Nearly Christmas Pannal included

It is wet and dismal and everyone must be in Harrogate or elsewhere shopping as Pannal streets are very quiet. No one walking around not even all that many cars flying up and down. The rain is getting heavier and The Stray is flooded. Buses are still running but with few passengers from here. West country has been badly hit again and fortunately some of our family are travelling by car. Trains have stopped and coaches are not being provided as roads are flooded down there. Hopefully our trains will run but we have on past occasions not been able to travel from York home as the line has been under water. So pleased we did our shopping early and in dry frosty weather but will have to brave the crowds to get in the fruit and veg. You know, when global warming was first mentioned I thought it meant us having summers like Spain. Quite looking forward to that and I do not think I was the only one as Harrogate Borough Council planted all tropical plants in the gardens at Ripon Park. They soon drowned. What a shame it means wet summers and even colder wet winters. Enough it is the festive season. Carols and midnight mass, fairy lights and the trees on the Green look very good this year. Inside our houses it will be festive. We shall be with or families over the period. We have never spent a Christmas away from Pannal. Our four children and partners and grandchildren come to us. We love it. Great to have everyone together. It is not just at Christmas as we try to arrange holidays where we can all meet up. Last year The Cotswolds and one time Anglesey. Ok over the festive season we are all so busy I do not have time to blog and you do not have time to read it. So have a lovely Christmas and a great New Year. Shall be back in 2013.

Carols and lights and Pannal

Two comments on my blog. Thank you Judith I have seen it. Tonight was the night of the Carols around the tree on Pannal Green. The lights are great this year. Pannal Village Society paid for the lights and I arranged for them to be put up. A great job has been done this year. They look very good. One comment I must make was the Carols were advertised for 6.30pm in the newsletter and on the notice in the notice board it was 6pm. We very nearly missed it. Good to see some villagers turned out on a rainy night. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The Dickensian Festival at Grassington was very good. This is the first year we have gone for the weekend. We usually just go for the day. Thought I would treat Bas as it is his birthday soon. I am chief driver now as Bas eyesight rubbish so I drove over on a very foggy Friday. Bit of snow at Greenhow. Fog cleared as we reached Grassington. Stayed at The Foresters Arms which was good fun and very lively. There was a group of rugby players in the bar singing Irish songs. They had been in all day and by the evening the landlady decided enough was enough and good naturedly showed them the door. She held it open and they all went out on there knees singing Heigh Ho its off to work we go. Saturday of the Festival light showers but that did not dampen the spirits. Chestnuts, mulled wine, Christmas stalls, shops open. Hebden Bridge Band played and were excellent. A stall with a great take on a one armed bandit. Had to be seen to be believed. Very funny. The day closed with a little girl as Mary on a donkey and a little boy as Joseph touring the village and Joseph went into the various pubs asking for room and when he went into ours the landlady said "You never book so there is no room. You have the same problem every year". We attended the concert in the evening and that was very good. The Chairwoman of the Calendar Girls sung in the choir. Their take on the Twelve days of Christmas involved the audience. Bas was a - ladies dancing - and had to wear a lovely little hat with a flower on it. On another subject I am applying for Rights of Way on the field at the end of Pannal Quarry. Pannal Quarry was going to be completely fenced off with no access to the fields but I have stopped that and shall have a meeting with North Yorkshire County Council in the new year. Hopefully I shall win.

Pannal. lights and frost

What do I prefer frost and sun or mild and wet. We have had about ten days of heavy frost but lovely sunshine. Pannal looked pretty frost on the grass and on the trees. The only downside is one had to watch one's footing. Today fog to start with, black ice no sun and now rain. Think I know which I prefer. This weekend is the last w.e. of the Dickensian Festival at Grassington. We have been going ever since the first one about thirty years ago when Santa came through the village in his sleigh throwing sweets to the children and as luck? would have it our youngest (at that time) sweet landed in a pile of dog poo. We havn't been for about five years now as it was getting very commercialized with coaches coming from as far a field as Windsor. Shall let you know what it is like when we return. Pannal lights were being put up on Pannal Green yesterday. This is something I organise with the help of Pannal Village Society who provide the money for the lights and Harrogate Borough Council who kindly put them up. The very first Christmas lights Pannal had on the Green I asked for donations from the villagersif they thought it was a good idea. They did so I have been organising it ever since. I love Christmas - the carols, midnight mass, lights, glitter, tinsel. My long suffering husband puts light outside the house and we have seven decorated trees/ Large one in the hall and smaller ones at all the windows. The children and their various partners arrive and all stay here for nearly a week.  Plus two dogs and our two cats. It is great fun. A tight squeeze and a path worn from sink to cooker.

Never left Pannal

On Friday we thought we would go to the Christmas lights switch on and Carol Service at Knaresborough at 6pm.  Got ready to go with about three coats on as it was freezing outside. Bas cleared the car on the outside with anti freeze and handed it to me inside the car as it was worse inside. I went to spray the front window but pointed the nozzle not at the window but at myself. Out it came straight in the eyes and down the throat. Must have had the mouth open - now there's a surprise. Had to go back in and wash face as it was stinging. Warning do not ever do this cos it doesn't half hurt. By the rime I had finished too late to go and besides all the merriment had worn off. Went yesterday to Christmas Market and it was very good. Room to move around and look at the various stalls not like Harrogate one which I did enjoy but stalls were too near and one was being carried along with the crowd and not having time to stop. Knaresborough's lights and trees are lovely and there was a very good atmosphere. Went to a little cafe/coffee place opposite Hannah's and it was very good. Excellent coffee and big mince pies which were excellent. Had a lovely moonlit walk back to the car and yes the merriment had returned.

