BOUNDARY SIGNAGE ACROSS STOCKTON-ON-TEES

Stockton Borough Council have issued the following press release:

REVIEW OF CEREMONIAL BOUNDARY SIGNAGE ACROSS STOCKTON-ON-TEES

STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council is asking for residents’ views on ceremonial boundary signage.

The Council’s Place Select Committee began a review in July and as part of this has been gathering information on the boundary signage across the Borough.

Now that this information has been gathered, the Committee is seeking views from the public before reporting its findings to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration early next year.

Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “The Select Committee has already carried out some excellent work over the last few months and I would like to thank them for that.

“We know that many of our residents are proud of our Borough’s history and heritage and that’s why we would now like to hear from anyone who has any suggestions about how best to mark the ceremonial boundaries of Yorkshire and Durham.”

Anyone who would like to take part in the consultation should email their suggestions to  or write to PO Box 229, Kingsway House, Billingham, TS23 2YL by 31 December 2015.  To find out more visit 

Chris Abbott adds: It needs to be pointed out that the Yorkshire/Durham boundary is the centre of the River Tees, and it is the real boundary not just the ceremonial one.

Don't let the media men spin any more area confusion

I refer to the recent poll in the local press where the usual media suspects are attempting yet again to impose Teesside upon us.

Last time they split Yorkshire into three versions so it would split the vote to get the Teesside result they wanted and Yorkshire still came out on top. So now they included just two options Teesside or Tees Valley and are claiming overwhelming support for Teesside.

This same bunch of unelected media men have been getting it wrong for decades. The same people have flitted from Teesside to Cleveland to Tees Valley and now they want to impose Teesside upon us again. It is in the vested interests of certain businesses and local media to lump us together as it suits them. It is inappropriate as much of the area is away from the River Tees. It is a rubbish marketing tool that projects the wrong image.

Our major towns are missed off road signs and don't get the publicity they need because of the media obsession with lumping us together. Their only reason is to catch readers/listeners by putting Teesside. For example if you put Saltburn no one in Stockton is interested.

We have a perfect set of names already for our villages, towns and counties we don't need to keep inventing new names.

There is not overwhelming support for Teesside rebranding. People were given only a choice between inappropriate Teesside and the totally inappropriate Tees Valley.

Yorkshire is three Ridings and the city of York

Yorkshire is three Ridings and the city of York.

It is our county and our heritage.

Changes to local and regional government have never resulted in the abolition of the Ridings and there is no evidence that Yorkshire the county as a whole has ever had a local or regional government purpose.

Yorkshire's existence does not depend on artificial local or regional government boundaries. Local and regional government boundaries can be changed at any time at the whim of bureaucrats and government. And so they should as the demographic and economic situation demands. Local and regional government boundaries are for the purpose of delivering services and their boundaries should not determine who we are.

“The identity of our counties is marred by a confusion of geographical and administrative boundaries created in the middle of the last century and perpetuated to this day."                                                                                                                       Association of British Counties

Yorkshire Day success at Redcar

Redcar High Street was packed today when Yorkshire Day fell on Market Day but this resulted in a bumper turnout for the annual reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity.

Actor/writer Chris Foote Wood appeared as Captain Cook to lead the proceedings. He was supported by Redcar’s John Curr as mighty Viking Sicga Draugluin who read the Declaration in Old Norse, one of the four languages used in the area since the earliest known written reference to the Ridings of York in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of 876. The others are Latin Old English and Modern English.

Mr Foote Wood read the Declaration in modern English to loud cheers from the assembled crowd.

The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Carole Simms, attended the ceremony and said “Yorkshire Day can be celebrated in any way you see fit. You don’t have to be Yorkshire born to appreciate the county and to join in.”

As a tribute to the Tour de France in Yorkshire local Sustran Ranger Coordinator Keith Duncan rode in from Saltburn carrying the Yorkshire flag along with Phil Chisholm of Redcar. Steven Abbott and his son Matthew Abbott (17) rode in from Grangetown.

Ridings Society members with the aid of ladies from Redcar Ladies Lifeboat Guild raised £203.70 for Redcar Lifeboat from the sales of white roses. The Ridings Society raised £230.40 for its campaign fund from the tombola and £32 was raised for Yorkshire Air Ambulance from a cake raffle. Mrs Kelly Seaman (left) and Councillor Irene Curr are pictured with the locally made cakes which were donated.

