A free exhibition will honour the 1,163 men and women whose names are inscribed on Harrogate war memorial.

The exhibition will open in West Park United Reformed Church on September 1, 100 years to the day after the memorial was unveiled in Prospect Square.

It will run until Remembrance Sunday on November 12.

The memorial bears the names of local men and women who lost their lives in two world wars.

Twenty died on the same day; the youngest was just 15 and one person died after being kicked by a mule.

The multi-media exhibition, called More than a name on a Memorial, will bring their stories to life.

The stories will draw heavily on research conducted by local historian and former army reservist Graham Roberts, who has been researching the names for years.

Local resident Terry Williams, who was responsible for a recent exhibition telling the story of Harrogate’s railways, is curating the exhibition, which is being organised by the newly-formed Harrogate War Memorial Project Group.

The group includes members of various local voluntary organisations, including Harrogate Civic Society, the Royal Hall Restoration Trust and Harrogate and District Improvement Trust.

Nigel McClea, chair of the project group, said:

“Thanks to herculean efforts over many years by local historian Graham Roberts, all 1163 names have been researched and much has been discovered and recorded including military units, war records, photographs, cause of death, date of death and place of burial, although more than 300 of the First World War names inscribed have no known grave.

“This on-going research will form the core of the exhibition but thanks to support from North Yorkshire library service, through Harrogate Library, we are now in a position to seek out family stories and memories.”

Walter Ogden

The research has thrown up many fascinating questions. Mr McClea said:

“For example, would  2/Lt Walter Ogden have joined his family firm Ogden of Harrogate, the town’s historic jewellers still to be found on James Street?  We’ll never know, he died in 1917 aged just 19 at the Battle of Cambrai.

“2/Lt Donald Bell VC, the first English professional footballer to join the army in World War I, had signed his first professional contract with Second Division Bradford Park Avenue in 1912 aged 22.  Would he have ever played for a First Division club?  We’ll never know. He died aged 25 in the Battle of the Somme.

“These are just two stories from 1163.  We would love to hear from anyone with an ancestor named on the memorial who might have photographs, or recollections of their experiences which might have been passed on through the generations.

“We would also love copies of things such as letters home or letters they received from home, extracts from diaries, battle orders or telegrams and anything about what these brave people did before going to war.”

Copies of letters, extracts from diaries, written recollections and photographs can be emailed to Harrogate.Library@northyorks.gov.uk with the subject line ‘More than a name on a Memorial’ or taken into the library for copying.

Further details of the war memorial centenary programme of events will be available next month.

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• Ex-soldier from Harrogate researches 1,000 names on war memorial

North Yorkshire Council is arranging for Ripon’s War Memorial to have a deep clean to rid it of dirt and algae.

Since it was unveiled in October 1921, the memorial in Spa Gardens has been the focal point of  the city’s Services of Remembrance, commemorating those who served and died for their country in the conflicts of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.

Each year hundreds of people, ranging from scouts and guides to former servicemen and women and civic dignitaries, gather in the gardens to pay respect to the fallen.

In recent years, some of the 339 names of Ripon men who died in the two world wars have become obscured by green algae.

This led Ripon City Council to call on the former Harrogate Borough Council to carry out a thorough clean.

City council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“We raised the issue of the condition of the memorial on at least two separate occasions with officers at Harrogate council and were told 18 months ago that the memorial was on annual spring cleaning programme, but nothing happened.

“I’m pleased to say that we have had an immediate and positive response from the North Yorkshire parks and environmental services team.

“We have been advised that they have inspected the memorial and have instructed a specialist contractor to undertake cleaning in the coming weeks to bring it back up to the standard required.”

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Dozens of teachers from across North Yorkshire converged on Harrogate today for a rally.

The National Education Union, Britain’s largest teachers’ union, is holding strikes today and on Tuesday as part of its latest wave of industrial action.

The NEU has organised rallies across North Yorkshire on previous strike days but today’s was the first in Harrogate. Teachers from as far as Scarborough took part.

Those taking part near the war memorial told the Stray Ferret their main reason for striking was the “crisis” in education, which had left many schools struggling to get any applicants for some teaching posts.

Today’s strike comes after alll four teaching unions turned the latest government offer of a one-off payment of £1,000 and a 4.3% pay rise, as well as an increase in the starting salary for teachers in England to £30,000 a year by September.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye, the North Yorkshire branch secretary of the NEU who organised today’s rally, described the government offer as “an insult”.

The Department for Education described it as a “fair and reasonable offer”.

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A former soldier has researched the stories of more than 1,000 people whose names are listed on the Harrogate war memorial.

Graham Roberts is now offering to give the information for free to families of those who died in the two world wars.

There are 774 names from the First World War and 331 from the Second World War listed on the stone obelisk beneath the inscriptions ‘Pro Patria’ and ‘Their name liveth for evermore’.

Thousands of people turn out in all weathers each year on Remembrance Sunday, as they did last weekend, to pay their respects.

