‘Heritage Worth Fighting For’ is the battlecry of Ripon Military Heritage Trust, as it steps up its campaign to save priceless elements of the city’s world war history from the bulldozer.

The trust, which was established last year, has created a website to raise awareness of its work and attract support from the public and interested parties locally, nationally and internationally.

The heritage items that they are fighting to save include buildings, bridges and other structures that help to tell the story of the strategic role that Ripon played in two world wars and other conflicts.

Each of the heritage assets are located on the Ripon barracks site, where the 1,300-home Clotherholme development led by Homes England – the government’s housing and regeneration agency – is due to begin in 2026, when the Royal Engineers vacate the base that has been their home for decades.

Guy Wilson (fourth from left) is pictured with fellow trustees Lt Col (Retd) Bob Lisle, Jane Furse, Stuart Martin and Michael Furse. Picture RMHT

Chairman of trustees Guy Wilson is, along with fellow trustees, using the website to make a passionate rallying call.

Mr Wilson, who was previously responsible for bringing the Royal Armouries Museum to Leeds in 1988, told the Stray Ferret:

“We need help and support from the public in a number of ways. Most urgent is our need to wake up those in positions of power and influence to the importance of saving Ripon’s unique World War Two heritage.

“Currently the landowners — the Ministry of Defence — and the local planners have taken a Pontius Pilate attitude and washed their hands of any active involvement leaving the trust to deal on its own with the developers — Homes England — who have so far refused to contemplate any change from the submitted development plans.

“If this situation continues the heritage will be lost. Instead ,we need positive engagement and with that we believe that a group of barrack buildings can be saved in a way which would benefit both Ripon and the proposed development.

Mr Wilson added:

“If people want to help they should get in touch with us via our website and be prepared to write letters to their MP, to the planning authority, to the Ministry of Defence and to any relevant contacts they may have. There is also talk locally of organising petitions and other direct actions to show support for the heritage and we expect more to develop on this front soon.”

D-Day for decision makers

Mr Wilson said the forthcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 presented an opportunity to make the case to a wider audience because of the link between the threatened heritage in Ripon and the success of D-Day.

He added:

“We hope to encourage debate both locally and nationally about the mismatch between the occasional official rhetoric about the debt we owe to the ‘finest hour’ generation and the stark reality of official indifference to the fate of highly significant historic assets that remain to us from that period.

“So we will be encouraging all parts of the news and media world to get involved and to cover the story, we’ll be writing letters to newspapers and journals ourselves, and  we’ll be reporting on our success, or lack of it , in seeking the  engagement of all relevant parties in a proper and constructive process to save Ripon’s military heritage.”

The Royal Engineers’ vital role in the Second World War

During the Second World War, the School of Military Engineering was relocated from Chatham to Ripon. With it came the ancillary training establishments which taught critical skills such as bomb disposal and anti-tank warfare.

Combat engineers, both British and allied, were trained at Ripon in such skills as bridging and mine clearance. US Army Engineers came to the city after Pearl Harbour to learn how to defuse unexploded bombs and then a US section of the School of Military Engineering was established in Ripon so allied forces could be taught the same things.

On D-Day, some 25% of the troops that landed in Normandy were engineers, far more than normal for combat, but essential as the engineers had so much to do to get the troops safely ashore and moving inland.

British and allied forces were taught in Ripon how to install Bailey Bridges, such as this one in Imola, Italy, which is being crossed by a Sherman Firefly tank. Picture: Wikipedia

Mr Wilson said:

“Not all of them were trained in Ripon but what happened in Ripon influenced every one of them. And there is still much we do not understand and need to find out. For instance, there was an organisation called the Experimental Anti-Tank Establishment.

“We know it was testing anti-tank mines at Ripon. And in a lecture given in December1945 Major General Inglis noted that in 1942  “a number of curious devices such as snakes, flails, rollers and ploughs were being developed by the Anti-Tank Experimental Establishment. This suggests that the Experimental Anti-Tank Establishment and thus Ripon may have had a hand in the early development of what became known as ‘Hobart’s funnies’, those altered ‘engineer’ tanks which proved their worth on and after D-Day.”

