Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Malcolm’s history walks are a real treat

How fortunate we are to have local historian, Malcolm Neesam, who is so interested in the history of Harrogate that we can all enjoy two virtual walks with his knowledge of the town.

The walks are beautifully set up on the best website I have seen with maps, photos and information clearly displayed. A real treat!

Thank you, Malcolm!

Audrey Culling, Nidderdale 

Recycling rules don’t make recycling easy

We are lucky to have birdsong – do your bit to keep it going

Read more: 

• Local historian creates audio walks celebrating Harrogate’s glorious past
• Fears of fly-tipping in Harrogate district as recycling centres close

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

This history is written for The Stray Ferret by celebrated Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam. 

Do you remember the Cone Heads? The street entertainers who a few years ago appeared in the town at the invitation of Harrogate International Festivals? Their sudden appearance was part of a centuries-old tradition of such entertainment, which has included musicians, street theatre, Punch and Judy shows and the travelling waits.

Punch and Judy

To the best of my knowledge, the first known appearance of Punch and Judy in Harrogate was in June 1865, when Professor Bailey was said to have replaced an earlier but unknown Punch and Judy showman. Professor Bailey’s “pitch” appears to have been somewhere at the foot of Montpellier Hill, on the Stray outside the White Hart, and he worked with a young man named Candler, who succeeded Bailey, who was eventually decorated by King Edward VII.

Professor Candler [1869-1922] became one of Victorian Harrogate’s most well-known entertainers, and celebrated as a leading practitioner of his art, so much so that he was chosen to make the Punch and Judy show that accompanied the Prince of Wales’ tour of India. He was also called up to London to perform before George V when the king attended a private party given by Lady Stoner at her South Audsley Street mansion.

Edmund Candler’s Punch and Judy, Swan Hotel, 1910

Professor Candler may also have performed at Pier Head, which was a favourite pitch used by Otto Schwarz and his German Band. I suspect – and if any reader can contradict me, please do so – that Professor Candler was succeeded by Professor Valvo, who had begun his career in Bradford. Professor Valvo was often called to perform before royalty, and had command performances at the London Palladium, and in 1919 he gave a special performance at Crystal Palace for the royal children.

Like Professor Candler, Professor Valvo made his base in Harrogate and appeared several times in the Opera House [today, the Theatre] as part of variety shows. On one occasion, he gave a Punch and Judy show in the Winter Gardens before 600 children, including the sons of the Princess Royal and Lord Lascelles. In 1936, Professor Valvo was described by the Harrogate Herald as “an ex-serviceman, he has been a Punch and Judy man for twelve years, and for forty years previously was a theatre ventriloquist…”

I do not know whether Professor Valvo had any children who kept his act alive, but Professor Candler had two sons. Described by the press on July 13 1957 as “a wonderful showman, yet of a kindly, quiet nature, and his skill with the Punch voice, and the Pandean pipes was that of an expert”. He gained the affection of generations of children and the esteem of adults, including Princess Victoria, who, when in Harrogate, would sometimes stop to listen to the old, old story…

A Noisy Street Scene

The Punch and Judy men were only a small part of the many entertainers who swarmed through Harrogate during those long ago seasons. There were the black-faced minstrels, which were popular at the time, the earliest of which seem to have been Walter Mapping’s, who put on song and dance routines in Valley Gardens. The “Major’s Group” also provided a lively street entertainment show, the “Major” getting his name from his theme song “My friend the Major”. The chair stage prop used by the Major was said to be required because of the Major’s fondness for “the flowing bowl”.

I must not forget to mention the “Black Star Minstrels” who contained several performers who “blacked-up” in such hostelries as the Ship Inn, the Victoria Inn, or the “Borough Vaults” – now the Drum and Monkey. One of them, Joe Morrison, specialised in laughing songs, which could reduce a crowd to hysteria, and who was consequently disliked by more sober shop-keepers. There was Albert Freer, who specialised in sentimental songs about happy slaves on the “old plantations”, and a rival group called the “Mysterious Musicians”, who set up their portable stage near the Royal Pump Room, sometimes in direct competition with other performers. The resulting racket caused great annoyance to the hotels and lodging housekeepers.

