block of perhaps Silurian slate from the Dales with a simple engraving, as a long-lasting reminder of him.” May be this Society ” on his home ground” should initiate such an idea.

In closing, Mr. Bloom read two verses from the pen of another Yorkshireman:

“Dales in Paradise”

There must be Dales in paradise
Where Wharfe and Aire and Swale,
Fulfil their several destinies
And tell their various tale,
Flinging themselves just when they choose
Into the honest arms of the Ouse

There must be Dales in paradise
Else what will Dalesmen do
Throughout the long eternities,
And none to wander through
Where to walk and laugh and laike,
Before the rest of heavens awake.

“that surely is the paradise where Arthur Raistrick is now resting”.

Legacy of Raistrick – Yorkshire Geological Society

A date for your diary:

The Yorkshire Geology Society are organising a two-day event on the 20th and 21st of July 2024 at the Townhall Grassington: ‘The Legacy of Dr. Arthur Raistrick’, offering several lectures relating to the different activities Arthur Raistrick was connected with on the Saturday and excursions on the Sunday.

Keith Parker has offered to do a walk covering the lead mining areas of Yarnbury and Grassington, illuminating Raistrick’s work by looking at the remaining industrial landscape and by looking at the Mines Water Management and Social History, illuminating Raistrick’s books with the actual laces on the ground.

Phyllida has offered a walk to share her knowledge of the village and its history.

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The expected Talks and Events for the forthcoming season have been finalised and are in the calendar. If you would like to print out a list, you may do so here.

Talks and Events Programme Autumn/Winter 2023 – 2024

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When I offered to give this short address, Covid-19 and Lockdown were not even in existence and therefore had not yet appeared anywhere in the world.

How relevant is Covid-19 to the diseases that plagued both Spinalonga and Eyam will become clear.

Although Spinalonga and Eyam are far apart, these two places have some things in common: I wonder if you can guess what makes the question mark in the title of this talk relevant?

I will first talk about Spinalonga, the Island of Suffering, Faith and Hope. The name Spina Longa means ‘The Long Thorn’. Owing to its strategic position, this small rocky island in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and located at the mouth of the port of Elounda in Crete was fortified by the Venetians between 1574 and 1584.  Initially to protect the port of Olous, the original name for Elounda, and it acquired different roles and uses throughout the centuries. The nearness to Crete brought Christianity to the island and the first Greek Orthodox Church on Spinalonga was built in 1709.

Christians initially found refuge on Spinalonga to escape the persecution from the Ottoman Turks in Crete until the Ottomans captured Spinalonga in 1715. Spinalonga was therefore inhabited by mainly Muslims families, who built houses and brought prosperity to the island. Salt became an important industry, harvested from the salt pans in the shallow waters surrounding the island.  But when the economic salt boom collapsed the Turks started to desert Spinalonga and the last Turks finally left the island in 1903.

Leprosy was rife on Crete and when Prince George arrived as High Commissioner, after Crete was declared independent in 1899, he sought a solution for the lepers, who were treated abominably, being stoned or beaten and hunted from their houses.  People thought that it was an infectious disease and that they could catch leprosy. Prince George sought advice from two European doctors, who proposed that lepers should be confined to an island and it soon became law that Spinalonga would be the ideal area of confinement.

Spinalonga is a relatively small island; one can walk around the island in about an hour.

From 1903, on the confirmation of the disease, lepers were led to Plaka, a small fishing village and the shortest sea route to Spinalonga from where all the supplies, such as food and medication were taken by boat to the island. The lepers were dragged from their houses, bound in irons as criminal detainees and pushed into  boats for the short trip across the sea to Spinalonga for their life long confinement.

Hundreds of people were forced to live on the island, stranded away from their loved ones, struggling with the painful disease, movingly described in Victoria Hislop’s book:  ‘The Island’. People suffering from leprosy, had to say goodbye to their families, before they stepped on a boat of no return to make a life on Spinalonga, not knowing what it would be like to live such an isolated life.