Yorkshire Day at Redcar on Friday 1st August 2014

Captain James Cook will read the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity at Redcar on Yorkshire Day.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity is a statement of allegiance to Yorkshire. It is read at each of the three Bars (gates) of York, to represent the Three Ridings of Yorkshire and once within the City of York. The ceremony has been held around the walls of York every Yorkshire Day since 1975. The Declaration has been read at Redcar each year since 1997. Chris Foote-Wood, brother of Comedienne, Victoria Wood, who last year led the proceedings as Charles Dickens, will this year appear as Captain Cook. Chris is pictured, right, on Yorkshire Day 2012 in his Town Crier outfit.

Fun for all the family

The annual Reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity, at Redcar takes place at 11.39am, on Yorkshire Day, Friday 1st August 2014 at Redcar Town Clock.

This year it will be read by Captain Cook (Chris Foote-Wood) in modern English but there is also a mighty Viking (John Curr) who will read it in Old Norse. Silk white roses will be on sale at £1 and all proceeds go to Redcar Lifeboat. This year the event will also be attended by Her Worship the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Carole Simms. A number of local organisations will have stalls and there will be attractions for all, including a band, puppets and tombola. A special cake will be raffled.

The declaration is read this year at 11.39 as this represent 1139 years since the earliest known written reference to the Ridings of York in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of 876. This takes account of changes to the calendar. Next year it is read at 11.40.

Cycle in with the Yorkshire flag

In order to pay tribute to the Tour de France being held in Yorkshire this year,  the Yorkshire Ridings Society is hoping that people from neighbouring towns will cycle in with the Yorkshire flag in time to present it prior to the 11.39 am start and represent their town or village at the ceremony. Participants are free to arrange sponsorship for any charity of their choice. Those wishing to take part should contact Councillor Chris Abbott on 01642 487557  or email. They would need to carry out their own risk assessment but YRS would be happy to supply a Yorkshire flag.

Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 2014

Those residents unable to attend the ceremony at Redcar may wish to arrange a reading of the Declaration of Integrity in their area.

"I, (Your Name) standing here in the North Riding of Yorkshire declare:

That Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York, with these Boundaries of 1139 years standing; 

That the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire; 

That all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshiremen and women; 

That any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status. 

These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2014.

Yorkshire forever, God Save the Queen!”

 Celebrate Yorkshire on Yorkshire Day

Yorkshire Day can be celebrated by wearing a white rose, flying the Yorkshire flag or having a special Yorkshire Day meal. Above all it is a day to show your pride in the Britain's largest County.  The Association of British Counties describes our County heritage as “something to be treasured and nurtured by society, not tossed aside simply because the Counties are no longer considered suitable as a basis for administration.”

YRS offer to provide Historic North Riding of Yorkshire signs at bridges over River Tees

As Chairman of the Yorkshire Ridings Society (YRS), I have today emailed Councillor Bob Cook, Leader of Stockton Borough Council and Mr Neil Schneider, Chief Executive pointing out that YRS has offered to pay for traditional county signs to be erected at the bridges on the Yorkshire side of the River Tees in the Borough of Stockton.

This was in response to Stockton Labour Candidate, Louise Baldock's call for "Welcome to Yorkshire" signs on the bridges in the Borough of Stockton on Tees.

According to Saturday's Evening Gazette Stockton's Council Leader is willing to consider it following the overwhelming vote of Yarm residents in favour of 24% voted in the Yarm 4 Yorkshire poll last Tuesday 27th May 2014, 1465 'Yes' and 177 'No.' I like to think that they took note of my comments on BBC Tees on Wednesday when I suggested ways they could identify with Yorkshire without re-organising local government in the areas and my recent  blog on the subject.

I wrote to them as follows:

"The Yorkshire Ridings Society has offered to pay for signs to be erected on bridges on the Yorkshire side of the River Tees in the Borough of Stockton on Tees on numerous occasions over the past 10 years. We paid for seven signs to be erected in the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland.

"We are delighted the Leader of the Council is now prepared to consider this. We will be happy to discuss with the Council our offer to raise the money to pay for them."

Whilst I think "Welcome to Yorkshire" signs would be a little naff. I hope the Council would agree to have Historic North Riding of Yorkshire signs instead.

Pictured above is one of a number of Historic West Riding of Yorkshire signs erected on all roads on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border. These were provided by Yorkshire Ridings Society in partnership with Saddleworth White Rose Society and Friends of Real Lancashire. Former Labour MP Phil Woolas is in the foreground.