Many acts were of course solos, such as The African who performed at Pier Head before the lavatories were built. The African’s ingenious act was to swallow a red hot poker. According to the Herald: “to show that there was no deception a poker was heated in front of the wondering throng, who were even more surprised at the way he used to relish a concoction that he cooked in his own fashion, and transferred to his capacious mouth with a fork whilst it was blazing.”

Contemporary criticism of many of these acts judged that some of the best shows on the Stray before the Great War were those of Adler and Sutton. Max Adler and his companions performed on the Victoria Avenue bandstand, opposite Baptist Church, during mild summer’s evenings. Their comedian was Olly Oakley, who did imitations, and whose saucy songs sometimes upset the local magistrates. Other “Stray” performers included the “Jubilee Singers”, who in the language of the time were described as “a group of real negroes”.  There was also Mr. I. C. Rich, who specialised in Jewish “deliniations”, who shared the bill with another comedian, whose name escapes me, and whose catch-phrase was “My hair’s down again”.

One of Harrogate’s rarer evening acts, who may have performed in Crescent Gardens, were the “Brothers Egerton”, who specialised in songs about drunks and drinking, which were known by the name of “Corney Grain” songs. Eventually, they left Harrogate for St Kilda’s Beach, Melbourne.

The Ongars

I do not have space to describe the many operators of the street piano, who played their raucous jangling instruments outside Hale’s Bar, and – to the intense annoyance of Alderman Fortune – along the rows of decorous hotels and lodging houses on Prospect Place and West Park, grinding out such tunes as “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts”;  “He had to get out and get under”, “The man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo” and “My old Dutch”.

Town ‘mascots’

I must not leave the subject of the Stray entertainers without mentioning the “Mascots”, who first appeared in 1902, who drew enormous crowds for their acts, which were often held on the Stray near the junction of Beech Grove and Victoria Avenue. Their numbers included Karr and Kooney, who later became famous pantominists, and Tom Johnstone, a singer of chorus songs who later returned to Harrogate to play in the Empire Theatre.

The last known Stray Troupe before the Great War was the “Sparks”, whose boss, Will Driscoll, rode around Harrogate in a high-wheeled dog cart before the show. The Library Gardens, then known as the Town Hall site, was a further venue for street entertainment, where groups of “dancing minstrels” entertained the public. Harlow Hill, too, had its regular street acts, but I will try the editor’s patience if I go on any more.

Much of Harrogate’s street entertainment vanished during the Great War, although Tom Coleman and his Pierrots (featured main image) did sterling service entertaining wounded soldiers in the four military hospitals set up by that wonderful lady the Grand Duchess George of Russia.

My thanks to Geoff Felix and Janet Nijholt [nee Candler] for information about, and photographs of, Professor Candler.

Did you know? 

The Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) have worked with Malcolm Neesam to produce two fantastic history audio tours of Harrogate.  Both last about an hour and are easy to do. The first will take you back to the golden age of Harrogate’s Victorian Spa days, the second will take you through the heart of the shopping district, stopping to learn about historic buildings as you go.  To take a look click here. 

It seems we are a pretty unobservant bunch in Harrogate – except for resident Alex Pemberton.

A brown plaque installed on Regent Parade two years ago has a glaring error on it yet until this week no one had spotted it.

The plaque on Library House was placed on the property by Harrogate Civic Society due to its historically important connection to author Ely Hargrove.

Hargrove was an 18th century author and publisher who wrote Harrogate’s first guide book. He moved his shop to Library House before turning it into the town’s first subscription library.

Unveiled in December 2018, the inscription on the plaque reads that Hargrove “moved his shop from Church Square to this newly built Regent Regent Parade location“.

A Stray Ferret reader, Alex Pemberton, got in touch after spotting the error yesterday. He said:

“I was walking past and saw the plaque and just thought I’d give it a read. I had to read it a few times to check I wasn’t mis-reading it and even got my wife to check it too. I think it should be left as is and the Society should save the money. It adds to the interest of it.”

Plaques are expensive, each normally costs between £500 and £800 to manufacture and install.

At its unveiling, the current owner of the house and founder of Springfield Healthcare stood alongside the Mayor of the time, cllr Bernard Bateman, as he cut the red ribbon.

