This History is written for The Stray Ferret by Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam:

The recent tragic circumstances which have initiated a somewhat frenzied public examination into the background of individuals who past generations with vastly different values to our own times decided to honour, have prompted me to consider how this might apply to Harrogate.

This, initially, may seem of dubious value, given that Harrogate’s great days of urbanisation and statue erection belonged to the west’s post-slavery decades of the mid and later nineteenth century. The great problem is one of degree. If Harrogate has never put up any statues to acknowledged slave owners, this is not to deny that in common with every other UK community, there will inevitably have been those of its citizens who benefited from the slave trade by indirect association. The innkeeper, who invested in a company known to profit from the Virginia tobacco trade; the doctor, who bought shares in a company trading in Jamaican sugar; the gentleman farmer who sat on the board of a cotton importation business without looking too closely into the conditions of those who produced that cotton.  Were we today to closely examine the basis on which some of our family fortunes were established, many would surely be discomforted.

Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn

But perhaps there is one figure with a strong connection with Harrogate who might be scrutinised, and that is the man who gives his name to Wedderburn House, Wedderburn Road, and the Wedderburn estate in general. Alexander Wedderburn, M.P. (1733-1805) was an ambitious politician, who in 1771 became Solicitor General, later advancing to the positions of Attorney General, Chief Justice of Common Pleas, and, in 1793, Lord Chancellor, a post he held until 1801.

Wedderburn earned a place in history when he grilled Benjamin Franklin on his role during the unrest in the American colonies. His meteoric career earned him many enemies, and his friendship with David Garrick and Richard Brindsley Sheridan was evidence for his great interest and support for the theatre. Wedderburn’s titles included those of Baron Loughborough and first Earl of Rosslyn.

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In 1775, Wedderburn acquired lands south of what became the Stray, and after living at Woodlands House, he moved into Wedderburn House, it being widely believed to have been remodelled for him by the great Carr of York. Wedderburn’s decision to acquire a residence in Harrogate was partly because he travelled frequently between London and Edinburgh, and found the town ideally situated more or less half way between the two. It was also known that he was attracted to one of the actresses who appeared with Samuel Butler’s troop at Harrogate’s Church Square Theatre – now Mansfield House. In 1790, the sixteen year old Tryphosa Jane Wallis was described as “exquisitely fair, with expressive blue eyes, well controlled movements, a fine figure, and a voice of more sweetness than strength’ . Her talent was recognised by the Lord Chancellor of England, Alexander Wedderburn, also known as Lord Rosslyn, and his wife, who obtained relief from a medical complaint from the mineral waters of the neighbouring St. John’s Well. Years later, when Miss Wallis was a nationally celebrated actress, she interrupted her work at Covent Garden to visit Harrogate,  staying at Wedderburn House, although it is not known what Lady Loughborough thought about the visit!.

Wedderburn House on The Stray

Wedderburn’s wife, Charlotte, received such benefit from the waters of the St. John’s Well on Wetherby Road, that her husband, who then had the title of Baron Loughborough, paid for the rebuilding of the pump room, which is shown in the engraving of 1796, (main picture)  and which records Charlotte’s visit to the well. This was tenanted by William Westmorland, whose name may be seen above the door. Lady Loughborough’s retinue included a black page boy, who is depicted at far left.

Although this writer knows of no direct involvement by Alexander Wedderburn with the slave trade, it would be unrealistic to think that so powerful a man as the Lord Chancellor with his broad portfolio of business interests, did not occasionally benefit from the proceeds of this vile business.

Further research into this may prove revealing, if anyone has the wish to do it.

Malcolm Neesam:

Malcolm Neesam was born in Harrogate and graduated from the University of Leeds as a professional archivist and librarian. He subsequently worked in Hereford, Leeds, London and York where, for twenty-five years, he was North Yorkshire’s County Music and Audiovisual Librarian.  Malcolm is a much-published author. In 1996 Harrogate Borough Council awarded Malcolm the Freedom of the Borough for his services as the town’s historian.

As of this month, riding centres have been given the green light to resume group lessons of up to five people as long as social distancing is maintained.

This means that despite schools remaining closed for most year groups, keen horseriders are able to get back in the saddle and improve their skills whilst outdoors.

Follifoot Stables in Harrogate re-opened for private lessons at the end of May and for group lessons at the start of June.

Ellie-Jay Pedley who is a manager at the stables said lockdown has been a very difficult time for them:

We still had 20 horses to feed, water and care for, but with little income, so yes its been hard. We managed to find extra grazing so the horses could be turned out in the field and staffing could be reduced… The lockdown fell at one of our busiest times of the year so it’s been pretty bad.

I was so glad when we were given the green light to re-open. We have had to make a lot of changes, and we aren’t able to teach beginners as they require an instructor to help them get on and off and also lead them which we currently can’t do, but for those who can ride alone its working well. Riding really benefits people both mentally and physically so after a prolonged time indoors its great to welcome people back.

Not all riding centres in the district have resumed business though.

The Harrogate Riding Centre, has only opened its gates for arena hire and says it will be September at the earliest before it is viably worth opening the riding school.

