How Ripon played a key role in two world wars

Michael Furse, a trustee of the charity  Ripon Military Heritage Trust, explains why Ripon and Harrogate have such military significance — and why the trust is fighting to preserve it as part of the the 1,300-home Clotherholme development.

The Stray Ferret is backing the trust’s campaign to save key parts of the city’s military history, as reported here. Please sign the petition here. If it gets 500 signatures it will be debated by North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee.

World War I: 350,000 soldiers pass through Ripon army camp

The British Expeditionary Force marched to war in 1914. The modest force of six divisions acquitted itself well but by the end of 1914 was exhausted having fought at Mons, Le Cateau, the Aisne and Ypres.

However, they helped the French hold off the German army and in what is known as the Race to The Sea prevented the Germans from turning the left flank of the allied armies.

Numbers were made up initially from the territorial force, but Field Marshal Lord Kitchener realised more troops would be needed and set about this with vigour, raising six more divisions by the end of August 1914, and a further 17 divisions by March 1915.

Dubbed Kitchener’s New Army or unkindly, Kitchener’s Mob, these further divisions were formed of volunteer soldiers and the need to process the huge number of them and to train them quickly led to the creation of large army camps, of which Ripon was one. An estimated 350,000 men passed through the camp during the 1914-18 war.

A recruitment poster

What was needed for one of Kitchener’s large camps? Clearly, good rail communications were essential – most soldiers coming to Ripon for training or leaving for the front marched to and from Ripon station, at that time on the main LNER route from King’s Cross to Edinburgh.

The camps needed to be relatively close to the conurbations that provided the volunteers for military service, but to have sufficient space to house up to 30,000 men at a time and to allow civilian soldiers to be trained properly for service on the Western Front, which included training in trenches built for the purpose.

Ripon’s north and south camps trained complete divisions of 16,000 men at a time. Little remains of this enormous undertaking – the camp was demolished and the land returned to the landowners who had offered it for the duration of the war.

Some hospital accommodation blocks remain in Lark Lane, converted into houses, but as they are on large plots, the number dwindles yearly. A set of cavalry lines remained until recently but were torn down to make way for a small housing development, reflecting the complete lack of interest shown by local government in heritage in general and military heritage in particular.

A 1945 aerial photo of Ripon Camp – note the Bailey suspension bridge in what is now the Doublegates housing estate.

World War II: Ripon pioneers bomb disposal and bridges 

The same reasons for selecting this part of England for training from 1914 to 1918 held true in 1940. Good communications, not just with mainline LNER service to London Kings Cross via Leeds, but the development of road freight meant that the A1 had become an important complement to the railways.

Harrogate

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, several government departments were moved from London to areas of greater safety. Harrogate was one of those safe areas and attracted a number of government bodies, primarily the Air Ministry’s Departments of Planning, Production, and Research.

With about 3,000 staff they were described In 1939 as being ‘a very vulnerable basket of precious eggs’. During 1940 there was a pressing need to increase the number of aircraft for the RAF. Working with the Ministry of Aircraft Production, the ‘Harrogate Programme’ arranged for and set a production quota of 3,000 fighters per year. The programme was so successful that over 4,200 fighters were produced in 1940.

In all, some 25 hotels and a number of schools were requisitioned and a group of ‘temporary office buildings’ designed by Sir James West, chief architect for the Ministry of Works, were erected to house the influx of civil servants and military personnel. These included staff of the General Post Office, who managed the post and were also responsible for civil telephony, the Office of Works, the RAF as well as servicewomen from the WRNS, WAAF and ATS.

Ripon

As war with Nazi Germany approached there was a need for accommodation for a much-expanded army. A large number of militia camps were built in the summer of 1939, including one at Ripon, with two barracks intended to each house a battalion-sized unit. One of these was intended to train Sappers.

Some of Ripon’s Second World War huts. Pic: Ripon Military Heritage Trust

The bombing of London and its surroundings in the blitz of 1940 led the Corps of Royal Engineers to move the School of Military Engineering from Chatham to Ripon, a process that started in late 1940 and was completed in early 1941.

The school occupied Deverell Barracks, which is now the only militia camp barracks left and which Homes England, the government’s property developer, is intending to demolish in its entirety, despite advice from both Historic England and the Twentieth Century Society that some of its rare or unique buildings should be preserved.