Pannal and traffic

A friend came to see us last Saturday and said the traffic was backed up from The Prince of Wales Roundabout to the turn off to Pannal. Why? We think it was the Christmas Market. We had our grandson Alex staying with us as Susan, our daughter, was mountain biking in The Lakes with her brother Michael who lives there. A few months back she cycled up from where she lives in The Peak District to Pannal over all the hills and dales. Brilliant or mad. We are inclined to think the latter. But admire her for her get up and go spirit. Wonder who she takes after mmmm as I have been told I am mad.  Took Alex to the market and it was brilliant. Have seen them before in Lincoln etc . Certainly drew visitors from far and near. Very busy and the one way system did not work very well. Only a blimp as I am sure it will "be sorted" next year. Pannal has been lucky to have avoided the floods. I went to Otley yesterday and the road at Pool was closed due to flooding so I had to retrace my steps and go the back way in. Pannal Golf Course is closed due to the weather and not sure when it will re-open. The Christmas lights should be on Pannal Green towards the end of the week. Hoping that the Green will dry up a bit as it is sodden which makes it difficult for the cherry picker to get to the tree in the middle.

Pannal bits and pieces

I have been told by my computer guru (our Richard) that readers can leave comments on my blogs. Do hope so as it would be nice to hear from everyone.
A very large pantechnicon came down the village last week. Not supposed to but we thought that once again he and others like him had missed the entrance to the business park. He sat in his cab quite a long time then reversed down Rosedale and up the village. Was it a sat nav direction through Pannal? Anyway we were going up the village and there he was surrounded by police and he was taken boxes out the back of his vehicle. What was going on?
On Saturday I took my eight year old grandson to the Christmas Fair of the Cats Protection League in Harrogate. We parked down the bottom of Tewit Well Road and walked across The Stray. A young well built man in front of us had a dog. His dog did its business on the path and he took a bag out of his pocket and I thought well done. But not so he laid the Morrisons bag on top of the poo and walked away. I said to Alex I am not saying anything as he might turn round and punch us. Alex said he would not punch me as I am only small but I can hold your bags whilst he punches you. What I kind thoughtful boy he is turning out to be.
Trying to get the Christmas lights on the trees as the strong winds at the beginning of this year blew them down and destroyed them. Hopefully all will be well and Pannal Green shall be lit up once more.  Also very much involved with Sandy Bank Quarry of which more later.

Pannal and Dark nights

The clocks went back and we are now dark about 4.45pm. Not used to it as yet. Went to the bonfire and fireworks on The Stray. Fireworks very good and quite a long session. Bonfire not as big as normal. We have been going to the Bonfire and Fireworks on the Stray more or less since it started. This year quite surprised to see no police presence. Never saw any trouble people too busy getting stuck in the mud. What I was not very keen on was late comers (the majority of us having parked and walked a fair distance) parking on the Stray and then revving up to get themselves out of the mud. Pannal at one time had a community bonfire on land behind Dunlopillo on the A61 and I remember the children having a guy and asking for money to buy fireworks. One enterprising young man stood outside Frank Walkers the Butchers (sadly missed) with a pushchair with a guy in it and it was only when we got closer we found it was his little brother he had dressed up. It is not recorded what his mother had to say about that. Believe The Black Swan bonfire went well on Sunday. At least it did not rain on Saturday or Sunday night. Yesterday started misty and cleared and I had a walk through Sandy Bank Quarry and through the fields and up All Saints Court very muddy but nice overhead. I am trying to keep the path through Sandy Bank Quarry and over the fields open as tenants want the quarry closed off from the fields and wired off.  Today clear blue skies which called for a walk at Knaresborough. Past The Marigold cafe which is recovering from being flooded and some boats sank. on to The World's End pub where we sat out in the sunshine. Very pleasant. Then walked up to The Lido. Wonder if houses will be built at The Lido where there are caravans. Owners of the caravans very worried so they told us. Years ago it was a very pleasant spot. Still is in a limited way as there are signs telling one what not to do.  The old Mill was a play area for children with table tennis etc and children played at the waters edge. Very dangerous further out as seen from the tragedies there.
 
seen from various tragedies there.

Pannal Halloween etc

No one came for Halloween. Quite different in Pannal from the 1960s up until 1990s. Our children used to get dressed up and visit our neighbours  and their school friends came round walking up and down Main Street, Station Road and Burn Bridge children walked along Westminster Drive. Was it the wet evening or are children not allowed out now? Was never very struck on trick or treat so our children never took part but do remember a bit of damage in Pannal. This got me thinking about people who came to Pannal. The gypsies selling clothes pegs or "lucky" white heather, French onion seller complete with bike, beret and striped jersey. Lovely strings of onions they were too. Knife sharpeners with their wheel that sharpened garden shears also. Wonder if there are still two milkmen. Harry Haste who lived on Flaxton Terrace was one and Cliff Trotter was the other. Harry now deceased and Cliff moved on to greater things. Pannal really was a village then. In the summer evenings people strolled around chatting to neighbours who were either out on a stroll or working in their front gardens. Our six bungalows where purchased by people who were either retired or on the point of retiring. We were the only family who purchased the bungalow at the beginning of our married lives. In the top bungalow were Mick and Josie Hayward, then Flo and Harold Hawkins, George and Mrs Wood (never knew her first name) Jack and Eileen Wilks (Jack died soon after they moved in and the bungalow was sold) to Jim and Nan Richmond, then us and last bungalow Maurice and Audrey Holmes. As we all came into together there was a great feeling of companionship. Unfortunately all have now died apart from us and Josie who now lives near Peterborough. Still know all who live in the bungalows now but not so much interaction.  I still walk about the village but most people are in cars now. Has the community spirit vanished? 