There are two entrances to the island, one being the lepers’ entrance, a tunnel, known as Dante’s gate, which is still used today when you enter the island, and the other was used for deliveries of food, medication, etc. Patients received food, water, medical attention and social security payments, which only in a very small way made up for not only their very painful disease, but moreover for the separation from family and friends.

The Greek Orthodox Church, established long before leprosy arrived on the island, became a life line embracing the Lepers in the daily service, giving some kind of routine for the faithful, although many sufferers lost their faith –“ How could God let them suffer so much pain and anguish”. Others found praying helped them cope with the life they now endured.

When we visited Spinalonga in 2018, there still were three churches on the island and the remains of the Leper Hospital, plus some of the houses where the lepers lived.  The fort is also still a prominent feature on the island. Furthermore there is a small museum.

The Leper colony operated until July 1957, when it was discovered that leprosy was not an infectious disease. It is now a memorial island, empty buildings once occupied by people suffering pain and a longing for the life they had to leave behind in contrast to the noise and bustle of the many tourists who now frequent this very special real island.

To my horror, I discovered that in 2018 there were still a quarter of a million people suffering from leprosy, mainly in India and over- populated countries in the world. Fortunately, it is now curable through multi-drugs therapy.

EYAM – The inland Island

Eyam is situated in the High Peak of Derbyshire and lies 800 feet above sea level.  It dates back to Anglo Saxon time, evidenced by the Saxon cross that can now be seen inside the Church, and Eyam is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

The name Eyam is apparently derived from Ea, meaning water and Ham, meaning dwelling place and is named from the springs and rivulets with which it is abundantly supplied.  There are traces of earlier habitation and many Druid relics still exists in the area.

Eyam was a former lead mining village, the remains of which are found in the vicinity.  In 1909, it was better known as ‘The Plague Stricken Derbyshire Village’, according to a book written by Rev. Jas. M. Fletcher, M. A. R. D., and costing 6pence. Today many tourists flock to Eyam to see for themselves the small houses, now called the “plague cottages” in which the people who perished of the plague lived.

In contrast to Spinalonga, Eyam is not really an island but became an ’Inland Island’, because of the Plague that struck the inhabitants of Eyam with such deadly virulence during 1665 and 1666. It is stated that this terrible disease was brought from London in September 1665, in a box of infected, damp, clothing, sent to a tailor, named George Viccars, who was lodging with the Cooper family.  It was thought that, when the box was opened to dry the damp cloths around the fire, infected fleas were released who bit George Vicars and the Cooper family, who all perished except for Mrs. Cooper.

A slightly different version is found in the book by John Clifford, published in 1989, revised and enlarged in 2003. A William Wood tells us that the widow of a lead miner, Mrs. Mary Cooper was living in a cottage with her two small sons. She had taken in a lodger called George Viccars, who was a travelling tailor.

It is now certain that in March 1665, five months before the plague broke out, Mary Cooper had remarried a tailor, Alexander Hadfield.  The marriage did not last very long as Alexander sadly died of the plague leaving his widow an inventory worth £60.

As we already know, Mr. Viccars was bitten by infected fleas, released on opening the box of damp clothes and died 5/6 days later, and infected Hadfield and the two children, who soon after died.

As sanitation was very poor in those days the plague spread very quickly throughout the village and 259 people in Eyam lost their lives. Once the villagers became aware of this deadly disease, many moved out of the village and indeed the Rector at that time, the Rev. Mompesson sent his two children away to friends in Yorkshire, leaving 350 inhabitants. Mrs. Mompesson wished for them to join the children.  However Rev. Mompesson told her it was his duty not only to provide support to his people as well as to God, which compelled him to remain with his flock in this hour of their need. He wished his wife to depart with their two children, but she would not forsake him and sadly perished of the plague. She was buried in a tomb in the church which is still a place of pilgrimage.