Harrogate Civic Society’s co-chair Stuart Holland said:

“We hadn’t realised there was a mistake. We’re very grateful for Alex for getting in touch and making us aware. We appreciate him being so observant. The Civic Society will speak to the manufacturer and see if there is a way of correcting the mistake.”

Read more:

• Harrogate’s free walking tours are coming back with a new focus on the people behind the town
• Harrogate’s Battle of the Flowerbeds

The Library House is said to have been very popular with tourists in the 19th century and managed to find its way into Sir Walter Scott’s 1823 novel St Ronan’s Wall.

In 1819 the building was bought by William Langdale who continued the subscription business, issuing from September 1820 a ‘Weekly List’ of visitors’ names and their hotels.

This inspired a rival Pickersgill Palliser in 1834 who added a Stage Coach timetable, later expanding in 1836 to the ‘Harrogate Advertiser’.

The library closed in 1857 and was then converted into residential use.

Empty shops in Harrogate are to get a new lease of life by telling the story of the town’s links to famous people.

Harrogate Business Improvement District , which aims to drive footfall into the town centre, has collaborated with Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam on the project.

It has already installed the first window vinyl in the former Hotter store on Cambridge Street.

The window features Sir Edward Elgar, The Beatles and Louis Armstrong, who all have connections with Harrogate.

The Beatles played at the Royal Hall in March 1963 and Louis Armstrong performed at the same venue in October 1933.

Elgar was a regular visitor to the town. He would often stay at the Crown Hotel and the Majestic Hotel. A walk in Valley Gardens is named after him.

Read more:

• Footfall in Harrogate will decline without change, says council leader
• Free walking tours back with new focus on Harrogate people

Over the coming weeks Debenhams on Parliament Street and Swarovski on James Street will also be transformed.

These will tell the stories of Harrogate’s connections to Agatha Christie, Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens.

Creative agency The Lift Agency, and signs and graphic experts De-signs are also involved in the project.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“I think the first window looks absolutely fantastic, and will help instil pride in our town, and also give people another reason to visit.

“There is nothing worse than seeing empty shops and what we are doing is helping to create a town that is a fabulous place to shop, eat and drink, one that is interesting, and one that is proud of its history and heritage.

“I would like to thank Malcolm Neesam for penning the words, and our two other partners in this project, De-signs, and The Lift Agency for creating these superb vinyl graphics.”

An author from Bishop Monkton has written a new book all about the secret sites built during the Second World War to keep the country going.

Former BBC journalist and author Colin Philpott’s book tells the stories of places across the country, including the Harrogate district, that were built and used during the Second World War.

Between 1939 and 1945 standard buildings became spy bases, interrogations centres and even retreats for the Royal family.

The book describes a secret food depot near Flaxby. The food storage facility was one of 43 built across the country to store food in case the country’s supply lines across the Atlantic were cut off.

The site near the Knaresborough-York railway line is still standing now but as a distribution depot.

Another site locally was the secret aircraft factory built next to what is now Leeds-Bradford Airport. At the time it was the largest single-span factory space in Europe.

Hundreds of Lancaster Bombers were built on site. It is now Leeds-Bradford Airport Industrial Estate.

Colin Philpott

Mr Philpott said:

“What is fascinating about the story of secret sites in WW2 Britain is that so many were ‘hidden in plain sight’. Some were underground bunkers but most were above ground and relied on a combination of camouflage, deception and secrecy.

“‘In virtually every part of the country, including around Harrogate, you can pass by Second World War sites vital to the war effort without realising they’re there.”

Read more:

• Local historian, Malcolm Neesam, looks back at the history of Debenhams.
• Bishop Monkton choir re-write famous 1960’s hit ‘Downtown’.

Mr Philpott will talk to adult learners from Rossett School about his new book in a virtual event on February 22.

A bid to reinstate the Victoria jubilee fountain in Knaresborough has suffered a major blow, despite a successful fundraising campaign.

Knaresborough Civic Society hoped to restore the fountain, which was built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 50th anniversary.

The society raised £6,000 and held talks with the owner of the private land where the fountain currently lays about moving it.

Read more:

• Knaresborough Bed Race 2021 cancelled
• Designs for new Knaresborough museum revealed

But the land changed hands shortly before the fundraising campaign and the new owner has refused to release it.