Walking round Pannal

Who I meet and talk to. A lady from Burn Bridge rang and asked me to tell her about the history of Burn Bridge which I was quite happy to do. Went round to see her and we had a nice chat. I told her about the old Malthouse and how there used to be a white bust of Queen Victoria at the top. When the building was demolished I do not know what happened to said bust. At that time the building was owned by Cecil Margolis. Anyone remember him? He was quite a character. Bringing the first supermarket to Harrogate. It was called U Save. Cecil rang me up one day and asked me to stand for the Council as an Independant (as he was) then, blow me down, the Conservatives and Liberals also rang the same day. I said no I am better working outside the council than inside as I do not want to toe the party line. Joined The Harrogate Society and became Chairman. Then Chairman of The Friends of the Valley Gardens.(All in the past).  I then met Judith daughter of Tom and Pat Lamb who said her dad Tom is getting forgetful which is so sad as I relied on him to help with Pannal older people and places of his boyhood. Alan Shutt was next and we were talking about the plans for Sandy Bank Quarry and fields beyond. I know about it going back to after First World War so have written to Harrogate Borough Council with details. I am not on the committee of the Pannal Village Society now having resigned in the summer but said I will help with history of the village, the Christmas lights and also keep the little garden and patio area round the interpretation and notice boards tidy.  I am writing another book and also helping with some film work which will keep me busy as well as the golf, walking, gardening and this blog. All of which I love. I am still receiving comments about people missing my column and how they  have cancelled the Harrogate Advertiser. I likened it to The Metro. Very sad as it was a quality broadsheet now it is in tabloid form. Shame.

Goings and comings in Pannal

I am recovering from my face down fall in puddle. My knee the bruising has come out and I hope it will stand up to golf tomorrow, weather permitting. Yesterday, for us, was a rubbish day as Pannal was in mist most of the day. We went out in the afternoon, after gardening, to find the sun but alas no so went to the pub - Hales Bar - instead. Today it is low cloud and drizzle makes yesterday look ok now. Going out to lunch then golf club for Team Dinner. Our taciturn neighbours left on Friday and no one, us or them, said goodbye. Our new neighbour, Mary and elderly lady, we met and she seems very nice. She is moving in today. The workmen have returned to Main Street digging it up once again down by the church.  I have cleared the fag ends from the little garden by the church. Wonder where they came from?? The leaves are turning on the trees and when the sun shines they are a picture, but this weather damp and miserable they will all fall off. The few days we had of lovely sun was St Luke's Little Summer. Always a few days very nice in October then it does get much colder. Not going to enjoy that as I am still awaiting summer. I had shorts on for golf and someone said who is that in shorts and a voice said Anne Smith and someone said oh yes I might have known. For the first time in nearly fifty years we do not buy the Harrogate Advertiser and I must say I do not miss it and it has been dumbed down.

A walk from Pannal

Now this was my bright idea. Catch the number 36 bus (change from going by car) from Spacey Houses and go to Ripon and have a walk alongside the river. First we had coffee in Booths, which was recommended to us by a chap we met on the train, and jolly good it and the scones were too. Proceeded past the Cathedral and joined the path alongside the river. Past The Water Rat (just had coffee we will go on our way back) and carried on under the old railway line rejoined the river and through the trees. Sun was shining, it was fairly warm and the walk was good. Bit slippy in places as it had rained during the nights of  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We eventually passed large sewage works and joined a path which led out to a main road. My shoes were muddy there was a great big puddle by the path I put one foot in thinking it was shallow it was not and I fell in full length in this great muddy puddle. Bas was walking slightly ahead. He heard the splash turned round to find me face down in the muddy water. I must admit at that point that I was laughing as I had visions of that Dawn French sketch in The Vicar of Dibley. I was soaked and covered in mud, trousers, jumper and top. I remembered sewage works and we retraced our steps to the locked gates. I saw a man filling his lorry with sewage? and shouted to him. He came over and I said remember that Dawn French sketch well I have just done the same. Is there anywhere I could wash as I cannot get on the bus like this. He let us in we had to go and find the man with the keys to their toilets where there was a washbasin and I did the best I could. Denims were saturated. I turned my jumper back to front and washed the arms and front of my top, my hands and face. Even wetter if possible now but slightly presentable as mud had not shown up on denims as yet. He let me out of the gate, asked if I was ok but could not contain himself any longer. Good job I saw the funny side of it. Don't think Bas did. He thought I was mad. Long walk back to bus station, no drink at Water Rat. On bus, went upstairs. Good job seats were plastic. Walked back home from Spacey Houses, threw clothes in washing machine. They had to be washed twice. Had a shower. Then saw I had one knee all cuts and bruises and like a balloon. Feeling very sore today, knee has gone down a bit but I still snigger when I think of the sight that greeted Bas as he turned round to find me in the middle of a large puddle. Have stayed in today in case I was tempted to throw myself into another muddy puddle.