During the period the school was in Ripon (from late 1940 to early 1949), much critical work related to military engineering took place. Bomb disposal training was based in Ripon, and important development work on mine and obstacle clearance by armoured units was taking place as early as 1942.

Bailey bridge training and testing took place in and around Ripon, and many of the allied engineers who erected Bailey bridges in Italy or North West Europe were trained there. The River Ure was used to train Sherman tank drivers how to exit tank landing craft, an essential skill to master for D-Day. And the load and wind testing for the Bailey suspension bridges that were so essential in the India and Burma campaigns took place on what is now Doublegates housing estate.

Instead of destroying all these historic buildings we want to preserve a small group of them and re-purpose them for community uses and as a permanent interpretation centre where Ripon’s military history can be told. If we are to succeed, we need your support and help. Without this, a key and tangible part of Yorkshire’s military history will be lost forever.

Please support the campaign for a small part of the 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme to be set aside to preserve Ripon’s military history.  You can sign the petition here and find out more about the campaign here.

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5 things to do in Harrogate and the district this weekendCommunity diagnostic centre opens at Ripon hospital

A community diagnostic centre has opened at Ripon Community Hospital.

The £1 million centre aims to provide Ripon residents with faster access to checks, scans and tests for a wide range of health conditions.

It has the capacity to deliver more than 27,000 checks a year and will enable Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust to offer more appointments for tests, reduce waiting times and make it easier for the local community to access diagnostic services closer to home.

The centre offers services to people who have been referred by their GP for conditions including musculoskeletal problems, lung conditions, cardiovascular conditions and hearing issues.

A number of services have not been available at Ripon Community Hospital before, including ultrasound, echocardiography, audiology, blood tests, ambulatory blood pressure monitor fitting, electrocardiogram (ECG), spirometry (breathing and lung function tests) and tests for asthma.

Later this month, a new x-ray room will be opened in the centre using the latest diagnostic imaging technology that can capture and processes images faster than current equipment, which will reduce waiting times.

Located on the ground floor of the hospital, the centre will initially be open five days a week from 8am to 6pm, with plans to expand to seven days a week by the end of 2024. The x-ray service once opened will be available seven days a week.

Matt Graham, director of strategy at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the centre would provide “a huge benefit for the people of Ripon and the surrounding area”.

He added:

“It is a significant step forward in improving the range of diagnostic tests available in Ripon and it is helping us improve access to healthcare for our rural population. People now have the opportunity to have tests completed on their doorstep rather than having to travel further afield.

“We have been working closely with GPs in Ripon since the start of the project so that we can streamline access to our community diagnostic centre for those people who need it.”

Wendy Balmain, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board director for North Yorkshire, said:

“This is fantastic news for people living in Ripon and surrounding area and will mean they will have convenient access to a wide range of diagnostic tests.

“It’s a revolution in the way patients access diagnostic services and will speed up the detection of many serious illnesses, meaning patients can start their treatment and recovery much sooner.”

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Grants totalling £1 million available for small businesses in North Yorkshire

Businesses in North Yorkshire have the chance to apply for £1 million in funding through a new package of capital grants.

Small and micro businesses can apply for the small business grant scheme, administered by North Yorkshire Council through thennational government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The scheme is focussed on increasing business growth, productivity and resilience. Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available.

This is the second round of funding, following the first round in the last financial year which saw £750,000 awarded to businesses across the county.

Micro businesses, with less than 10 employees, and small firms with less than 50, can access free support through the business advisory teams at the council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, which provides business support.

There are more than 32,700 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises alongside 90 large businesses in the county.

Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative council leader and the chair of the shared prosperity fund board in North Yorkshire, said sole traders, start-ups, home businesses and social enterprises, as well as landlords and people looking to diversify their farm businesses and limited companies, were among those welcome to apply.

He added:

“This time we have allocated an even larger funding pot to the scheme to enable it to be bigger and better and have used learning from last year to improve the application process.

“Our ambition is to see a broad range of applications which seek to make long-lasting improvements to our small and medium businesses across the county.”

To aid businesses with their applications, the growth hub with partners at the social enterprise Enterprise Cube has organised two webinars on writing a business plan and a cash flow forecast which will take place on May 16 and 17.