Catherine Mompesson’s Tomb, Eyam

With the consent of the villagers, Rev Mompesson, who was only 28, made 3 very important decisions:

1. There would be no more organised funerals and burials in the churchyard, as the sexton could not cope digging graves for so many dead. Plus the closeness in church gave the plague the chance to spread.  The Rector felt that he should concentrate on giving support to the bereaved and tending to the sick. People were, therefore advised to bury their own dead, which they did in their gardens, orchards or fields, often quite unceremoniously.

2. The church was locked and services were held in the open air at a place (maybe the first social distancing) called Cucklet Delph, a kind of natural amphitheatre in the landscape above the village.

3. The third decision was to close the village and seclude themselves from the outside world, a “cordon sanitaire”, now called lock down.  Villagers could not leave Eyam and people were stopped coming into the  village in an attempt to prevent spreading  the plague beyond Eyam’s boundaries.

As the village was not self-supporting, they needed food from the outside.  The Earl of Devonshire, who lived at Chatsworth House, only a few miles away from Eyam, arranged for food and medical supplies, he was able to obtain, to be left at the southern boundary of the village, from where it was collected.

These decisions resulted that after 14 months, it suddenly was all over and as Christmas 1666 approached, though  there was little rejoicing, life was slowly beginning to resume its normal pattern.  What is still not understood to this day is why the plague, which had been around not only in England but also in the rest of Europe for over 300 years suddenly disappeared in epidemic proportions in 1666.

On Tuesday 14^th April 2020 The Daily Telegraph had the headline:  The Plague Village in Lockdown once more.  Just as the Black Death, which the Plague was often called, 350 years ago, Covid 19 has found its way to Eyam and has badly affected the present Vicar’s wife.  Rev Gilbert’s wife is still not fully recovered from a mild version of this disease. I have the article here to share with you.

Observations and conclusion:

Many books have been written about Spinalonga and Eyam.  Both, Spinalonga and Eyam have become tourists attractions, and both have a museum explaining what happened in these doomed places.

Religion played a very important part in ministering to the sufferers, as the religious leaders in those days, were held in such high esteem.

I discovered that leprosy and the plague both originated in China and that both still exists for instance in India, Madagascar, the Republic of Congo,  Peru and other over-populated and under developed countries. However now these deadly diseases can be kept under control and are curable with medication and better sanitation.

In 2019 I organised a visit to Eyam, the Plague Village for 28 members of the Field Society.  We were led by an expert in the history of Eyam, Mrs. Ellen Outram, who took us on a guided tour through the plague village pointing out all the relevant points of interest in the church, the plague cottages and some of the burial places of this doomed place and many other points of interest.  This gave me the idea for this short talk today.

As I said right at the beginning, Covid-19, a corona virus, had not yet struck the world. Astoundingly this virus also originates in China and is equally deadly.

Rev Mompesson closed off his village in 1665, now this is called Lockdown and most of the world is in lockdown.  Even in 1665 they knew to have to keep a distance from each other, so as not to spread the disease,  and today, the Government  commands us to keep a Social Distance.  The advice is: “To stay at home, to protect the NHS and to save lives”.

Later this slogan changed.  The government advised that we can help to control the virus, if we all:

 “Stay alert, control the virus, Save Lives”.

It is to be seen how long Corona Virus will stay evident somewhere in the world, or if a vaccine, yet to be produced can save the world.

In conclusion, I would like you to join me in a bit of fun, by reciting the nursery rhyme, so relevant at this time:

“Ring – a – ring o’ roses
A pocket full of posies
A – tishoo, a – tishoo
We all fall down”

Hanneke Dye, April 2020

Further reading (click on Links): Spinalonga, Eyam Village and Eyam Museum

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Group Reports evening 28^th January 2019

As in previous years the Botany and Ornithology groups combined their reports, this year with rather a different presentation. Ian Hughes, a member of both groups collated slides from many of our visits and presented a slide show with accompanying music – something different for the society which was very enjoyable and much appreciated.

The collages are samples of the many species we saw from some of  the sites we visited.  Photos Ian Hughes

Group leaders Christine Bell and Win Clements

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February 11, John Flood, Bhutan: The Magical Kingdom.