What "fun" on train from Pannal to York

Yesterday we set off to go to Scarborough having set the alarm so that we could walk up and catch an early train. Standing at Pannal station frozen as dopey me was in shorts (I thought it was going to be warm think this could be the start of senile dementia) and the train never arrived. Waited half an hour for the next one boarded settled down for the journey to York only to be told train was only going to Knaresborough. Off we got no waiting room stood another half an hour on a windy station finally train arrived for York. We had by now missed our connection to Scarborough waited another 50 minutes this time there was a tea room at York. Finally arrived at our destination only to find it was freezing. Some sun but cold wind. Good job I had brought trousers which I changed into at the end of the jetty by this time blue legs. Had also no coat, what is wrong with me, why do I think it is warm!  Walked along the prom and up hills into town had an ice cream - of yes we did- Got some funny looks sitting there on a bench eating ice cream but when one goes to Scarborough it is only courtesy to visit The Harbour Bar for the best ice cream in Yorkshire. This train journey is on a par with our journey back from Wales on Sunday. Had booked seats but when we changed at Manchester Piccadilly to come to Leeds the train was so crowded we could not get to them. We were jammed with literally hundreds of standing passengers. We could not turn around. After about twenty minutes Bas moved and everyone glared and he said I need to get my foot free as there is a suitcase on it. Poor soul had waited twenty minutes, everyone around us had a laugh.  We finally arrived at Leeds and went to the platform and we were up the front when there was an announcement over the tannoy that the train to Pannal was coming in at a different platform so everyone at the back moved fast and we, at the front, were last on the train and very nearly had to stand again but luckily did eventually find a seat. And they say go by public transport?

No flooding in Pannal

We have been in Bournemouth having very nice weather whilst Harrogate and Pannal have had very heavy rain. The Stray was flooded, people had to be rescued from the A1 and the Otley/Ilkley by-pass was closed for a time but Pannal survived. Not like the time in September 1968 when the River Crimple burst its banks and flooded.  The water came up over the bridge and rowing boats had to be used to rescue people from their cottages. Tragically little Melville Guy Pullein Bentley aged only eight was drowned. He had, as all little boys do, thought it so exciting and on looking over the wall by St Robert's church, which Clarke Beck flows beside before joining the River Crimple, he overbalanced and fell into the beck and was swept away. His body being found downstream later. Thank goodness it has never been as bad again. As I type this it is raining and it is dark. Looks like summer is over but perhaps we might have a respite as we still have St Luke's little summer which is a few days round about 15th October - give or take a couple of days either side -  when the sun does shine and it is quite warm.  I have known about this since I was a little girl as my grandfather was a fisherman and they know all about the weather and the moon cycles.

Pannal shops query

After my bit about all the shops that Pannal used to have I had an email from a lady who said she had visited Pannal with a walking group completely missed the one and only shop/post office (it is possibly to do that as if one comes into Pannal from Pannal Bank you do not see it) and was amazed to find there was no place to get a drink or sandwich she thought we would have had a little co-op!! Beer festival this weekend at St Robert's church. Sounds a strange place to have a beer festival but there you are.  A few years back it would have been great fun but would not really do the beers justice now. Been up to The Harwood and it is still the same as regards decor but seemed a bit friendlier from the bar staff. Pannal has certainly changed. Been here nearly 50 years ( a mere child when we came) In those days there used to be so many people walking around of an evening and stopping for a chat not so now. Everyone seems to be in cars. Wonder if that is what it is or the weather - not many balmy evenings for the last few years - or younger people moving in and not really interested in their surroundings. Road works hopefully being cleared now. At least we can get in and out of the village. Horror of horrors they dumped all their heavy equipment on top of the daffodils we planted. Be interesting to see if they do come up in the spring.

Shops and Businesses of Pannal Past

Now 2012 we have two shops one a post office at the top of Station Road the other also in Station Road a hairdressers. The hairdressers was Walkers butcher and fruit and veg before that Pannal Fisheries. The post office used to be in Main Street many years ago then it was on Hillside Road before moving to its present position. Last century we had Rhodes Cafe at Spacey Houses, Pannal Cycle Depot at Spacey Houses and a fish and chip shop there. Petrol Station next to Spacey Houses Farm and also another one next to Spacey Houses public house (now demolished and a car showroom there) Pannal Auction Market was cattle then latterly auctioned cars - it was on the corner of Follifoot Road then next to Spacey Houses Farm. (Spacey Houses is at the top of Pannal Village on the A61) Grocery Shop/Bakery/Cafe at 3 Station Road. Central Stores on the Crimple Bridge now a private house. Old butchers shop on Pannal Green alongside blacksmith's shop. Listers Filling Station still a filling station on the A61. Brookside Nurseries still there. Chapel and Son nurserymen then Leeds Road Garden Centre gone now Antique Centre. Harrogate Caravan Distributors at Spacey Houses and also Caravans for sale on Mill Lane. Sheepskin Products Mill Lane, Kennel Nutrition Far end of Mill Lane. Stockdale Millers had a mill, now demolished in Malthouse Lane, Batchelors Nurseries top of Spring Lane at Daw Cross, Miss Campbell Nurseries Hill Top Lane. Burn Bridge is next to Pannal and there was a blacksmiths then a grocery shop then restaurants - Le Provencal, Four Seasons, Roman Court. Bintex then Dunlopillo now a light industrial area but there is now a cafe. Demaines Garage was in Brackenthwaite Lane and Kennings Garage corner of Rossett Green Lane/Yew Tree Lane. Nettleton Quarry Owners who finished in about 1930. Nursery/Veg garden corner of Main Street and Pannal Green. Mrs Lydia Ward's shop now Lydia Cottage Main Street. Pannal stationmasters house and booking office changed to Platform One public house now The Harwood. Black Swan public House, Burn Bridge still there.Pannal Golf Club there since 1906. Really a very busy village not so busy now unfortunately as one does not meet villagers "going to the shops".