Below is a picture of the Lancashire signs which were provided on the opposite side of the road.

Big majority in Yarm 4 Yorkshire Poll

24% voted in the Yarm 4 Yorkshire poll last night 1465 'Yes' and 177 'No.' 

On 22nd May1986 a similar poll in *Yarm voted 1675 'Yes' and 682 'No.' On that occasion 41.7% voted.

Also in 1986 *Guisborough voted overwhelmingly 4950 to 953 in favour of Yorkshire.

In *Loftus, however, the result was much closer. A 32.64% poll voted 1153 for Yorkshire and 1129 against. A majority of 24 in favour of Yorkshire, which was reported in the press as a 'Yorks vote snub.' 

The reason for this small majority was no doubt a lot to do with the campaign run by Loftus Labour Party who turned it into a choice between Labour and Tory, claiming 'a vote for North Yorkshire was a vote for Mrs Thatcher.'

*Source - The Fight For Yorkshire by Michael Bradford Hutton Press Ltd 1988.

Yarm is already in Yorkshire so no need for a vote

The 1972 Local Government Act, which came into force on 1st April 1974, put Yarm in a newly created County of Cleveland, under the administration of Cleveland County Council and the Borough of Stockton on Tees. It abolished North Riding County Council, under which Yarm had previously been administered, but it did not abolish the North Riding of Yorkshire. Government statements at the time and since confirm that the "changes were for local government purposes only. For all other purposes Yorkshire is still Yorkshire."

The 1992 Local Government Act, which came into force on 1st April 1996, abolished both Cleveland County Council and the County of Cleveland. It created a new Unitary Council of Stockton on Tees, which included Yarm. But in addition to that new "Ceremonial" Counties were created which legally put Yarm in North Yorkshire for all cultural and ceremonial purposes.

This should be perfectly clear to people and there should be no question at all about Yarm being well and truly part of Yorkshire but there are two problems which muddy the waters and create confusion.

One is the Labour Councillors and activists who see being part of Yorkshire as handing control to "Tory North Yorkshire." They refuse to see it simply as a question of geography - Yorkshire is from the River Tees to the River Humber, from the Pennines to the sea.

The other is the local media who have their readership catchment area that crosses the Tees so they look for a name that lumps us all together and Teesside fits the bill. It is so easy to turn it into a is it Yorkshire is it Teesside debate. The difference is Teesside is not a county Yorkshire is, end of argument.

Yarm's referendum result can be the catalyst for the powers that be alongside the River Tees to accept that south of the Tees we are part of Yorkshire for all cultural, ceremonial and sporting purposes.

It is perfectly legal and proper for the residents of Yarm, indeed all those living immediately south of the Tees, to use Yorkshire as part of their postal address; Councils can erect Yorkshire/Durham boundary signs on the bridges that cross the Tees; and mapmakers can include traditional county boundaries on maps along with local government areas and celebrate Yorkshire Day on 1st August. That is how you show your pride in Yorkshire. It is not about who controls the Council.

A Ring, A Ring of Yorkshire Roses For Yorkshire Day

The Ring of Roses is Yorkshire Ridings Society's biggest and most exciting Yorkshire Day project yet.

The Yorkshire Ridings Society (YRS) would like to arrange for a Yorkshire Flag to be flown in all the settlements on, or very close to the Yorkshire Boundary, on Yorkshire Day.

The Yorkshire Ridings Society will provide the flags and post them out free, but need someone in every settlement, on or very near the boundary, to display the flags on 1st August. Will you help?

All YRS need is the name and address of someone living in each settlement to whom we can send a flag to be flown or displayed, preferably in a public place, on Yorkshire Day.

To obtain a flag to fly as part of the Ring of Roses, please click on the link and email the address to which the flag should be sent to.

They will be sent out in July to arrive to arrive in time for Yorkshire Day .

Roger Sewell, Chairman Yorkshire Ridings Society said:

"Please help to make Yorkshire Day even more special this year. If you do not feel you can help us, please can you pass on this message to someone in your community who might like to help?"

Flagging up the boundary - Settlements on or very close to the Yorkshire Boundary.

