Pannal and Police Training College

Many years ago I was asked to write a history of the Memorial Library at the old Southern College which had a name change to Pannal Ash College now better known now as the Police Training College. Then when plans were afoot for the police to leave I was contacted by their Secretary Margaret Hart, whom I knew, and her boss Terry and asked if I would like any of the memorabilia that was stored there relating to Southern College. If I did not want it no one else did and it would end up in a skip. So my husband and I went up and took it all.. So I now possess all the history of both Colleges, silver cups, school uniforms (a couple) photographs and paintings .I got in touch with the Headmaster -  Walter S. Hill's daughter in Eastbourne and asked her if she wanted the large photo I had of her father and various other ones and she said no. I remained in touch with her for years. Her daughter in Canada phoned me to tell me Shirley had died. I told her about a small stained glass window at the College and she now has a copy of it in her home .Knowing what was going to happen to the buildings, because developers do not care, I applied and had the Memorial Library and the Headmaster's house listed. So they will not be demolished. I have written about the history of both the College and the Police Training College in my latest book on Pannal and Burn Bridge. Gosh it is so interesting being a historian, I love what I do. I trained as a journalist and worked for Celtic Football and the MOD. 

Now we have in Main Street Northern Gas once more looking for the elusive gas leak. They have been a few times on the same spot then across the road where they took part of the boundary wall down.  Now a friend who knew someone from Northern Gas said unless everyone complains they will just repair, what is needed are new pipes. You will have seen what is going on and it is quite dangerous to those of us who drive. The traffic lights take ages to change and I was coming down Church Lane today and I got through the lights but the car behind me jumped them and came right behind me. I always signal my intention to come into my drive but I do know the numpty drivers there are so watch in my rear mirror. Good job I did as they (man and woman) thought I was turning down Rosedale which is on the right and I had my left indicator on and tried to undertake me. This is not an isolated occurrence as one time I got out the car and said to the man in an open topped car what are you doing I indicated left I am not going to turn right and he said yeh but your a woman arn't you..Later on I was talking to my neighbours who have the problem outside their drive when a car came round the corner and very close to us who were standing (social distance apart) on her drive.I We all on Main Street have these problems and it will only get worse with the number of houses being built and house owners using Pannal as a short cut.

I started this blog on a different subject and look where it ended in a rant. So I am going now before it gets any worse. 

Marble and Tigs are now in so winter must be coming and I must make sure I have shut the lounge door as Tigs will make a rush for any bed. Marble doesn't she is a lady and not a thug like Tigs.  

 

Pannal and Neighbourhood Plan

 As a result of my writing about wanting to save Crimple Valley from housing and wanting to turn it into a Country Park similar to the ones Harrogate has for Harrogate I was asked to join a group dealing with the Neighbourhood Plan (Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council) Well not to be a Councillor as I do not want to do that but I am happy to help in securing Country Park status for Crimple Valley. Has anyone else volunteered to join this group?  I have lived here nearly sixty years and I and older resident have seen Pannal go from a village to what it is now and what is that? I hate to think of it as a suburb of Harrogate but in the past fifty years we have had in our little village just over 379 houses built and that is not including the ones being built on the old Dunlopillo site. In my latest book I mention all the business's Pannal had and what Pannal and Burn Bridge were like from the 1800s onwards. My book is at the publishers now and it will be on sale next Spring virus permitting. 

When Pannal Village Society, of which I was on committee, decided to create a little patio by St Robert's Church I said I would look after it. I planted a little garden under the new Notice Boards also by PVS and St Robert's Church and I have looked after it ever since. Ever since has been since 2006 (where has the time gone) I weed and clear leaves and this year has been particularly arduous as I believe HBC are not going to clear the leaves from our roads and footpaths so therefore many more come onto the patio. I catch up on the local gossip and also see what goes on round the church car park. I have been surprised at the number of paid dog walkers who drive up in their vans with names on the side and Harrogate also written. I must make it clear that i am not pointing the finger at them as i am sure they are very responsible but I am hearing about dog mess (tied up in bags) being left. I have also seen it as i walk that area. One very kind lady has been picking it up and desposing of it and one other lady walking her dog picks up rubbish that she finds discarded. True Pannal and Burn Bridge heroes, I also did the Information Board there. I supplied the information and it was put together by a gentleman from Spofforth whose business was supplying these board in the villages around. 

I am not going to mention the virus as we are all dealing with it in our own way and I think we have all been brilliant. Many of us have not seen our children for months. Never in our wildest dreams this time last New Year when we all wished each other a Happy New Year what 2020 would turn out to be like. For once we shall all be glad when it is 2021 and the hope is there that we shall sometime in that year be back to normal. That is our fervent prayer and being of Scottish birth I do know what Nichols Sturgeon means when she says she is scunnered. We all are. 

Pannal Country Park and,,,

Well my idea of a Country Park seems to be kicking off. No one has said oh no that's not a good idea. Not that that would have made any difference to me as all I have achieved in regards to Pannal I have done on my own but it is nice to know I am not on my own this time .I was thinking about my list of achievements re Pannal and I remembered more.  I contacted Peter Fisher who was Conservation Officer at HBC and between us we walked round Pannal and did the Conservation Area about 1984. I had also contacted Peter re Boundary Stones as Bas and I walked all round and found about 51 of them. This was started because Pannal has the first one KF (Knaresborough Forest) 1767 and we mapped them. Then a lovely one I asked at a meeting if anyone thought it a good idea to have two "Christmas" trees planted on Pannal Green to be lit up. Anonymously (well to the general public but I knew who they were) donation to buy the trees and another donor provided the money for the lights also money from PVS and we were away. Then the tragedy three lads from Pannal Green Joe Wilson whom I knew and two brothers were killed in a car crash. As they were Yasmin's paper boys Yasmin and I got together and with donations from customers we bought three seats with plaques on Pannal Green and also there was enough money to provide blue and white lights on the cherry trees as the boys had been Leeds United supporters. Then I decided to replace the stocks and put them on Pannal Green the wood was provided by Frank and Jenny Hird with money from Cllr Cliff Trotter. There used to be stocks in Pannal, every village had them for wrong doers, They had worn out so we replaced them. 

Before we went in to lockdown my eldest son Michael came over and I took him a walk up to Whinney Lane to see the devastation and he said thanks for that mum, our childhood has now been spoiled as we (brothers and sister) used to cycle all round here and it was all green fields. I agree it is awful too many houses and all packed close together and it looks like they have diverted a footpath to build more houses. This is why we need the keep the green fields we have around us. Especially with this awful virus we need to be able to walk over the fields without the fear of them being destroyed. The writing was on the wall for the land the other side of the Leeds Road when HBC let that garage and car showroom etc be built. Way back in the 1970s I with others objected all to no avail .Now we shall just have to wait and see what is proposed for those green fields. Will what is proposed hide the Crimple Viaduct? Up until June/July this year it was possible to walk to the viaduct and going left be underneath it. A place where we picnicked and played in the stream but no longer now all fenced in.

So let's hope sense will prevail and we can protect our Crimple Valley and it will be designated a Country Park. When one looks around Harrogate has Country Parks. Pannal has nothing only the recreation ground. Let's fight for the Crimple Valley Country Park.