Summer in Pannal

At last a bit of summer. The day the Olympics started we had summer here also for the Paralympics. Could not believe it. Has been a marvellous few weeks. Warm with sunshine. A lot of gardening has been done and sitting around too. Glued to the tv we have been. Not during the day I may add but at 7pm. London did Britain proud and Britain did Britain proud. Loved every minute of it but alas it is now over. School has started once more and there is no crossing lady. That was a short lived appointment. Bit scary too as I see mothers crossing the road with their children at the Rosedale junction and looking right and left but not behind them. Why they cannot wait until they are further down the road I do not know. Also saw one dopey dad letting the children cross on their own as a car was turning down the road he then screamed at them and shook the boy. I try not to look out of the window. The Harwood pub has re-opened shall go up and have a drink. Cannot at the moment as Bas is on antibiotics for a tooth abcess and cannot take alcohol. So I will not been mean and slosh down the old beer when he cannot. The roadworks are finished so we can go up and down Main Street and Station Road again. I do not have to go all round the houses in Burn Bridge to get to the golf club now. Have been to see Jenny in hospital and she is coming on well. Speech coming back and she has been walkies in a wheelchair. Went to see a concert thingy at Pannal Memorial Hall on Saturday and we came home at the interval. Never done that before and felt so guilty. We did not join the queue for refreshments but made for the door. Nearly killed ourselves getting out hoping no one would notice. We were giggling walking down the road. Having new neighbours once again. Keeps changing hands nothing we have said honest.

All nearly normal

Sorry never came back as promised as a friend in the village had a massive stroke line dancing of all things. She has been very bad and I have been visiting and trying to help. She is improving speach is coming back but still no movement on right side. It will be a long haul for Jenny but she will get there. Another reasons was the birth of our lovely grandaughter Bethany Alice and the Olympics. Bethany is coming on fine and Richard and Charlotte are very proud parents. We were in Cheltenham when she was born so that was nice and we shall be going down for her christening. Skype helps too. Very quiet and peaceful our end of Pannal Main Street as Station Road is closed fixing a water main. Has been so since the schools closed and will not reopen until schools re-open. It is a nuisance having to go all the way through Burn Bridge to get to the golf club which is at the top of the road but it is worth it for the peace and quiet. School traffic is terrible and motorists use Pannal as a short cut to get to the A6. The Harwood pub is due to reopen and I hope they get their act together and charge a bit less for their beer. People who used the pub and have a bus pass were using their pass to catch the bus to the Harewood at Harewood as it is a Sam Smith pub and the beer is good and cheap. Also the staff at the Harwood, Pannal were young and could not care less whether they served you or not. When the pub came to Pannal it was in the Station Masters office at the Station and was called Platform One. When it was sold the new owners asked me to write out the history of the pub for them and I did so and also told them the name they had chosen would be confused with the pub of many years standing The Harewood at Harewood near Harewood House and they had never heard of it ( honestly they had not heard of the Earl of Harewood) and said the pub was being named after the maiden name of the owners mother. So there it is hope you are not too confused.  Bank Holiday weekend and the Pannal Gala will be there on Bank Holiday Monday and I hope the weather forecasters are wrong. Also noticed yesterday there is a large circus tent on the field by the Bradford turnoff at Buttersyke bar. Never seen that before. That field was agriculture then a few years ago car boot sales were held there in the summer. Now this. Should be fun though providing the field is not too wet as our lovely summer goes on in the same vein it started - wet. Also Local Plan is for 40-60 houses at Pannal Bank, the field in the Crimple Valley near the antique centre. We only have one garden centre now, Brookside, as the other one has turned into an antique showroom. Goodness me how Pannal has changed from a little village to this! 

Pannal, me and the Olympics

No blog due to obsessive  watching of the Olympics and the fact that we were away in Bristol and Cheltenham for the birth of our grandaughter Bethany Alice. So normal transmission will resume next week.

Pannal goings on

Well we have, at last, a crossing patrol lady who takes the children to and from school. Thank goodness someone has taken this job on as Main Street in the mornings and when school comes out is a nightmare. Cars are everywhere and not all the mothers are polite. We have had out drive blocked and when we remonstrated with the woman all we got was I am taking my child to school followed by f... off and this is not the first time this has happened. Seems a bit better at the moment as the head teacher was informed and she "had words" with the parents. What we have now and for the next six weeks is Station Road closed as a water main is being replaced. There is a meeting in Pannal Memorial Hall on Tuesday where we shall be informed what the diversions are. Not looking forward to this at all as I only live two minutes away from Pannal GC and the diversion (all roads off Station Road are dead ends) the only road is Rosedale which will now mean a two mile diversion for us all.  Hope our new shop is not too badly hit. It has been suggested just closing one side of the road, putting traffic lights both ends and letting cars go up and down but that is probably too simple a solution!! The other news is The Harewood is closed for, it says on the notice on the door, refurbishment which we all hope it is and it will not close down. Who knows these days when pubs are closing down so fast.