Carolyn Frank, development manager at the York and North Yorkshire Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“This scheme has provided a practical way that the local authorities have been able to work together with us and other partners to unlock government funding and get it directly to businesses in our area, to help them to innovate and grow.”

The closing date for applications is Friday July 12. To find out more click here.

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Business Breakfast: Ripon company raise £20k in memory of former director

A memorial fund in honour of former businessman Andrew Lupton is set to beat its fundraising target of £20,000.

Ripon-based Econ Engineering set up the Just Giving campaign to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation following the death of their sales director in 2022.

Mr Lupton, ran the family business alongside his brother Jonathan and was 56 years old when he died of a heart attack. Founded by their father Bill 55 years ago, Econ is a manufacturer and supplier of winter maintenance vehicles.

Econ’s managing director, Jonathan Lupton said:

“We have been proud to partner with the British Heart Foundation and absolutely delighted that we have been able to support them with our fundraising. This is particularly poignant given the sad death of Andrew and we want to do as much as we can to increase awareness of heart disease and raise vital money for the charity, in his memory.

“We may have reached the £20,000 mark, but we are not finished yet. A team of Econ employees will be tackling the Three Peaks in May and we hope people will continue to support the memory of Andrew by donating to their efforts.”

To support the Econ Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge click here.

Investment management and stockbroking firm win management award

(L-R): Charlotte M, Sharon G, James I, Evelyn J, Richard R, Katie J, James W, Mary C, James S. A and Grace P-B.

Redmayne Bentley received the London Stock Exchange Award for Best Execution-Only Stockbroking at the City of London Wealth Management Awards 2024.

This year’s awards were highly contested. The awards were decided by public vote, with over 50,000 cast, the greatest number of votes the process has ever received.

Lawrence Fisher, head of investment said:

“As we approach our 150-year anniversary, this outcome reinforces the success we’ve enjoyed over many years in our industry, rewarding the personal service the firm provides to clients.

Traditional stockbroking is where Redmayne Bentley first began in 1875. Our services have expanded over time however our values remain at the centre of everything we do. This award reflects the excellence and teamwork delivered by Redmayne Bentley colleagues across the firm every day.”

Knaresborough clinic celebrates 20 year anniversary

Staff at Castle Clinic, left to right: Chris Horsman, Anna Mackay, Hilary Clissitt, Brit Watson, Seb Contreras, Sarah Chisem, Jon Rebanks

Castle Clinic has celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The clinic first opened in April 2004 as the vision of acupuncturist, Janice Miller, to bring together a range of therapists and disciplines all under one roof.

Tony Cowley bought the Knaresborough clinic in 2009 and retired at the end of 2022, selling the clinic to osteopath, Seb Contreras, who has worked at the clinic since July 2004.

Mr Contreras embarked on a clinic wide renovation plan refurbishing and adding to the site. The business now offers more than 1200 appointments every month in acupuncture, audiology, chiropractic, physiotherapy, podiatry and osteopathy.

Harrogate bus company announce charity partnership

Transdev bus company collaborates with Yorkshire Cancer Research

Yorkshire Cancer Research has been named as the charity partner of Transdev bus company.

Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:

“We’re so grateful to have been chosen by Transdev as their charity partner for the coming year. The partnership kicked off with a visit from a Transdev bus and we’re looking forward to many more opportunities to bring the two organisations together to raise awareness of cancer research in Yorkshire.

Transdev will show support for cancer research with activities including training for employees on the signs of the most common cancers, collections at local bus stations and getting involved in Yorkshire Day celebrations. The company will also be adding the charity’s branding to a new bus to help raise awareness of the charity.

Harrogate company wins Broker of the Year

Synergy Car Leasing was named Broker of the Year award as well as the Best Customer Service Award at the Broker News Awards 2024

Ralph Morton, editor of Broker News said:

“Synergy Car Leasing has absolutely nailed customer service. In their category, they were winners by a significant margin with enough points to ensure they also carried off the Broker of the Year title.

“For a leasing business that has also been awarded a Feefo 10 Years of Excellence Award for 10 successive years of attaining the Trusted Service Award earlier this year, it is fitting that they should be recognised with the Broker of the Year title.”