Funding for the trust’s work

Mr Wilson added:

“Currently the trust is looking to raise only sufficient money to fund our continuing public relations campaign. A modest £5,000 will see us through this year. Beyond that we cannot start any campaign until we know what we are allowed to do.

“The what and where and how has to be agreed before we can cost any project and start fund-raising for it. And currently no one will properly engage with us to produce the first, essential requirement – a thorough assessment of the significance of the Ripon site and its surviving heritage assets.

“We are, therefore, stuck at the starting post and the danger is that, suddenly the development plans will be passed and demolition will begin before we have had tine to develop a proper scheme to save what is most important.”

Support from Ripon City Council

The leader of Ripon City Council, Councillor Andrew Williams, said:

“We are unanimous in our support for all that the trust is doing and fellow North Yorkshire councillor Barbara Brodigan and I have attended a number of meetings that the trust has held with Homes England, to make the city’s feelings known.”

He added:

“The military heritage within the barracks site must be maintained. It not only belongs to the people of Ripon, but to the nation and is a unique reminder of the part that our Royal Engineers played in fighting for our freedom and the liberation of Europe.

“As well as being a means of educating future generations about the horrors of war, the assets on the barracks site are part of Ripon’s wider heritage dating back 1,351 years to the establishment by Wilfrid of the cathedral and can play an important role in our development as a destination for heritage-based tourism.”

What Homes England says

In a previous statement Homes England, said:

“We remain committed to delivering a military heritage strategy as part of our wider proposals for the site and continue to discuss options with the local planning authority and the Ripon Military Heritage Trust.”

The government housebuilding agency added:

• Details for the heritage strategy, its funding, and potential use of the existing military structures continue to be fine-tuned as part of the planning application process.
• As part of ongoing discussions with North Yorkshire Council, Homes England and The Defence Infrastructure Organisation have committed to spending £100.000 towards the progression of the submitted heritage strategy. The council has asked Homes England / the DIO to continue engagement with Ripon Military Heritage Trust over the submitted heritage strategy and a number of options are now being explored as part of those discussions.

Read more:

• Trust fights to save Ripon’s priceless military heritage
• Ripon volunteers prepare for D-Day anniversary

The bird garden at Harewood House will close for the final time at the end of February half term.

The Harewood House Trust announced in January that the attraction would close in the face of a £4 million bill to bring it up to modern standards.

At the time, the charity said the birds would be re-homed over a six-month period, with a final closure date to be confirmed later in the year.

Now, that date has been set: Sunday, February 19 will be the last opening day.

The only exception is the penguin pool, which the trust said it hoped could remain open until the summer.

A spokesperson said:

“Over the next few weeks, the birds – many of which are exotic or endangered – will be re-homed in licensed zoos in the UK better equipped long-term to ensure they continue to have comfortable and enriched lives and to ensure their life-long care.”

The Harewood House Trust said it had faced a difficult few years, particularly with the covid pandemic, and its trustees were “acutely aware of the financial pressures” on the historic estate.

Read more:

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The bird garden was first opened more than 50 years ago and while its last zoo inspection praised the health and care of the birds, it also identified problems with the site’s infrastructure.

The trustees investigated refurbishment and potential sources of funding but, in the face of a £4 million investment, decided to close the bird garden. It will be replaced with a woodland garden with opportunities to see native species of birds and animals.

The farm experience will remain on site, and the trustees are hoping to improve the area around the courtyard for visitors, opening up views across the estate.

A statement today expressed the trust’s sadness at closing the bird garden, which it said had been a favourite experience for many generations of visitors, but said it could not make the bird garden the experience it should be.