How green is Pannal

We have been walking in the Dales. Swaledale in particular. Weather not too bad. it rained every morning but cleared up at lunchtime and the days were warm and sunny apart from the day we went to Hawes where there was a lot of rain. We stayed at Leyburn in a log cabin and it was very good and very well equipped.  The wild flowers were beautiful and the fields and hedgerows of buttercups were amazing. Many photos were taken. Pannal seemed to have suffered worse than the Dales from rain and it is very green. Our garden has extremely tall plants first time I have seen them so tall. not a lot of colour as all the plants are bedraggled. The garden centres must be having a hard time of it as if one buys plants it is sometimes difficult to get them planted. What an awful summer and we are told it will not get any better. Such a shame as no one is out walking around the village or sitting outside The Harwood or The Black Swan. Children are not on their bikes or in the rec. Soon be the school summer holidays perhaps, just perhaps the sun will come out.

Pannal Jubilee Olympic torch

It has been a very hot and sunny day today. Now where did that come from as it has been rubbish for days. Been told it will not last so that is great. Cats never came in last night so they were enjoying a mild night. They are in now looking shattered after their night on the tiles. There seems to be more excitement over the Olympic torch coming to Harrogate than the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Has been said that Harrogate Council has republican tendencies. Wonder if that is true. Surely not. Anyway the torch arrives here. Sorry to have to say I will not be going to see it I am playing golf - weather permitting. A young man Jonathan Sherwood age 19 has carved a beautiful Jubilee chair from an oak tree donated by friends of ours. It was his own idea and it is in the Valley Gardens for all to see. 

Is it winter in Pannal

It is perishing here and there is a lot of rain.  Central heating on. Can't get doing summer things. No long warm evenings in the garden come to that no long warm days either. We have a little stream at the bottom of the garden which is now not a little stream. Even the cats Marble and Tigs think it is winter and come in to lie in their beds. When I open the door for them to go out I get a you are joking look. From what people have told me I do not think the Jubilee event at St Robert's church was a success. Not many people turned up. There was a lot of memorabilia for the last sixty years. As well as my books, photograph albums and cuttings of the village I had kept my Coronation mug presented to all children in 1953, Silver Jubilee mug and a mug I had given from Dunlopillo now no longer there. Unfortunately the ghastly office block still dominates the village but the company and all the workers gone. It its place is a business park and horror of horrors a concrete batching plant. Down my end of the village it is quiet but at the top there are concrete lorries coming in and out. A loop hole in planning allowed them to be there. Spent a day running in and out trying to put some bedding plants in the flowerbeds. Everything is gigantic because of all the rain and very green. Our roses on the bungalow walls are out and very beautiful they are. They have been there 45 years now and have featured in many magazines. Wonder how long they will go on. Hoping for summer soon.

Pannal and beyond

Weather here rubbish went to Scotland for 10 days and it was hot and sunny. We have 4 children Susan, Michael, James, Richard and when they were young I would not fly anywhere so we spent all our holidays  in Britain and as a result we have been all round the coast and a great number of places inland. Then we started visiting the islands Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, all the Scilly Isles and smaller ones like Bardsey and Shell Island, Angelsey. Scottish islands are marvellous Arran,Skye, Mull, Ulva, Great Cumbrae, Bute, Jura, Islay, Easdale, Luing, Orkney, Shetland, North and South Uist, Benbecula, Eriskay, Harris and Lewis, Barra, Vatersey, Mingulay (where I, who is afraid of heights had to clamber from a small swaying boat up the side of a steep cliff no steps or handrail to the top. Walk a narrow path above the sea to get to the beach and after a few hours when my heart had stopped pounding I was told I had to go the same way back which was worse as on the way up I did not look back but this time I had to look down. I very nearly colonized Mingulay to the tune of one inhabitant. Only peer pressure got me on that boat.)  Rum. Eigg, Colonsay.  This holiday it was Arran, Gigha, Kerrera, Lishmore, Coll and Tiree. Coll and Tiree had amazing beaches with white sand and blue/green water. The islands were all beautiful but our favourite was Coll. The beaches were isolated and one had to walk to reach them over grass covered in an abundance of wild flowers. Susan and our grandson Alex came with us. Frequent ferry trips which Alex found exciting (we did too) the longest trip was four hours returning from Tiree to Oban.Met some lovely people both living on the islands and visitors. German people seem to like Scotland. Be prepared though coming from a fairly hectic lifestyle nothing is done in a hurry. As one lady in Coll said to me the kettle takes a long time to boil here. We found places to eat mostly hotel bars which were very few and far between and in Tiree Hotel I had the best knickerbocker glory I have ever had. I am still dreaming about it. Returned to Oban still bathed in sunshine but got a rude awakening when we stayed overnight with our friends (Terry and I have known each other since we were 4) in Glasgow when we encountered rain.
Home to Pannal more rain, cold and today grey skies. Missed the Jubilee (60 years of Pannal) to which I contributed a number of items so will have to find out how well it went and write it up in a later blog.  I did have the first copy of the new look Harrogate Advertiser and I think it looks like The Metro which is the free paper handed out to rail passengers. To me it is a comedown from a quality broadsheet to a tabloid.