Have some news to share about your business? Send it to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

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New agricultural group set up for Harrogate district women

A new social group has been set up for local women who live and work in the world of agriculture.

Flock Ladies, founded by Rachel Bain, invites women who have some involvement in the farming industry to get together and socialise.

Ms Bain told the Stray Ferret the new group is for people of “all sorts of backgrounds” and said it is not limited to those who live on a farm.

She said:

“Everyone is welcome: farmers, farmers’ wives or girlfriends, people that work in agriculture, women that are interested in farming or want to get into farming.

“Our members come from all over: Nidderdale, Masham, Ripon, Bedale and the surrounding areas.”

Flock Ladies will host monthly meetings, during which members will visit farms, attend workshops with gamekeepers, host socials, fundraisers and listen to guest speakers.

When asked why she set up the group, Ms Bain said:

“I wanted to create a social group for ladies who understand what it’s like to live and work in agriculture and to create an opportunity for them to get out and socialise. The pressures of farming can be difficult and many of the ladies juggle work, farms, families and are the backbone of their home life.

“Having a group of women who ‘get it’ and that monthly event to look forward to has been really well received. Being a part of Flock means that ladies commit to an evening out of their normal routine to have fun, catch up with friends and do something worthwhile.”

She said the group plans to meet on the last Thursday of each month. Flock Ladies does not have a fixed hub, Ms Bain said, adding that this is due to the group wanting to “get out and about to visit places”.

Ms Bain added:

“Our aim is to have fun, make great friends, learn lots, try new things, do a bit of good (e.g. support local causes) and most importantly have a laugh.

“We’re a newly established group and we’d love to grow our member numbers, so please keep an eye on our social media or get in touch with us to find out what we’ve got planned.

“We’re a really friendly bunch and anyone wanting to find out more is welcome to come along to a meeting before they commit to membership.”

A Flock Ladies membership costs £30 per year, plus £2.50 per meeting.

The group accepts women aged 18 and over.

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Stray Ferret backs campaign to save Ripon’s military heritage

The Stray Ferret is today backing a campaign by Ripon Military Heritage Trust to save key parts of the city’s military history.

Government agency Homes England has planning permission to build 1,300 homes on army barracks at Clotherholme.

But there are fears it will bulldoze sites of international significance, including huts built by Neville Chamberlain’s government in 1939 and training bridges that shaped international warfare, to make way for the housing.

The trust accepts the homes will be built but is campaigning to preserve a number of surviving structures on a site at Laver Banks.

It wants to repurpose huts that would otherwise be demolished not just for heritage reasons but also so they can be used for employment and community use.

They would then feature in a newly created military heritage centre and a military heritage trail that would tell the story of Ripon’s part in international warfare.

We have launched a petition urging people to back the campaign to save Ripon’s military heritage.

If 500 people sign then North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon area constituency committee will be obliged to debate it, which will present an opportunity to raise awareness of the issue.

You can sign here.

The trust has adopted the campaign slogan ‘heritage worth fighting for’.

Trustee Michael Furse said:

“The wooden militia camp is unique because it is the last one standing.

“We are not proposing to stop the development. What we are saying is we would like to preserve some of the most important structures from it on a different site.

“We would then like to display those structures in a way that shows them off in a cohesive manner.”

The campaign will run up to the 80th anniversary celebrations of D-Day when Winston Churchill’s great grandson will be in Ripon for the city’s commemorations.

John Plummer, editor of the Stray Ferret, said:

“We fully support this campaign. Ripon’s military heritage should be treasured — not destroyed.”

In the weeks ahead we will provide updates on the campaign and, with the help of the trust, tell the remarkable story of Ripon’s vital role in defending Britain over the years.

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Sketches by Magritte to go under the hammer in Ripon

A double-sided sketch by the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte will be auctioned in Ripon next week.

The sketch will be displayed at Elstob Auctioneers’ fine art sale on Wednesday, May 8.

The two pencil drawings of nude figures in a double-sided gilt decorative frame carries a price estimate of £10,000 to £15,000.

Magritte, who lived from 1898 to 1967, was known for images of clouds, bowler hats, pipes and green apples.

His work influenced pop art, minimalist art and conceptual art. In the 1999 film The Thomas Crown Affair starring Pierce Brosnan, the Magritte painting The Son of Man featured prominently as part of the plot line.