25^th February 2019

Prof. Rick Battarbee FRS Climate Change Global to Local

11^th March 2019

Alan Hulme A walk in the Extended National Park

25^th March 2019 Harland Lecture

Special Anniversary Celebration Lecture 70 years Prof. Joyce Hill Vikings in Yorkshire

8^th April 2019 Annual Dinner

29^th April Annual General Meeting  followed by a talk by Dr. James Enever

The Jamtland Triangle : A classic Swedish Walk.

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The Hay Time project, a partnership between the YDNPA and Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust, began in 2006 with the aim of conserving, enhancing and restoring meadows throughout the Yorkshire Dales. The Meadow Links work, focused on upland meadows, forms part of that project. The upland meadows of the Dales, which form an iconic element of the landscape, are home to one of the rarest grasslands in the UK. Termed MG3 grasslands, these occur only in the Pennine chain and are classified as a priority habitat in the national Biodiversity Action Plan. These meadows are species-rich as a result of longterm traditional management, involving spring grazing followed by the removal of stock for the summer, a single hay cut, and then autumn grazing. There can be as many as 40 to 50 different species in a square metre of meadow, and overall these grasslands support around 150 species of wild flower as well as numerous birds, invertebrates and mammals.

In order to restore and enhance upland meadows, seed is used from existing traditional meadows to add key functional species, such as yellow rattle, meadow buttercup and red clover. Sites are targeted in order to attempt to buffer the existing species-rich grasslands and to link networks of traditional meadows, thereby allowing the exchange of flora and fauna between sites. In
addition, the Meadow Links work supports a number of community projects in order to help local groups develop or restore hay meadows.

Hay meadows are a vital habitat for bumblebees and the project has aimed to explore whether its restoration work has an impact on the abundance and diversity of the bumblebee population. The team has recorded 11 different species with the most frequently visited flowers being red and white clovers and yellow rattle. Encouragingly, while meadows farmed using modern methods
are visited least by bees, comparably high numbers are to be found in both restored and existing traditional meadows.

Further information can be found at: ydmt.org/meadow-links
Tanya St Pierre is Hay Time Officer, Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust.

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Ros outlined the main aims of this large regional wildlife charity as: creating living landscapes; securing living seas; and getting people involved in and engaged with nature.

The Trust began in 1946, when the site of Askham Bog came up for sale. This haven for wildlife was rescued from the threat of development through the intervention of the chocolatiers, Rowntree and Terry, who bought the site, and set up a Trust to conserve it in perpetuity. The YWT is one of 47 local charities forming the Wildlife Trusts partnership. The Trusts all share the badger logo and have a memorandum of cooperation to work together. YWT seeks out places of high wildlife value, raising funds to purchase land, or working with the landowners to improve habitats. Its work is highly dependent on support from active volunteers and funding from its membership. There are currently more than 800 volunteers and 40 000 members and the Trust manages 104 mature reserves, including some of Yorkshire’s most stunning wild places.

Ros took the audience on a richly illustrated tour of some of the most exciting reserves including: the bird migration hotspot of Spurn Point; the large urban reserve at Potteric Carr, now a  breeding site for bitterns; and the fine birdwatching habitat of North Cave Wetlands. She updated us on the progress of The Yorkshire Peat Partnership (See UWFS Bulletin, 2015, p15) and described major community projects such as the work involving beef cattle, gardening and education sessions at Stirley Community Farm near Huddersfield.

She referred to the 2016 State of Nature Report which states that one in ten species is threatened with extinction and that 56% of wildlife has declined since 1970. She urged the audience to support YWT in its efforts to counter this trend.

Ros Lilley, an UWFS member, spoke in her capacity as a volunteer for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

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Gillian showed a map of the extensive region harried by the Normans. Beginning south of Shrewsbury and extending to Stafford, Chester, Tadcaster, York and the Humber, the devastation continued to the Tees and the coast south of present day Middlesbrough. “All the sources of life north of the Humber were destroyed”, including seed corn, animals, and food. One hundred thousand people starved to death. Horses, dogs, cats, and even people were eaten. Many fled south to monasteries such as Evesham. Only twenty percent of Yorkshire’s population remained.