Filey, Gristhorpe, Leberston, Osgoby, Scarborough, Burniston, Cloughton, Ravenscar, Robin Hood’s Bay, Hawsker, Whitby, Sandsend, Runswick Bay, Hinderwell, Staithes, Easington, Loftus, Skinningrove, Brotton, Saltburn, Marske, Redcar, Middlesbrough, Thornaby-on-Tees, Yarm, Worsall, Over Dinsdale, Girsby, Hornsby, Great Smeaton, Dalton-on-Tees, Croft-on-Tees, Stapleton, Cleasby, Manfield, Cliffe, Eppleby, Ovington, Hutton Magna, Greta Bridge, Boldron, Startforth, Lartington, Cotherstone, Romaldkirk, Mickleton, Holwick, Bowes, Keld, Angram, Thwaite, Hawes, Garsdale, Sedberg, Gawthrop, Dent, Ingleton, High Bentham, Low Bentham, Slaidburn, Newton in Bowland, Dunsop Bridge, Whitewell, Great Mitten,Waddington, West Bradford, Grindleton, Rimington, Newby, Howgill, Barnoldswick, Salterforth, Kelbrook, Cowling, Laycock, Oakworth, Oldfield, Stanbury, Oxenhope, Peckett Well, Slack, Blackshaw Head, Todmorden, Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale, Denshaw, Grains Bar, Delph, Thurston Clough, Scouthead, Austerlands, Grotton, Park Bridge, Mossley, Greenfield, Holme, Ringinglow, Abbeydale, Sheffield, Rotherham, Rother Valley Country Park, Woodall, Harthill, Firbeck, Tickhill, Bawtry, Austerfield, Robin Hood Airport, Auckley, Finningly, Blaxton, Eastoft, Fockerby, Adlingfleet, Broomfleet, Elleker, Elloughton, Brough, Welton, North Ferriby, Hessle, Hull, Paull,

Yorkshire Day at Redcar in pictures

There was an excellent attendance at Redcar Town Clock  this morning for the annual reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity. 

Former Bishop Auckland Town Crier and former Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of Middlesbrough, Chris Foote-Wood led the proceedings encouraging people to attend the ceremony and promoting the sale of white roses to raise funds for Redcar Lifeboat. 

After a short speech of welcome by Ian Swales MP, who said he was proud to call himself a Yorkshire MP, Chris Foote-Wood read the Declaration on the stroke of 11.37 am, which is exactly 1137 years since the first recorded reference to the Ridings of Yorkshire in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of the year 876. A huge cheer followed the words Yorkshire forever. 

The rose girls raising funds for Redcar Lifeboat

Chris Foote-Wood draws the crowds 

Chris Foote-Wood reads the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 

watched by Redcar MP Ian Swales.

Happy Yorkshire Day

Today is Yorkshire Day and the Yorkshire Ridings Society's annual reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity will take place at Redcar Town Clock at 11.37 a.m.

This year the declaration will be read by Chris Foote-Wood (pictured above).

Chris is the former Town Crier of Bishop Auckland and former LibDem candidate for Mayor of Middlesbrough. He is directly descended from two Whitby sea captains related to Captain Cook.

The Ridings Society's North Riding Group is donating all proceeds from their sales of white roses (£1 each) to Redcar Lifeboat. Each year since 1997 the North Riding Group has raised thousands of pounds for local charities from the sales of white roses on Yorkshire Day.

Yorkshire flag at Buckingham Palace

Whatever the event you can always rely on a Yorkshire flag being waved.

Yorkshire Day Success

A big thank you to everyone, especially Councillor Irene Curr, who made the Yorkshire Day celebrations in Redcar a big success.

We just about sold every white rose we had, the tombola stall was sold out within an hour or so and we almost sold our entire stock of Yorkshire flags.

More to follow when we get some pictures. All the money raised from the sale of white roses is counted on Wednesday and every penny will go to Redcar Lifeboat.

More Saddleworth pictures

Granddaughter Charlotte asks the Mayor of Oldham how she can become Mayor of Redcar as Howard Sykes looks on.

What's this MP guy doing in the way?

Roy Bardsley (in wheelchair) beside the sign he fought for.

The bungalow on the left is in Lancashire. The one on the right is in Yorkshire.

Real county boundary signs back after 36 years

 Glynis and Charlotte are pictured with Howard Sykes at the Lancashire boundary sign

Over the years local authorities have been extremely difficult when it comes to erecting boundary signs for real Lancashire and Yorkshire but when Saddleworth White Rose Society stalwart, Roy Bardsley, wrote to Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough, six months ago, he got a very positive response.

Lib Dem Howard said YES and today we travelled to Grains Bar at Saddleworth to witness the unveiling of the first of what we hope are many West Riding and Lancashire signs at the historic boundary.