The logo of Apple Corps, The Beatles’ company, is inspired by Magritte’s Le Jeu de Mourre; Paul Simon composed a song Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War and Tom Stoppard wrote a 1970 surrealist play called After Magritte.

The nude pencil studies that feature in Elstob’s sale came from the remaining contents of the studio of Magritte, sold at Sothebys on 2 July 1987. On this occasion, it is being offered for sale by a private collector.

Nude studies sketches by René Magritte

Rohan McCulloch, paintings and sculpture specialist at Elstob Auctioneers, said:

“Even if at first people think they don’t know the name of Magritte, they will most probably be familiar with many of his pictures that have frequently been featured in advertisements, posters, book covers and film.

“Without doubt, he has left a huge cultural legacy and we are very excited to be able to offer this captivating work for sale. Its established provenance will hopefully ensure a considerable interest from collectors around the globe.”

The sale also includes a striking portrait of Miss Hilda Wilkinson by Leeds artist Jacob Kramer (1892-1962), which is anticipated to fetch £6,000 to 8,000 and an oil on canvas by Philip Naviasky (1894-1983) that carries a price estimate of £1,000 – £1,500.

Miss Hilda Wilkinson by Jacob Kramer (left) and Miss May by Philip Naviasky

All lots can be viewed online and bidding on the day of the sale can be made in person, over the telephone or online.

Items can be viewed at the Ripon saleroom on Sunday May 5 and Monday May 6 and the day before the sale on Tuesday May 7.

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MPs Watch: Rwanda, housing and the mayoral election

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In April, Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill looked set to reach royal ascent, while MPs threw their weight behind their party’s candidates in the race to be the first York and North Yorkshire mayor on May 2.

Here’s what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what found on Conservative Andrew Jones:

When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent details of April engagements.

These included attending Horticap’s 40th anniversary event and presenting awards at the first Lego League Final at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Mr Jones went to the opening of the Knaresborough Heritage Centre and hosted a reception for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport across the north.

He also voted in favour of the motion to disagree with the Lords on amendment 3J of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

Mr Jones also saw the new electric 36 bus at the Harrogate Bus Company.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Conservative Julian Smith:

Mr Smith visited Glasshouses Community Primary School to talk about the role of an MP.

He also welcomed news of five local primary schools receiving funding, which will go towards improving the grounds and buildings.

Mr Smith also voted in favour of the motion to disagree with the lords on amendment 3J of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

We contacted Julian Smith for comment, but did not receive a response.

Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.

Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.

In Selby and Ainsty, which includes parts of south Harrogate, here is what we found on Labour MP Keir Mather:

Mr Mather posted repeatedly online to encourage people to vote for David Skaith (a fellow Labour MP) as York and North Yorkshire’s inaugural mayor.

He also plugged Labour’s plans for failing bus services.

We did not receive a response from Mr Mather’s office after approaching him for comment.

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North Yorkshire Council increases library fines for first time in a decade

North Yorkshire Council has increased the fine for an overdue book at its libraries from 30p to 35p per day.

The council said it was the first increase in almost a decade and was being made “in the light of increased pressures on finances”.

The changes will only apply to adult library members and not children.

The price to print an A4 piece of black and white paper at the library has also increased from 10p to 20p. It remains 50p to print a page of colour.

In an email sent to members yesterday, the council said income from fines and other charges goes into the library budget and contributes to ongoing service delivery costs.

The maximum fine for one book is £8.

The email added:

“Charges incurred at our community libraries goes directly back to the groups managing those libraries and makes up a valuable part of the income needed to meet their running costs.

“To mitigate the increase and to help customers keep track of items on loan we will be introducing reminders about when books are due back.”

For details of all library charges visit the council’s website.

Last year, Harrogate Library was the most popular in the county with 177,629 visits.

Visitor numbers at other libraries in the former Harrogate district area were Knaresborough with 110,191, Ripon with 73,428 and Starbeck with 18,676.

In 2015, the running of 31 libraries in the county was handed to volunteers in the face of mounting financial pressures brought on by austerity.

In this model, the council’s library service continues to provide the infrastructure including books and public IT, as well as some paid staff support to ensure consistency across the county.

The community libraries account for just under 40% of active library users and deliver on average 50% of the total business for book lending and computer access.

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