Harrogate-born Mr Roberts, who spent 37 years as an army reservist, has managed to find details of all but about 40 of the names on the memorial.

He said he “wouldn’t like to think” how much time he has spent on the task. He said:

“I’ve always been interested in military history. The kick start was seeing the names of casualties attached to lamp posts on the street where they used to live in 2018.”

Mr Roberts, who is now retired, used the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as a first port of call as well as other resources, such as the website Ancestry.

He said he was able to find precise details of some who died but only sparse details for others.

His research threw up some fascinating tales and anomalies. He said:

“There are some who should perhaps not be listed at all – being from further afield, e.g. Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge, or who had rather tenuous links with Harrogate, for example they lived in Leeds but played for Harrogate football team, landed here in an air race; and some who died well after the wars had ended.

“There is even one who was reported killed in 1917, but who has a gravestone in Canada dated 1947.”

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He added:

“In addition, I have discovered about 20-30 from each of the world wars whose names probably should appear on the memorial – they either lived or had previously lived in Harrogate, or their parents lived in Harrogate.

“The youngest I’ve found have been a 15-year-old soldier and a 17-year-old girl killed in an explosion at the Barnbow shell factory in Leeds.”

Mr Roberts said he was happy to share any information with family descendants. He can be contacted at Graham.R2467@outlook.com.

He added he was keen to receive any information on the 40 or so people whose details remain elusive.

From Ripon Cathedral to Knaresborough Fire Station, people fell silent for two minutes across the Harrogate district today to pay their respects to the war dead.

Thousands of people stood 20-deep in the fog around the war memorial in Harrogate for the traditional parade and outdoor service.

Thousands of people also gathered at Spa Gardens and on nearby streets in Ripon, where services were held at the war memorial and in Ripon Cathedral.

Ripon Spa Gardens

Starbeck observed a minute’s silence at 11am before the main ceremony at 3pm.

Starbeck war memorial

Further afield, Junior soldiers from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College took part in a Remembrance Sunday service at Merville Battery, France, as part of a trip learning  about the Normandy invasion.

Junior soldiers from Harrogate in France today. Pic: Matt Allen / MOD Crown Copyright 2022

Besides the formal ceremonies, many people took time out of their day to observe the two-minute silence.

Firefighters at Knaresborough lined up to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Knaresborough Fire Station

It marked the culmination of commemorations, which started with a minute’s silence on Friday. November 11 at 11am.

Pateley Bridge, which traditionally holds its main service on the 11th whatever the day, did so again this year.

Harrogate’s Ashville College also held a service on Friday before students and staff, along with members of the governing body and former pupils, gathered in front of the memorial to hold a two-minute silence and to lay wreaths and poppies.

Of the 300 former Ashvillians called up in the First World War, 38 died in the conflict. Eight of those were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

In the Second World War, 465 former pupils and teachers volunteered for the forces, and of those 59 were killed.

Ashville College

No Annual Remembrance services will take place across the district this weekend to honour the fallen.

Below is a list of events. If you know of others, let us know so we can add them to this guide. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Ripon

Sunday November 13: 11am – Remembrance Sunday service at the war memorial in Spa Gardens, where there will be a two-minute silence before wreaths are laid in honour of the fallen, by civic dignitaries, members of the armed forces, the RBL and representatives of other organisations.

Those planning to attend are asked to arrive by 10.30am.

Harrogate

Town centre

Sunday November 13:

Town Centre

10.30am – Parade and wreath laying ceremony at the Harrogate war memorial. The service will include the Army Foundation College, the Royal British Legion, regimental associations, uniformed cadets and scouts and guides.

Stonefall Cemetery

1pm – Harrogate Brigantes Rotary has arranged a service for 1pm at the Commonwealth War Graves. Wreaths will be laid by the Harrogate Mayoress, Andrew Jones MP, the Army Foundation College and representatives from the Commonwealth.

Starbeck

11am – gathering of residents at the war memorial on the Starbeck High Street.

3pm — Ceremony at Starbeck war memorial. The service will include the Royal British Legion, uniformed cadets, the brigades, students from Starbeck Primary Academy and local churches.

Knaresborough

Sunday, November 13: 11am – ceremony at Knaresborough war memorial attended by local officials and Harrogate Army Foundation College.

Nidderdale

Friday, November 11: A service takes place at the Cenotaph in the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Recreation Park led by the Church in the Dales and the last post will be sounded. There will also be a contingent of 40 junior soldiers attending who will be marching in public for the first time since joining the Harrogate Army Foundation College.
Following this the young soldiers will march to the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Memorial Hall on Park Road.
There will also be a display of the Nidderdale people who went to war and returned and those who didn’t, displayed by Folk Finders Family History.

Sunday, November 13: 10.15am – ceremony at Summerbridge war memorial

Boroughbridge

10am Service at St James’s Church followed by a parade and wreath laying at Boroughbridge war memorial from 10.45am.