The signs, paid for by Saddleworth White Rose Society, Yorkshire Ridings Society, Association of British Counties and the Friends of Real Lancashire, were erected on the wall of the former Toll Bar house (Lancashire) and on the original West Riding plinth.

On behalf of the hosts, Saddleworth White Rose Society, The Town Crier welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Councillor and Mrs Jim McArdle, James the Youth Mayor of Oldham, Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Councillor Howard Sykes, the Lady Chairman of Shaw & Crompton Parish Council Councillor Mari Wiswell, the Leader of Saddleworth Parish Council Councillor Brian Lord, Phil Woolas MP, representatives of Friends of Real Lancashire, Yorkshire Ridings Society, Association of British Counties and several elected Councillors.

The Lancashire sign was unveiled by the Lady Chairman of Shaw & Crompton Parish Council Councillor Mari Wiswell and the West Riding sign by Councillor Brian Lord Leader of Saddleworth Parish Council.

After the event we were treated to a hot pot lunch at the Rams Head Inn at Denshaw.

The original signs were removed following local government re-organisation in 1974 but organisations like SWRS, YRS, FORL and ABC have long campaigned to have them replaced. The 1972 Act of Parliament that resulted in Saddleworth becoming part of the Borough of Oldham in Lancashire, abolished the West Riding County Council but it did not abolish the West Riding of Yorkshire, nor did it abolish real Lancashire. As Government statements made clear at the time, the changes were for administrative purposes only - "for all other purposes Yorkshire is still Yorkshire."

Press report untrue say Leeds United

Leeds United have issued the following statement in response to an article which appeared in the Telegraph and Argus:

Leeds United Football Club would like to clarify a newspaper story which appeared on Monday November 23.

The story, which appeared in the Telegraph and Argus, alleges that the club has refused to supply tickets to family members of the Yorkshire Regiment, who are due to take part in a presentation at half-time of our game against Huddersfield on Saturday December 5.

The club can confirm that this is categorically not true. The newspaper was told that the matter was due for discussion this week and that the allegations were unfounded. Unfortunately, the newspaper chose to ignore this and ran the story.

The club will be supplying 30 tickets to the Yorkshire Regiment for use among the families of the 12 servicemen, both Leeds United fans and Huddersfield Town fans, who will be honoured during the half-time interval of the game.

The club has always prided itself on having a strong relationship with the Armed Forces.

Last season members of the Yorkshire Regiment were given a standing ovation by the Elland Road crowd when they were our guests at a game, we have long been actively involved with the Help For Heroes charity and we are keen supporters of the Military Section at Selly Oak Hospital.

In addition, HMS Ark Royal is the nominated ship of Leeds United, and at the end of every season, our playing kit is sent to Catterick Garrison for distribution around the world. Elland Road has also staged regular Army recruitment events.

The club is seeking a retraction and a full apology from the newspaper concerned.

The modern way we mark the Ridings

A modern West Riding sign at Eastoft village.

On the other side Lindsey which historically was also divided into three Ridings.

Similar North Riding signs on the boundary roads maintained by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council were paid for by the Yorkshire Ridings Society.

Signs which stand the test of time

Continuing the historic road sign theme started by Jonathan Calder over at Liberal England, here is another Lincolnshire road sign photographed at Winterton this morning, originally erected by the former Lindsey County Council.

Having read Jonathan's reports of his tour of historic Lincolnshire this week we decided to have a day out around the marshland and villages of north Lincolnshire, along the south bank of the River Humber.

It is amazing the number of original road signs that have survived. As far as we know the yellow bellies do not have an equivalent to the Yorkshire Ridings Society, who have in the past spent much time repairing and restoring these traditional road signs, particularly in the West Riding, around Otley and Ilkley.

Lincolnshire is divided into three parts - Holland, Kesteven and Lindsey. Lindsey was divided into a North Riding, a South Riding and a West Riding. Holland and Kesteven were not.

Finley's boost white rose sales at Eston

An extra £44.50p is going to Redcar Lifeboat from the sale of white roses in Finlay's newsagents at Eston, bringing the total raised this Yorkshire Day to £414.50.

£370 raised for Redcar Lifeboat on Yorkshire Day

The Yorkshire Ridings Society and Redcar Ladies Lifeboat Guild raised £370.00 for Redcar lifeboat from the sales of white roses on Yorkshire Day in Redcar and Saltburn.