Capturing the Past

A YORKSHIRE FARMERS WIFE
TELLS US HER STORY

First published in Farmers Weekly in 1948 Mrs Shepherd (Borrans Farm, Horton in Ribblesdale),
wins first prize in a Letter Competition with her quiet
unspectacular record of her life on a Dales farm nine miles
from settle.

“I have tried not to let the work and
worry of a farm and large family take all
my life”

Mrs Borrans insightful account gives an important female perspective from post war years. Her youngest children at the long close Selside school and clogs still very much footwear of choice in Dales farmhouse.

Find extracts from her story here:

https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/new-contributions/a-yorkshire-farmers-wife-tells-us-her-story

A Yorkshire Farmer's Wife Tells Us Her Story Mrs Shepherd (Borrans Farm, Horton in Ribblesdale), wins first prize in this Letter Competition with her quiet unspectacular record of ...

In 2018, David Turner, a local historian living in Skipton, came across a hand written journal by Rev John Pering. John was vicar of Skipton and Kildwick and his Tour of the Lakes took place in 1808.

His account of the tour, covers his journey through Skipton, Gargrave, Settle and Kirkby Lonsdale, before arriving in the Lakes. Observations of landscape, botany and the people he meets along the way provide great context to modern life in the Dales.

At the end of his tour, Rev Pering visited 38 year old William Wordsworth in Grasmere. With the journal were also two letters from Rev Pering to William Wordsworth and one from Wordsworth to Rev Pering. These are included in the book.

David Turner transcribed the journal, with extensive footnotes and a short biography - you can read it by clicking the link below

Explore the Transcript https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/new-contributions/the-rev-john-perings-tour-of-the-lakes

Capturing the Past is a local and social history for the Dales archive run by - we have loads of great stuff!

We recently helped Malhamdale History group catalogue their Millennium Project; a collection of photos taken of Malhamdale Buildings in 1999. It’s a great record which shows how the Dale has changed - or not

We’ve featured Sandhill/Hilary’s Cottage here but you can delve into the whole collection by clicking the link below

Sandhill Cottage or Hilary’s Cottage, Malham Tarn Estate

“A two storey estate cottage with an outshut on the north side. It was known as Sandhill Cottage at an earlier date and may have been home to the kennel keeper. It first appeared on OS maps in 1896. William Ward, gamekeeper, is recorded as living here in the 1891 census”

EXPLORE MORE https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/malhamdale-local-history-group-2/malhamdale-millennium-photograph-collection

The Nancy Dawson Collection

In 1952 fourteen year old Nancy Dawson was sunbathing on an outbuilding roof when she heard an accident on the Settle to Carlisle line. The Thames Clyde Express had dramatically derailed!

Nancy and her mother were first on the scene and helped rescue injured passengers. Nancy made national press and received commendation for her help.

Read all about it by clicking link below, you listen to an interview with Nancy herself

Stained Glass - St Alkeldas Church, Giggleswick

Here we have an archive full of family history and information about St Alkeldas stained glass windows and the Batten, Carr, Clapham, Dawson, Geldard, Hartley and Robinson families

Thanks to the Settle and District U3A Family History Group who have researched the people the windows were dedicated to and the people who donated the funds

You can see an archive for each family by clicking the link below - the photos show windows dedicated to the Geldard Family - please share!

https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/miscellaneous-collections-items/stained-glass-windows-in-st-alkeldas-church-giggleswick

Alison Armstrong was a building historian and long serving member of the Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group. Her contribution to documenting the vernacular architecture of the Dales was huge

We’re grateful to have a huge collection of her maps, building surveys, reports and local history info on the archive including this lovely map of Rylstone’s field names and ownership

We’ll be sharing more from this archive soon but you can view everything here

https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/alison-armstrong-archive

Sarah Lister brings the stories of the folks buried in the Graveyard at Settle Parish Church to life via the brilliant Settle Graveyard Project

Why not search for ancestors and family stories by clicking our website link below - names are in alphabetical order. See the photos attached to read the story of Obadiah Baynes whose Beerhouse was located in the now Field to Home pet shop



https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/subject/sarah-lister/page/2

Respected local historian Bill Mitchell was a former editor of the Dalesman. He produced some superb drawing of Dales landscapes, buildings and farm features like barns, troughs and cheese presses. Here we see details from Goat Gap Farm and Starps Barn, Austwick

Click the link below to delve into the Bill Mitchell Collection on our website

https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/bill-mitchell-collection-2-2/bill-mitchell-collection

Auction of Newland Estate, dated 29 August 1859

The Newland Estate belonged to Mr William Foster of Bowerley, Settle and included shooting rights in Horton, Arncliffe and Giggleswick. Auctions were regularly held in pubs and this one took place at the Golden Lion in Settle.

Our online archive has lots of info about historic property transactions - including deeds and leases. This piece is part of the Brayshaw Library Collection and can be viewed on our website https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk

Well be sharing lots more content soon so stay tuned...