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Jul
Harrogate tour guide Harry gets new recruit to focus on women's history
Did you know that the first female doctor in Yorkshire was from Harrogate? Does the name Betty Stevenson mean anything to you?
The historic achievements of Harrogate women are rarely put in the spotlight.
Next weekend that is about to change with a new walking tour set to focus solely on women.
It will not be led by Harrogate's well known guide, Harry Satloka - but by someone very close to him- his financé, Rebecca Lauren.
In a new Stray Ferret podcast, Harry talks about the new tour, how he got started and his love for Harrogate with Phil Airey from Horticap and founder of the Stray Ferret, Tamsin O'Brien.
On the latest Straycast Harry told Phil and Tamsin that he's wanted to focus on woman for a long time now but felt it wasn't quite appropriate:
To be perfectly honest, I have had little to do with this. This is all Rebecca.
The women's history of Harrogate has fascinated me since day one. Obviously, we know of Betty Stevenson who is on the war memorial, Florence Nightingale came through here, Lady Bomanji as well did so much for the town back in the '70s and 80's and I've been wanting to do a tour focused on them. But, it felt a bit like mansplaining.
Luckily my much better half is a much better historian than I will ever be..
The new tour will be held on August 2, starting at 3pm by the war memorial.
The walk includes a spot of afternoon tea in West Park United Reformed Church where history fans can visit a new exhibition which explains how and why Harrogate developed into the town it is today.
The Harrogate Story opened to the public this month.
Tickets cost £15 and can be bought here.
Oh, and for those readers who do not know what "mansplaining" is... maybe ask a woman.
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