Pannal and the Jubilee

The Fabulous weather continues but not for much longer THEY tell us but considering THEY never told us we were going to have a heatwave I do not have much face in THEM.  Geoff came back from Wembley elated after Huddersfield Town's win. We had left him a bottle of beer, a card and a balloon that lit up. Yesterday Geoff and Shirley invited us in to the garden and we all had champagne. Lovely. Pannal is preparing to have a Jubilee weekend which I hope will be well attended as it is half term and a number of people have their own plans us included. I have put flags out and decorated the Pannal Village Society notice board. At the church all Pannal groups will be represented and I have spent this past week helping various groups with their history.  I golfed yesterday and came second. Came third the week before which I am pleased about as I only came back to the club in March after being away nearly a year as I had a big op on valves in my legs then contracted dvt but I am back golfing and walking which we love and our other love apart from our family is gardening although the shine is going off that after carting big cans of water round every night. Must go and feed the cats are they are staring in the window with their knives and forks at the ready.

Pannal and sunshine

Huddersfield Town won. Very exciting game I listened to it in the garden in the glorious sunshine. Geoff went down to Wembley and came back a happy man.  This was also the day of Pannal Primary Schools Fair and what a brilliant sunny day it was. It has been scorching now for nearly a week. Could go on like this all summer as far as I am concerned. Pannal has been very quite no one around. Expect everyone is in their gardens with the barbeque.  St Robert are holding an exhibition focusing on the last 60 years of Pannal. I have been very busy helping various organisations with memorabilia. I am working with Pannal Village Society on their display and have helped Pannal Primary School with bits and pieces. Our family still hold the record for the longest attendance at Pannal Primary Susan was the first to attend in 1971 five years after the school moved from Woodcock Hill to Pannal Green. Susan was followed by Michael, then James and lastly Richard.  Off to do some watering now.

Pannal and

Great weather scorching as the papers say. Not scorching at the weekend as ten of us (part of the family) and two dogs hired a canal barge for the day 9am to 10pm from Skipton to Silsden. Fantastic took our lunch and the birthday cakes and moored up and visited pubs on the way. If you have not tried it give it a go. Its great fun. The mystery of the fairy lights has been solved Rachel who now writes the Pannal column e-mailed to say they were falling down from the tree and she with a Dad from the school tried to put them up again to no avail as they were broken. This got me thinking of all that had happened     on Pannal Green over the years. There used to be a butchers shop there and a blacksmiths both now demolished as were the cottages in front of St Robert's church (car park now) cows were kept on the green. In 1933 during a fair on the green the event was enlivened by Pannal Memorial Hall going on fire. During World War Two chickens were kept there by the children from Pannal Old School which was on Woodcock Hill. Miss Wigby kept ducks there in the 1960s. Running races were held there. Hundreds of daffodils were planted by myself and family and I helped the children from Pannal Primary School planted crocus round the tree. Services held - picnic on the green - by St Robert's and Pannal Methodist churches. Trees were planted. Cherry trees contain christmas lights in memory of three boys from Pannal Green killed in a car accident which Yasmin and I collected as donations. Also three seats in their memory. Another very sad occasion and a tree was planted on the green which I arranged in memory of four girls from Burn Bridge killed in a car accident. My school talks started on the green and still do for visitors to Pannal. I put stocks on the green with oak wood donated by Frank Hird and a grant from Cllr Cliff Trotter. VE Day Celebrations were held there. Children from Pannal Primary School planted crocus and I helped them. End this bit by saying Pannal Village Society are providing new lights for the tree in the middle this Christmas.  On Saturday Huddersfield Town are in the Yorkshire Final and my next door neighbour Geoff is their greatest fan so if they win it could be champers all round.

Pannal and life

Cannot get rid of the north east wind and when it is not windy one breathes a sigh of relief and then it rains. Have now been told by "they who know" that it will continue like this until mid/end June. But and there is always a but perhaps they are wrong.  On the surface life in Pannal continues but controversy is never far away. Sandy Bank Quarry will it be closed off from the fields that one walks across to Almsford Bank? Police Training College on Yew Tree Lane closing down and housing, a large number, being built there. What does this mean in traffic terms for both Yew Tree Lane and Pannal/Burn Bridge? Concrete Batching Plant at Dunlopillo site many lorries annoying residents at the top of the village. Looking forward to one joyful occasion - Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. There will be an exhibition of Pannal memorabilia on display in St Robert's church. I am providing a number of items and also putting photographs bunting in the notice board near the church. We have four children and they are coming up this weekend with partners and grandchildren to celebrate Susan, James and Charlotte's birthdays. Should be great fun as we are hiring a boat on the Skipton canal. I finish this blog as I started by saying hope the weather improves.

This week in Pannal

Yesterday I golfed at Ripon. The sun shone. It was a bit windy but ok. Today at Pannal no sun, a very cold wind and I was frozen. Been worse if it had rained I suppose. Had a Pannal Village Society meeting last night and one of the subjects was fairy lights on the trees on Pannal Green. I found the set of lights from the large tree in the middle of the green all broken and in the bin by the church car par. Did the wind blow them off or were they taken off. We do not know so now we have to buy more. I received an e-mail from Moira Holmes nee Vasey the grandaughter of Bernard and Elizabeth Cobb who lived at 39 Station Road. Bernard was a Methodist and knew all about methodism in Pannal and also Pannal's history. I used to visit him in the 1970 and we would chat about life in Pannal. Moira was born at her grandparents house then her parents moved to Lincoln. Mother died young in 1957. Moira and her sister Brenda came back to Pannal. Dad remarried and Moira and her sister moved to Starbeck She attended Starbeck Primary, then Harrogate High School which she left in 1969. Met her husband Colin. Settled in the Abingdon area until they emigrated to Canada as newly-weds in 1974. They have two daughters and live in Manitoba. I have sent her my Postcards from Pannal book which I am sure will bring back happy memories. Remember John Scott the Vicar at St Roberts church in 1978 shall write a bit about him in another blog.