Drew Birtwistle is the Director at the centre:

“80-90% of our clientele are beginners, these are the ones that the instructors need to help get on and off, check the girth and alter the stirrups, and for that, you just have to be to close. So we are going to wait until its safe to do this. We have September in mind at the earliest… We are a big centre with a lot of staff and horses so we need to make sure there are enough clients coming through the door for it to be financially viable”.

At the age of 15, Rick Jones was washing pots in Valentino’s and 22 years later he is its owner and looking forward to re-opening the newly-refurbished Italian restaurant in the heart of Ripon.

Rick (pictured) who was born and bred in the city, made a rapid rise from ‘washer up’ to chef, having studied at Harrogate College following his secondary education at Boroughbridge High School.

He has made his mark in the hospitality business at the Water Rat pub and restaurant, on the bank of the River Skell, overlooking Alma Weir and later this year, will be double-handed, when Valentino’s re-opens its doors following a £500,000 restoration that has seen the addition of five en suite rooms.

Valentino’s, located on the corner of Westgate and Blossomgate, was where Rick learnt the Roman style of Italian cooking and cuisine under brothers Fermino and Mario di Silvestro, who opened in Ripon in 1986 after selling the well-known No. 6 Restaurant in Harrogate.

He told The Stray Ferret:

“Fermino and Mario treated me like family and taught me so much. They were perfectionists and always required the very highest standards.”

Inspired by what he had learnt at Valentino’s, Rick took over the Water Rat in February 2007, but the premises were hit by flooding in June of that year.

The coronavirus crisis, has disrupted the latest stage in his hospitality career – as the original plan was to re-open the new-look Valentino’s with its hotel facilities on 30th April and now August is the target date.

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However, in spite of natural disaster and pandemic – with their financial consequences – Rick has remained positive, saying:

“It may appear dark at times, but I know that the sun will always shine again.”

Many of the Water Rat regulars, who he looks on as an extension of his own family, have been using the weekend takeaway pizza, pasta and dessert delivery and collection service that gives them a taste of the Valentino’s menu.

As well as bringing in welcome revenue while the pub remains closed, Rick pointed out that it has helped him and his team to keep in contact with each other and customers, ready for the day when both of his establishments are open again.

A total of seven bicycle thefts from Harrogate District Hospital have been reported to North Yorkshire Police since the beginning of April.

The thefts – including from key workers on long shifts – are being investigated by the Harrogate neighbourhood policing team, which says it is committed to finding the people responsible.

The force is also offering hospital staff and local residents the option to have their bikes security marked, by appointment only, in an effort to discourage the crime.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“Since the beginning of April this year, there have been seven bicycles stolen from the Harrogate District Hospital site. Members of staff who have been dealing with the coronavirus crisis are among those who have been affected by these incidents.

“This is clearly outrageous and the Harrogate Neighbourhood Policing Team are working hard to identify those responsible and are helping staff to increase cycle security.”

The thefts are being investigated by police, who have reassured staff that those responsible will be found.

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Harrogate District Hospital is looking into further security measures following the incident. A trust spokesperson said:

“We know it is frustrating and upsetting to have a bike stolen. We’re currently looking at what we can do to improve bike storage facilities on the Harrogate District Hospital site.”

Harrogate District Hospital has not reported any new coronavirus deaths.

It is the first time in four days that the hospital has not recorded at least one death.

So far, 73 people have died after testing positive at the hospital and 125 have recovered.

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Meanwhile, hospitals across England have recorded another 70 deaths today taking the total up to 27,860.

Patients were aged between 24 and 102 years old. Three patients, who were aged between 78 and 102, had no known underlying health conditions.

There have been reports of scammers claiming to be from the NHS Test and Trace scheme. The North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is advising patients to be aware and seek the correct guidance.

The NHS Test and Trace scheme aims to limit the spread of coronavirus by encouraging patients with positive test results to share the details about the people they have recently been in contact with.

Yorkshire CCG has advised the public that any telephone call or text will come from a verified NHS number and it will provide you with a unique ID number. If you receive a text message, the CCG is advising to not click on any links within the text but instead go direct to the Test and Trace website.

Dr Charles Parker, Clinical Chair of NHS North Yorkshire CCG, said:

“People will usually be contacted within 72 hours after a test with the result. If you have not taken a test in the last 72 hours then the call or text will not be genuine. Please also be reassured that a genuine contact tracer will not ask you to provide any passwords, bank account details or pin numbers.

“Please do not let this stop you from taking a test, it is important that we do as much as we can to halt the spread of the virus and then we can start returning to a normal life.”

The NHS Test and Trace scheme aims to protect the public, but caution must be taken to prevent scamming.

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NHS North Yorkshire CCG Lay Member for Patient and Public Involvement, Kate Kennady, said:

“The NHS Test and Trace scheme is an important part of the country’s strategy to suppress Covid-19 so we can move towards normality as soon as possible. It is important that people engage with the service because the better the uptake the more successful it will be. However there are some things to look out for to protect yourself from fraud.”

