October update
Progress report on research projects completed to date
Martin Minett talking about the history of Bishop Monkton Cricket Club.
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Viewing the exhibits.
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Bargains on the merchdise stall
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There was a large turnout for the October public meeting of Bishop Monkton Local History Group when updates on the progress made on various projects already completed or under way were given, and plans for a new research project were agreed.
The meeting was introduced by Group Leader David Banks who invited those attending to view the many displays of historic photographs, maps and reports which included details found about the origins and early days of the village and our old pubs and old shops.
The first of two progress reports was given by John Salmon who exposed the idea that there had been a POW Camp in Holbeck Wood, off the Boroughbridge Road, as a myth created by memories of seeing POWs working in the village and on the local farms.
In fact those men were ‘on release’ from camps in Ripon, and towards the end of their captivity were often housed where they were made to work.
The second project report was by Martin Minett who had delved into the long history of Bishop Monkton Cricket Club which dates back well over a century.
He had created a fascinating time line tracing written records about the club dating from 1816 when there was the first mention in the local press about a Bishop Monkton team combining with Bishop Thornton to play a match at Knaresborough.
Other early mentions included 1885 when he found the result of a match against Birswith in the local press, in 1893 when the team played on a ground in the 'Park' opposite Ivy House Farm, and in 1896 when a photo appeared of the Bishop Monkton team, (and supporters!)
Bishop Monkton C.C. team in 1896.
He also found evidence of the local team playing on other home grounds, one in 1921 using the Pavilion Field on Moreland Home Farm, and later in 1947 when the ground probably changed to what was referred to as the old 'postage stamp ground at Ken Morland's Low Farm, and more recently, in 2001, when the ground switched to the present one.
Over the years he found mention of many villagers who were in the teams, including Alan Chishem, David Simpson, Peter Hutchinson and later sons Jim and Charlie, Keith Hutchinson, Ken Barker, Simon Horner, Shaun Walters, Martin Minett, Mervyn Beecroft, Frankie Brown, Keith Pettitt (as Treasurer) and others.
The timeline brings the club right up to the present day, with mention of its 2017 participation in the Nidderdale League (IDivision 3) and the Harrogate Evening League (Division 3) and the Atkinson Swires Senior KO Cup Final and the Niddersdale League's main cup.
After the presentations David Banks said the time had come to launch a new project to be researched, suggesting options identified were the village's old mills (paper, corn and flax) or the Local primary school. The meeting voted to start with resarch into the mills, which will now be organised.
David said interrviews already held with over 40 villagers for the Down Memory Lane to record memories of Bishop Monkton years ago was still in the long process of being edited and refined, and this should be ready for public viewing at a future meeting of the group in the spring. Work on this project is being carried out by Richard Field and Chris Higgins.
As part of the exhibition showing progress on various projects there was also a display of the many albums which Elizabeth Wilkinson has maintained with photographs and cuttings spanning many years.
There was also an impressive stand displaying merchanise such as Christmas cards, place mats, framed pictures, chocolate boxes and clocks all themed around images of the people and places from the Bishop Monnkton of yesteryear. Morag Gray had created many of the items and ran the stall with the help of Annabel Alton. All items on sale would make excellent Christmas presents!
David Banks also announced that the group now needed a treasurer, and invited anyone prepared to fill the role to contact him (bmlocalhistory@gmail.com or tel. 677906).
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