If you want to make a donation to the Royal British Legion click here. 

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Many organisations across the Harrogate district closed today as people paid their final respects to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Streets were quiet and there was a sombre mood as the nation watched the state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London.

Ripon Cathedral and Harrogate’s Royal Hall broadcast the event live on big screens, as did numerous pubs and churches.

Many other people watched the day’s events unfold live on BBC One.

Here are some photos taken during today’s funeral capturing local tributes and the unusually quiet state of the district.

Cambridge Street deserted during the funeral.

Ripon Cathedral today

Flowers to the Queen at Harrogate’s war memorial.

Floral tributes in Knaresborough Market Place.

St Andrew’s Church in Starbeck broadcast the funeral live.

Starbeck High Street devoid of traffic.

A shop front tribute in Harrogate town centre.

About 100 floral tributes to the Queen have now been placed at Harrogate war memorial.

People began laying flowers shortly after the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday.

The number has grown steadily since, with many accompanied by moving handwritten notes, some written by children.

Yesterday, Andrew Jones, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, signed the book of condolence at St. Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

Mr Jones had previously attended the choral matins special memorial service for the Queen.

St. Peter’s is open from 8:30am-6-30pm every day during the period of mourning where there is a book of condolence that people can write in.

Also, on Wednesday and Friday at 12noon there will be a short act of prayer.

Andrew Jones signs the book of condolences at St Peter’s Church. Credit: Steve Martin

At County Hall in Northallerton, councillor Margaret Atkinson, who is chair of the council and represents Masham and Fountains, read the local proclamation of King Charles III yesterday.

Today, the local proclamation of King Charles III was read by Cllr Margaret Atkinson, Chair of the Council, on the steps of County Hall in Northallerton.

God save the King. pic.twitter.com/AKgSitiNlh

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) September 11, 2022

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Residents from across the Harrogate district have gathered to pay their respects to the late Queen today, and to welcome the new King.

Proclamations of the accession of King Charles III were made at the war memorial in Harrogate and at Ripon Town Hall at 4pm.

At the former, the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Cllr Victoria Oldham, read the words of the proclamation to the gathered crowd. She said:

“In an age where modern methods of communication convey news around the globe in an instant, the proclamation is no longer how people learn for the first time that they have a new monarch.

“Today, however, is one of the first occasions when communities have an opportunity to come together and reflect on the moment in our nation’s history when the reign of our longest-serving monarch came to an end and our new sovereign succeeded.”

The ceremony included “inverting the mace” as a symbol that the crown had passed to a new sovereign.

Several hundred people stood in silence until she concluded by declaring “God save the King!”, echoed by the audience.

It was followed by three cheers for the new King.

Among the dignitaries taking part in the ceremony were the council chief executive Wallace Sampson and its leader, Cllr Richard Cooper. Those gathered included Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as many local councillors.

All were dressed in black and wearing black armbands.

Deputy Lord Lieutenant Richard Compton, centre, with other dignitaries outside Ripon Town Hall

The Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, was present for the city’s proclamation of the new King, along with its Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Sid Hawke and his wife Linda.

The proclamation was read out by Richard Compton, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, at Ripon Town Hall.

The crowd then sang the national anthem before giving three cheers for King Charles III.

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Meanwhile, this morning, hundreds of people gathered at Ripon Cathedralfor a special Sung Eucharist Service, at which prayers were said to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of His Majesty King Charles III.

What was originally scheduled to be a civic service for the Mayor of Harrogate changed its focus following the Queen’s death on Thursday.

Cllr Oldham was in attendance along with the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke and his wife Linda, as well as Ripon MP Julian Smith and the chair of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Margaret Atkinson.

The service was led by the Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson. As chaplain to the Mayor of Harrogate, he was also in Harrogate this afternoon for the Proclamation of King Charles III.

All council meetings in Harrogate and North Yorkshire will be cancelled next week.

Following the death of the Queen, Harrogate Borough Council has decided to suspend its meetings calendar “as a mark of respect”.

Its audit and governance committee meeting on Monday and planning committee on Tuesday have been postponed.

Meetings for the leader and cabinet on Wednesday will also be held at a later date, along with the general purposes committee and a meeting of the cabinet member for housing and safer communities the following day.

Rescheduled dates are yet to be announced.

A book of condolence has been opened at the civic centre in St Luke’s Mount, Harrogate. It will be available to be signed until 4.30pm today, 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday next week and 8.30am to 4.30pm next Friday.

The council has also said floral tributes can be left on the grass in front of the war memorial opposite Bettys. Some have already begun to appear this morning.

Read more:

• Mayor leads Harrogate tributes to Queen’s ‘constant source of courage’
• Lord Lieutenant pays tribute to the Queen from North Yorkshire

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire County Council has also cleared its calendar for the next 10 days.

Among the meetings to be postponed is the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting next Thursday.

A period of national mourning is expected to be announced by the government later today, along with the date of the funeral.