The Yorkshire CCG has warned the public to be aware and seek further guidance if they are concerned about a contact.

A volunteer group in Harrogate will be able to help community healthcare workers with a £5000 bost from the Freemasons.

Harrogate Scrubbers, led by teacher Fran Taylor, is a 750 strong team which has delivered more than 2000 scrubs to the hospital.

The group is now in its second phase. They now focus on community clinical settings like doctors’ surgeries, dentists, and hospices.

With a set of scrubs setting the team back by £25, the donations by the Freemasons should be able to help another 185 key workers.

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The Province of Yorkshire West Riding’s Provincial Grand Master’s Fund donated £2,500 and the Masonic Charitable Foundation matched it.

In addition, a number of Harrogate Masonic Lodges have already supported the Harrogate Scrubbers to the tune of £700.

David S Pratt, the Provincial Grandmaster of the Province of Yorkshire West Riding, said:

“At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, we set up a special COVID-19 relief fund to help organisations responding to the crisis in their own communities. The Harrogate Scrubbers is a shining example of this.”

Fran Taylor, the leader of Harrogate Scrubbers, said:

“I’d like to thank the Freemasons for their incredible generosity, which means even more frontline care staff will receive the protective equipment they need and deserve. Since setting up this group just over two-months ago, the support I’ve had has been overwhelming.”

It may not be the traditional tea room experience, but Bettys will reopen its Harrogate and Harlow Carr shops later this month.

The flagship Bettys store in Harrogate will be one of the first to open on June 22, with the Harlow Carr shop following in its footsteps on June 29.

All of the Bettys cafes will remain closed until further notice.

Read more on this story 

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Both will offer a range of wrapped cakes, chocolates, biscuits, teas, coffees, gift boxes, hampers, and takeaway hot drinks. Freshly baked products on sale will include the famous Yorkshire fat rascals, as well as a selection of breads and pastries.

The Bettys management team will limit the number of people in its shops, provide hand sanitiser by the entrance and floor markers to guide people.

Coronavirus may have delayed the plans but Masterchef Matt Healy will open his third healthy cafe in Harrogate next week.

Grön Kafé will open on Monday, June 15 at Cold Bath Clubhouse, 46 King’s Road with a pop up site to sell groceries.

The cafe will have a focus on “keeping it clean” by serving up vegan and allergy-friendly food and drinks as well as the regular favourites.

It will offer Buddha Bowls and ‘croissant-wiches’ along with coffee, freshly-baked pastries, and cakes.

The Grön Kafé will operate as takeaway only for the time being until the government lifts the restrictions on cafes and restaurants.

As well as the cafe, they will open up a pop-up greengrocer which they say was a huge hit at the Leeds site.

Some of the Grön Kafé Buddha Bowls.

The Grön Grocer will stock essentials like fruit and vegetable boxes, flour, milk, and bread.

Chef Patron Matt Healy and Masterchef finalist said he was looking forward to opening in Harrogate:

“We’ve been able to bring a little slice of normality with our Grön Grocer concept. Being able to grab a cracking flat white and a pastry has made people’s day, so we’re looking forward to bringing that to Harrogate. It’s been a tough but exciting journey adapting to the ‘new normal’. It’s been in the works for a long time, and whilst this isn’t how we expected to open, we can’t wait to get stuck in.”

More fines were issued for breaching coronavirus regulations by North Yorkshire Police than by any other force in England.

With 1,082 fines issued from the start of lockdown until Monday, June 8, the force handed out 19 more fines than the Metropolitan Police.

West Yorkshire Police issued 826 fines in the same period, South Yorkshire gave 377, and Lincolnshire 231.

The North Yorkshire force said more than half of its fines were issued to visitors to the county. Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker said:

“The police’s overarching aim in the response to Covid-19 has been to keep people safe, to protect the NHS and save lives. We took that responsibility seriously.

“Although we planned for the worst case scenario, we have seen a much lower than expected absence rate among our officers and staff, enabling us to provide increased patrols in our communities.

“We are thankful that out of thousands of interactions with the public, we rarely had to enforce the regulations. The vast majority of people understood and supported the role of the police in this public health emergency and we are grateful for all of the support and positive engagement we have had from members of the public.

“There was a minority who didn’t understand or believed the rules did not apply to them. And where people have not responded to our engagement approach, when we have explained the regulations and encouraged them to follow them, but they have still refused, we have resorted to enforcement – as the public would expect us to.”

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Mr Walker said the attractions of North Yorkshire had drawn people to the county even when regulations told them not to travel, resulting in the large number of fines and the high percentage issued to people from outside the area.

He said the fines issued have been scrutinised by the criminal records office and by a panel led by North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), Julia Mulligan. She said:

“I want to place on record my thanks to the officers and staff who have worked so hard to protect us, and thank the majority across North Yorkshire who have followed the law and stayed at home as much as possible.

“We may be over the peak, but this crisis is not over and as we move towards having to take more personal responsibility as we stay alert to the threat of the virus, I encourage everyone to continue to follow the restrictions and guidelines.”