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In the town where I was born

31/5/2016

Spent a really great day in Settle, or what was left accessible. The market square was filled with V.I.P. Areas and winners roast rums and to outside broadcast vans... All in aid of the first stage of this year's Tour De Yorkshire.
First off, after a pleasant walk in from the campsite at Langcliffe, was our usual cup of coffee at 'Car and Kitchen', somewhere we've been going to since our honeymoon. Then on to Preston's Folly where, alongside their fixed exhibits of North Craven life, was a special display from the members of 'Back in Settle', an informal local history/memories group. We had wonderful conversations about Nuttal's and 'Tommy Preston' etc.. I was invited to join the FB group where they have 1,000's of photographs and comments. Someone said there'd seen one of my Grandpa and maybe Uncle Norman. I shall post what we have at home once we get back. Hopefully it's a connection we can keep up.
After lunch at Poppies and a quick diversion through a long remembered Ginnel to avoid the crowds, we took up a place at the barriers across from Settle Social Club by the old Police Station. We were just a hundred meters from the finish line outside Ye Olde Naked Man. The crowds quickly grew and with thunderous thumping of the advertising hoardings so did the excitement. A flurry of bikes and a flash of colour and it was all over.

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Trouble at ' Mill

31/5/2016

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We packed up the van and set off. On our way out of Sedburgh we spent the morning at Farfield Mill. This Craft Center and local historical sight would be very similar to the Mills many of my ancestors worked in (without the craft and the coffee shop). We were thrilled to find a giant photo of the workers from 1909 with a list of names. One woman was just called 'Dinsdale' and seated at the front was Billy Dinsdale. We checked the dates and how old these people looked and wondered if this was my Great, great uncle and his sister. After a while we worked out that an older man named 'Unknown' may well be my Great, Great Grandfather Nathan Dinsdale. We took photos of the big picture and will be able to check against photos we have at home. All very exciting.

N.B. having got home and checked the man is indeed Nathan form the picture we have of his Golden Wedding celebration taken ten years later in 1919.

But not quite as exciting as popping into the grounds of the Methodist Chapel at Frostrow just the other side of Hallbank. There we found the graves of Nathan and many other direct family members all of which were deeply committed to the building and ongoing mission of this local Methodist Church. Jo was delighted and quite moved having studied these names for the past few years.
As we set of the rain turned to sleet and then as we turned from Hawes to head across Blea Moor it became snow and out on the whitening moor we wondered if we had made the right decision heading across Ribblehead. All was well as we dropped off the tops to the more shelters and slightly warmer Ribblesdale. Mind you we did our bit as just before we got to Ribblehead we saw two snow clad walkers stood by the side of the road with a look of weariness and frustration. They were very glad off the lift and we were able to carry them the last mile to the pub.
Campsite in Langcliffe is big. And the showers rooms are warm, plentiful and free. All set up as the snows came again...

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Way behind

31/5/2016

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So this blog idea is not as easy as it first seems. Getting around to actually posting anything is difficult when there has been so much going on. As the TV programmes all seem to do nowadays, here's what's coming up: more family history from up north, some painting and praying, a golfing retreat and an exhibition in Gloucester...

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