The spokesperson added:

“We realise that many of Harewood’s visitors love the Bird Garden and have children who love it too. It has been an incredibly difficult conclusion to reach but it is the most responsible and ethical decision to make, to ensure the health and care of these beautiful creatures, but also to ensure Harewood can stand the test of time and be here for as long as it has stood already…

“Thank you to all our members, visitors, volunteers and supporters for your continued support and your understanding. Harewood looks forward to welcoming you throughout 2023 and beyond.”

New trustees have joined the board of a Harrogate charity, including a Paralympic gold medalist.

Laurence Whiteley MBE, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the mixed double scull, is one of two new members with disabilities to take on the role at Disability Action Yorkshire.

He is joined by Carl Howard, Colin McCorkindale, Kathryn Leigh, Peter McBay, Susanne Driffield, and Andrew Simister, who suffered life-changing injuries in an accident earlier this year.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said: 

“We are delighted to welcome these ‘Magnificent Seven’ new trustees, among whom there is a huge amount of skill and experience.

“We are particularly pleased to have been able to recruit more trustees with lived experience of disability, meaning that more than 50 per cent of our trustees have either personal or family experience, something which we considered to be hugely important.

“Our new recruits will help ensure excellent governance as the charity moves forward, as we continue to empower and support the local disabled community.”

Laurence Whiteley MBE. Picture: Paralympics GB.

Owing to the retirement of several long-standing trustees, the charity conducted a full skills and experience audit, and as a result was able to recruit trustees with the necessary attributes.

The new trustees, together with existing ones led by Chair Neil Revely, will oversee exciting new projects, including the £7.5 million assisted living development currently under construction in its Claro Road residential care home site.

Pictured above backrow from left are Disability Action Yorkshire Chief Executive Jackie Snape, new Trustee Carl Howard, Chair Neil Revely, new Trustee Peter McBay and Trustee Guy Tweedy. Pictured front row from left are new trustee Andrew Simister, new Trustee Susanne Driffield, new Trustee Kathryn Leigh and Trustee Andrew Newton.

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With three linked heritage attractions that bring thousands of visitors a year to Ripon, the city’s museum trust is looking to the future by building on a picture of the past that has increasing relevance to today’s society.

Having celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, Ripon Museum Trust (RMT) continues to develop its activities through community engagement and a volunteer programme that enables the museums to create a living history experience.

With almost £100,000 of Heritage Lottery money, RMT is assembling the team of professionals required to draw up a bid, seeking further funding  that would enable it to open up parts of the Workhouse Museum, never before seen by visitors.

RMT director Helen Thornton told the Stray Ferret:

“If we are successful, we will be able to provide access to the women’s and men’s dormitory areas on the upper floors of the east and west wings of the master’s accommodation.

“Our plan also includes installation of a lift, that would increase accessibility for people in wheelchairs and families with young children.”

She added:

“We are keen to tell the full story of the lives of previous inmates, which has particular relevance to today and the financial difficulties that are faced by many.”

Echoes from the past

The current cost of living crisis, which is putting more families and individuals into poverty and reliance on charities, has echoes that go back to 1776, when the original Ripon Union Workhouse opened in Allhallowgate, prior to construction of the Victorian establishment on the site with its 1854 dateline set in stone.

The former hospital wing within the complex is home to Community House, a social enterprise which, among other vital services, provides food support through a foodbank to an ever-growing number of users.

Side by side, the buildings in the workhouse grounds exemplify the fact that history can and does repeat itself.

Some 246 years ago it opened its doors to men, women and children caught in the poverty trap and here in 2022, many families are facing the modern-day equivalent, through crippling debt, much of it caused by increasing gas and electricity charges.

RMT chair Richard Taylor at the Prison & Police Museum

A unique offer

Ripon Museum Trust has a unique offering, by virtue of the fact that the Workhouse is the most complete museum of its kind in the UK and the only one whose entire exhibit is dedicated to focusing on the lives and experiences of the destitute and downtrodden of former generations.