James Monaghan, chair of Knaresborough Civic Society, confirmed the news in a letter to the town council. He wrote:

“It is with tremendous regret that we write to you to confirm we see no option but to return donations.

“Despite our best efforts, a strong desire and the generosity of Knaresborough residents it appears no progress can be made with the owner of the land.

“As such, we have decided to return the money raised to the donors. We also relinquish any request for funds reserved by Knaresborough Town Council.

“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we have reached this decision.

“Should the situation change we would be delighted to play our part restoring this key part of Knaresborough’s history.”

Mr Monaghan has delayed the return of the funds until February 28 in the hope that Knaresborough Town Council will be able to remedy the situation.

History of the fountain

Residents of Knaresborough bought the fountain in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee.

It was originally built on the High Bridge near the entrance to Mother Shipton’s cave and provided spa water from Bilton.

The fountain was later decommissioned and planted with flowers then in the latter half of the 20th century it was removed and deposited on private land.

In 2016 the previous owner of the land reached out to a local history group to try to put the fountain back in public hands.

The civic society planned to reinstate the fountain on Gracious Street, next to the Methodist church.

It aimed to raise the fountain with a plinth, replace the missing brass plaque and to replumb it as well.

But the fountain now faces an uncertain future.

The Great British Dig, Channel 4’s new archeology documentary, has unearthed Masham’s hidden past.

The show includes four episodes running through February and March and Masham is the focus of episode two. The show works with local people to dig up their back gardens in search of hidden parts of history.

The show is hosted by actor and comedian Hugh Dennis who is working with a team of archeologists.

The production company behind the show, Strawberry Blond, had to work around lockdowns to film. Executive Producer, Steve Wynne, said the people of Masham were eager to get involved.

The researchers knocked on numerous doors in Masham in hope everyone would say yes to archaeologists digging up their gardens.

The production team knew of a lost cemetery in Masham and wanted to see what could be unearthed around the rest of the town. They used the Town Hall and the square as their base and began their dig.

Hugh Dennis stood in front of Masham’s blue plaque for the lost cemetery. Photograph: Strawberry Blond TV

The show promises to reveal “incredible discoveries” including a number of skeletons. Some were used to show how people lived 1000 years ago.

Steve Wynne said:

“I cannot tell you how incredibly warm and welcoming the people of Masham were.  From the amazing bacon sandwiches from Lucy at Bordar House Teas, to Colin at Johnny Baghdad’s on the Square.

“The residents were only too happy for us to turf up their gardens (and beer garden at The Bruce Arms).  The team at the Town Hall gave us the run of the place for our unit base, and the local vicar was a fountain of knowledge about the history of the town.”

Read more:

• Primary school near Masham, with only six pupils, set to close.
• Crowdfunder for Knaresborough’s new museum launches.

The episode featuring Masham will air on More 4 on February 24.

The series also features digs in South Shields, Nottingham and Newcastle.

Plans have been published showing how the ground floor of Knaresborough’s new museum could look.

The Knaresborough Museum Association has been campaigning for months to establish a new museum in the town’s former Castle Girls’ School.

The association has applied for planning permission to use the building and is now fundraising to make the project a reality by the end of the year.

A crowdfunding campaign has so far raised £3,300 towards its £35,000 target,

The newly revealed plans include a reception and shop, permanent and temporary display areas, an education space, toilets and wheelchair access.

The indicative plans for the ground floor. Illustration: Caroline Miekina

Read more:

• North Yorkshire’s first woman doctor awarded for her impact on the district.
• The story behind Harrogate’s Spitfire plaque.

Archeology, geology and social history will be at the heart of the new museum.

The association has sent questionnaires to local people who lived in the 1930s, 40s and 50s so their stories can be recorded.

The town’s population is said to have doubled during World War Two as evacuees, military personnel and prisoners of war based at Scriven Hall camp arrived.

The museum will illustrate how Knaresborough was home to dinosaurs such as Ankylosaurus during the Carboniferous period over 300 million years ago.

It will also show how Nidd Gorge has changed from the Carboniferous period through the Permian period when the sea covered much of the region to the Ice Age when the River Nidd was re-routed and carved the gorge we see today.

The association already has exhibits and display material from its previous pop-up museums, which showcased the story of Knaresborough from prehistoric times to the present day.