In the aftermath, northern estates were reorganised. Many Anglo-Saxon lords, whom William had initially tried to keep on his side, lost their land. For example, Gamalbar owned 60 manors in 1066 but none by 1086, losing lands in Grassington, Threshfield, Eastburn, and Linton to Gilbert Tison. Roger de Poitou was given large areas of the Forest of Bowland, Ribblesdale, parts of
Airedale and Arncliffe and Linton in Wharfedale. Lands held by the Percys were centred on Skipton with some to the south of Gisburn. The King’s thegns held Kettlewell and Burnsall, and the King himself kept areas in Airedale near Kildwick and Keighley. Annual income from land dropped dramatically. Drogo de Beuvrière, who was given land in Holderness, seems to have lost most, his revenue falling from £561 7s to £94 3s.

Some have thought that William made a deathbed confession, recorded by Orderic Vitalis, repenting the death and devastation he had caused. Gillian’s view of this? “No way, this was propaganda.”

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In Spring 1826 with the recent revolution in France, many people starving and full workhouses, the establishment were already fearful of rioting. The disturbances started in Lancashire on 24th April where hundreds of hand loom weavers blamed the new power looms for taking their jobs and tried to smash them. On 26th and 27th April rioters came over from Clitheroe and Laneshaw Bridge and were joined by others from Skipton to attack Low Mill at Addingham (the first worsted wool mill in Yorkshire and second in the world). However, Dragoons had been deployed around the mill and about 200 rioters went on instead to High Mill in Gargrave. North Wing Mill at Bradford was attacked on 1st May and again on 3rd May by a crowd of 1 000. There was shooting by the military from inside the mill: men and boys were shot, some died and many were wounded. Others were arrested and sent to the Assizes in York where death sentences were passed, though there is no evidence these sentences were carried out. Yorkshire Hussars were garrisoned also in Halifax, Skipton, Leeds, Bingley and Otley. In consequence only 25 looms were broken in Yorkshire compared to 1,000 in Lancashire.

Some local clergy took the official line since they were also magistrates, others were more concerned over the poverty of their parishioners. They petitioned the Home Secretary for funds, but it was the Lord Mayor of London’s relief committee, including Dr George Birkbeck from Settle, which distributed money to towns and villages for the poor. There was also compensation for the mill owners. Although the number of hand loom weavers declined, there were still 10 000 in Bradford in 1838. Their conditions remained poor. Dr Ingle
concluded his clear and informative presentation by showing a picture of Timmy Feather of Stanbury who still worked as a hand loom weaver in 1890, though he made more money having his photograph taken!

Dr Ingle’s talk was based on his book, Trouble At t’Mill, published by Royd Press. Report by Dave Knight.

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The re-introduction process began in the late 1980’s with young kites brought from Spain and Sweden. The Yorkshire project started in 1999 as a partnership between the RSPB, English Nature, Yorkshire Water and the Harewood Estate. Harewood provided a secure site for the birds, all of which were sourced from the Chilterns. Sixty nine were released over a four year period, all fitted with wing-tags and radio transmitters. They have bred successfully, with over 1500 young raised since the project began, and the birds are potentially long-lived. Unfortunately, not everyone sees this as a cause for celebration. Doug’s statistics on illegal poisonings and shootings made for sombre reflection. Red Kites have a vulture-like feeding habit taking not only carrion but also small
mammals and birds, including the young of ground-nesting birds. Out of 26 known Yorkshire poisonings, 22 have occurred in North Yorkshire, in many cases close to grouse moors.

The project encourages members of the public to report sightings and information about Red Kites in their area of Yorkshire. This can be done through their website at www.yorkhireredkites.net  which also provides details and regular updates concerning the birds’ progress.

Doug Simpson is Yorkshire Red Kite Coordinator and Project Officer for the original release programme.

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