Through a trail that also takes in the Prison & Police and Courthouse museums, visitors can follow the journey from poorhouse to punishment cell as seen through the eyes of those whose impoverishment put their lives into a desperate downward spiral.

Richard Taylor, who has chaired the trust for 28 years, said:

“It’s a powerful story put into context through items that can be seen at the three museums.

“In liaison with the community and our volunteers, we have developed an exhibition, which runs until November 27, called Ripon Museums in 40 Objects.

“It  has been designed to provide an insight into the hard times faced by former citizens unfortunate enough to find themselves in any of these establishments.”

These children were able to find out what it was like to face a magistrate before the courthouse became a museum

The blue lamp outside the Prison & Police Museum is one object not included in the list, but has special relevance to Mr Taylor.

He said:

“The P&P as we call it, was the first museum operated by the trust and I was delighted when my suggestion of adding the lamp was taken up many years ago.

“It has acted as a kind of guiding light directing visitors to the building ever since.

“We are currently looking for people to join our board of trustees and would like to hear from anybody who feels they can play a part in helping the trust to plan for its next 40 years.”

Cancelled shows and a huge roof renovation have made the last 18 months “very difficult” for Harrogate Theatres but the chair says it is going into 2022 “cautiously optimistic”.

Knaresborough-born Deborah Larwood, who has been visiting the theatre for years, worked in the arts sector for over a decade before she took a seat on the board four years ago. She then became chair in December 2019.

Harrogate Theatres is a charity that hosts events at Harrogate Theatre, Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre.

Its biggest challenge during the pandemic has been generating enough income to cover costs whilst being unable to get on stage.

It has held online workshops, socially distanced theatre and launched its HT Together fundraising campaign.

Ms Larwood said initiatives like these and grants from the likes of Arts Council England have been crucial to the theatre’s survival and allowed it to plan for upcoming events.

Cinderella ends today

The biggest event for the theatre each year is its annual pantomime. As Cinderella comes to a close today, after running since November, Ms Larwood said she was pleased with its success although it is unclear how well tickets sold compared with previous years. She said:

“People’s habits have changed during the pandemic and some of our usual audience members still aren’t comfortable in the auditorium. We still had huge success in terms of ticket sales, but it was different especially with some schools choosing to cancel their trip.

“When we lost the panto in 2020 it was a significant worry because we rely so heavily on that revenue we earn.”

Some of the cast of this year’s pantomime, Cinderella. Photograph: Karl Andre

She added tickets for this year’s pantomime, Aladdin, are already selling with a number of schools also choosing to book.

Roof completion date still set for March 

One of the biggest projects undertaken in the last 12 months has been the roof renovation. The project has been managed by Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the building.

Work began in May last year and with multiple setbacks due to covid and building materials it is now due to be completed by March.

Ms Larwood said workers on site were “determined” to stick to that date.

The theatre roof during works in June 2021.

The board has been trying to recruit new trustees. Last year, Ms Larwood, said multiple trustees came to the end of their tenure, which gave the opportunity to bring in new people and expertise.

She said:

“The pandemic allowed us to refocus and its exciting to hear from new people who are equally as passionate as us about the arts.”

So far the charity has added Fiona Hunt to its board but plans to speak to more potential new trustees after panto season.

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‘Necessary evil’ to make people redundant 

During the pandemic the theatre made staff redundant in an attempt to remain open. Ms Larwood said it was a “necessary evil”.

Long-term closures in 2020 and 2021 meant a big loss in revenue. Ms Larwood said despite the grants, cuts had to be made.

However, the charity hopes to start recruiting again this year. She said:

“We had terrible levels of redundancies but we had to make sure we made it through the other side. Recruitment will begin in earnest, but it’s all about striking a balance. We need people but we live in a time of rapid change and hiring too quickly is a big investment to lose.

“Our core team has been amazing throughout, doing the job of a team normally two or three times its size. It’s now time for us to bring in new people as we move into a busy year.”