These new visuals indicate key areas the association wants to develop, including new displays on the Trinitarian Priory.

To support the museum project, click here.

The bid to create a Knaresborough museum will take its next step this week with the launch of a crowdfunding appeal for £35,000.

Knaresborough Museum Association, which was set up last year, hopes the museum will open by the end of the year.

It will be based on the ground floor of the former Castle Girls’ School, near Knaresborough castle.

The crowdfunding page will launch on Thursday to raise money for the site’s renovation, disability access, toilets and museum equipment, such as display cabinets.

Plans for the museum were submitted in October. The building will tell the story of the historic town and its people.

This artefact is on loan to Knaresborough Museum Association from the town’s Trinitarian Priory.

The museum is also applying for charitable status. Education and community engagement will be at the centre of its work.

Kathy Allday, chair of the association, said:

“There is still a lot of work to do but we are very excited. We have a lot of ideas for exhibitions.

“After all the depressing news in 2020, I feel Knaresborough is going to have a great year this year and what could be better than establishing a new museum that celebrates the town and its people?”

Read more:

• Council approves plans for the museum.
• Sixteen historic sites across the district find themselves on the Historic England’s ‘at risk’ list.

The museum has already received a £5,000 donation from local businessman Sir Graham Hall, who said in a statement he thought the museum could make a “significant difference” to the town.

The association has plans to stage exhibitions on World War Two and the Trinitarian Priory, as well as recordings of local people talking about their town.

The group has said the museum will be more than a few artefacts: there are plans to include interactive display boards, films and sound effects.

Contributions to the crowdfunding appeal can be made here although the link is not due to go live until Thursday.

North Yorkshire’s first woman doctor, who spent much of her life in Harrogate, has been nominated for a county award.

Dr Laura Sobey Veale experienced strong opposition whilst pursuing a career in medicine during the 19th and 20th centuries but overcame this to make a considerable impact on the town.

She has been nominated for the county council’s Great North Yorkshire Sons and Daughters campaign.

The “pioneering woman”

Dr Veale was born in Hampsthwaite in 1867 and studied medicine in London. She later returned to North Yorkshire to work at the Hospital for Women and Children in Leeds.

In 1904 she came back to Harrogate and set up her GP practice on Victoria Avenue. She made history overcoming hostility and continued to pave the way for women’s health, establishing a maternity department at Harrogate hospital and infant welfare and antenatal clinics in the town.

Despite retiring in 1936, Dr Veale was still committed to the town. When there was a need in the Second World War Dr Veale came forward to organise the Harrogate Women’s Voluntary Service leading a campaign to collect scrap metal for the war effort.

Read more:

• Plans for a Knaresborough heritage hub are underway. 
• Plaque to commemorate Harrogate’s input in the Spitfire campaign is unveiled. 

Dr Paul Jennings from Harrogate Civic Society History Group, said:

“She deserves recognition as an important figure in the history of both medicine and feminism and a key figure in medical provision, especially for women and infants, in her native county and more particularly Harrogate.”

“It is as a pioneering woman in the medical profession and through her wider work for the community that she is so important to Harrogate.”

A brown plaque in memory of Dr Veale was unveiled in April 2017 at the site of her surgery. It was put in place to commemorate her contribution to the town and as an important figure of history for medicine and feminism.

Councillor Carl Les, said:

“During the current pandemic, it is important we recognise the hard work of all doctors and nurses across the country. Figures such as Dr Laura Veale are incredibly important to the county. She showed determination and dedication not to give up in difficult times.”

Winifred (left) and her sister Dorothy (right). Photograph: Yorkshire Museum of Farming.

Winifred Jacob Smith

Another Harrogate district nominee is Winifred Jacob Smith. Born in 1911 in Humberton, between Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, Winifred went on the join the Women’s Land Army in 1939 with her sister Dorothy.

Winifred later became the organiser for the Women’s Land Army for the whole of Yorkshire. The ladies’ role was crucial for the war effort with many involved in intensive farm labour to feed the county.

Coming from a long established farming family, on her death in May 2003 Winifred bequeathed what was then Scriven Park to Harrogate Borough Council to be used by her local community. It was officially opened as Jacob Smith Park in 2008.

Details of how to cast votes for the award will be released on the county council’s social media soon.