Pannal village and Dunlopillo

I said I would tell you about Dunlopillo formerly Bintex built on farm fields and allotments had operated independently from 1938 to 1949. The owner, a Mr Binns (hence the company name) had invented a latex foam process which was similar to that developed by Dunlop but after the Japanese invasion of Malaya the raw rubber on which the process depended could no longer be obtained. Incidentally, my husband's great great grandfather John Smith, was Curator of the Royal Kew Gardens 1864-86, during the period when the first rubber seedlings were grown at Kew and they were then taken by one of the young Kew gardeners to Ceylon where they formed the basis of the first of the great rubber plantations.   Grandfather's name appeared in the famous book The Weeping Wood by Vicki Baum all about the rubber plantation. Bintex was called upon to do other work of national importance and undertook the manufacture and assembly of parts for radar equipment. Huts were built to extend the production area and women part-time workers were recruited from the surrounding areas. After the war ended Bintex Ltd., reverted to its original business, but it was not long before Dunlop was expressing an interest in their activities. This culminated in a takeover in 1949 with a change of name to Dunlopillo. Then in 1960, a decision was made to relocate the Dunlopillo Headquarters to Pannal and a new office block was built the following year to accommodate the increased number of staff. The company flourished and with a total site area of 178 acres and in the mid 1980s with a staff of 440 people this had become a large industrial unit in relation to the size of the village itself.  I well remember the Annual Gala Day when all the children of employees, many from the village, were invited to take part in the sports and events and a well known personality was invited to open the Gala. One year it was Jimmy Saville and I was coming out of playgroup held in Pannal Memorial Institute when he spotted me and chased me down the road shouting Now then, now then, now then. Not a pleasant experience as he was not a nice man. There was an active cricket team and football was also played on the five acre sports field with its pavilion well used. There were good years for the company then the name changed to Dunlop and there was a management take over and the company struggled in later years which culminated in a complete shutdown and it was sold. Eventually it fell into the hands of Forward Investments (the Ward Bros) and is now a number of units open to the public one of which is a cafe named Rumbles and there is also a concrete batching plant at the rear of the premises. The question is will these remain or are other plans afoot?

Life in Pannal village

Bit about me. I am a local historian and have published two books on Pannal and have written the Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club. I qualified as a journalist, secretary to Bob Kelly Chairman of Celtic Football Club and also stockbroking and worked for the MOD married Bas and we have had four children. Lived at Kirkby Overblow then Pannal in the early 1960s.  Enough of my credentials lets blog about what is happening in Pannal. Sandy Bank Quarry and fields behind St Roberts Church. The fields have been rented (owned by HBC) to a farmer who is now in the process of putting a wire fence between the quarry and the fields. There has always been a right of way, as long as I remember, from the end of the quarry through the fields one way to Stone Rings and another to Almsford Bank.  I can remember the children who attended Pannal Primary School from the Stone Rings area crossing the fields to school and home again. Have not seen that happen for many years. We are hoping Harrogate Borough Council do know this and have told the farmer there must be a stile to enable walkers to access the quarry and fields. The Police Training College on Yew Tree Lane, which used to be Southern College, is to be developed as housing. I have asked that the schoolmasters house built 1840 and the Memorial Library ( opened in the 1920s by The Earl and Countess of Harewood as a memorial  to those pupils who had lost their lives in the war) be retained.  Hopefully this will be done. If you have any queries or would like to make your views known contact HBC before May 24th.  Pannal after two lovely days cloudy and quiet. School starts tomorrow with the accompaniment of cars dropping children off and unless you are one of these parents Main Street is not the place to be either in the morning or at school leaving time. Says one who lived in this house before the school was built. To be continued

Life in Pannal village

What is it like to live in a village.  Pannal was a village and in some ways still is. A large number of houses have been built since 1966 Walton Park and Crimple Meadows to name two estates. Crimple Meadows is in the heart of the village and Walton Park is divided from the village by the A61 Harrogate/Leeds Road. Before these estates everyone knew everyone else. We stopped and chatted. We met in the main street that runs through the village as we were visiting the butchers, the newsagents or the grocers on the bridge. Alas all gone all there is left is the post office at the top of the village which sells most things. At one time we had thirteen shops. All is not doom and gloom as there are a number of societies, W.I. Friendly Club, Mothers Union etc Two thriving churches St Robert's and The Methodist, a primary school, a public house, Pannal Golf Club a doctors and dentist, a Village Society that has meetings and speakers. Because of the lack of shops most people now drive to get their shopping so very often a wave will suffice instead of a chat.  My husband and myself have lived in the village nearly all our lives and have raised four children here. This gives some idea of our surroundings still green fields, Sandy Bank Quarry and lovely walks but for how much longer.  I have given some idea of where I live and will carry on and talk about the people who live and have lived here. What has happened to the large industrial estate, Dunlopillo, that dominated the village. What are the councils plans,