Pannal and trees

 I have a large high conifer hedge at the bottom of the garden and have been trying for ages to find someone to trim the back of it. Problem being there is a stream and a playgroup the other side of the stream and my conifers and going over towards the playgroup. At last I have found a firm that will tackle this from the playgroup side. So hopeful more light will shine upon them. 

Jonathan Sherwood tree carver coming next week to carve the owl on what is left of my very large cedar deodora  Looking forward to seeing it being done. The grandchildren of my neighbours said they would like to watch it being done but as Jonathan is starting at 8am there will probably only be me watching. Oh and Tigs the cat.

Last week I was driving on Leeds Road with the intention of turning off to Leadhall Lane. I was in the correct Lane to turn and coming up to the lights that had just changed to green when this car came tearing up on the inside of me and overtook me, making me jam on my brakes, and went racing along Leeds Road overtaking everything on his left He was amazingly lucky he never caused an accident but he got away with it and having done so will now do that manoeuvre again. Talking of manners I am finding very few people I pass in street make eye contact never mind speak. I always say good morning or hello and they visibly jump. 

Query is Joan Bradshaw still around? She used to live on Pannal Green and no one seems to know what has happened to her. She was a verger at St Roberts. Many years ago on the first Red Nose Day it was such a novelty that we all wore our noses and met up in St Roberts Church. I had put on my eldest daughter Susan's school uniform and Joan said how about we go to Pannal School and I will pretend to be your Mum and say I could not get you to get out of bed and that's why we are late. So off we went and Joan asked to see the Headmaster which was Mr John Kirk and he appeared in little short trousers blue jumper and Pannal school tie and cap. It was so funny we and all the teachers were laughing. For years after that I sent Joan a Mothers Day card. Those were the days! I know Linda Ruddy who was in Susan's class at school married Tom and Joan's son. There is a comments bit if someone could let me know as there are a few of us inquiring. 

Pannal Lightening and Me

 Ordinary Day not raining, not big black clouds.  I was coming out of the house to go to the garage. Keys very loosely over one finger. From nowhere lightening shot up my drive, hit the keys knocking them out of my hand hit the top of my garage, which has fortunately wooden doors, went over the top and hit the wind turbine at Pannal Primary School. The noise was horrendous and could be heard for miles. I was shaking and had a strong coffee. I am so pleased I was carrying the keys loosely as if I had been gripping them do not think I would be here to write this. I did have quite a large bruise on the back of my hand but that is all. My "incident" and the fact that the school was evacuated - new headmistress had only been at the school for a couple of days. My accident and wind turbine were reported in the Stay Ferret. Few days later as a member I attended Longlands AGM in their field in Starbeck. There was a caravan with awning serving drinks. I had a cup of tea and just picking up a piece of cake when the metal pole holding the awning fell on top of me hitting my shoulder.. I nearly fell to the ground but there was a lady near me that I managed to hold onto. Asked if I was ok I said yes and a helper said I had to be written in the Accident Book when I said my name and address. Someone said you are not the person that was struck by lightening are you. Then someone said its the 13th today so be careful. I did have a sore shoulder for a couple of days but ok now. Having just come off crutches following a stupid accident in the Lake District I am counting these as three. It is said everything comes in threes so hopefully that is my three. 

My Pannal Heritage Walk went well. It was a lovely warm day and people seemed to enjoy the walk and talk. Seems a very long time since I did my first walk. The Harwood pub was there in those days and I said to the landlord that I was doing the walk and would finish at the pub and he said how many people do you think will be coming. I said I don't really know probably about thirty.  He said ok I will make sandwiches for thirty. Which was very kind of him. Many, many more people turned up. It was great fun and we did finish the walk at the pub. Who got a sandwich I do not know but many drinks were consumed. The first pub was Platform 1 in 1980 then the Harewood which at the beginning was really good then through a series of landlords and landlady was not. It became the o-op which is very handy. Then we lost our very old pub Spacey Houses which was so sad. I tried very hard to save it as I had listed a number of buildings and Spacey Houses Farm which had not to be razed to the ground as many old farm buildings had to be kept and listed. Unfortunately I could not save Spacey Houses as THEY came one very rainy night and removed the roof. 

Pannal Heritage Walk

 I am doing a Pannal Heritage Walk on Friday 19th September. Meeting at St Robert's Church at car park at 11am. Walking towards the Mill Pond in Mill Lane and then back up Main Street to the Old School. Me talking my usual rubbish which is humorous and it is a fun talk but at times slightly serious as I tell you the history of Pannal. Finish back at the Church where we shall a little walk round the church grounds and then have a nice relaxing seat and a chat in the Church. 

Hopefully see some of you together with the Heritage Group. 

Pannal was a village but is it now?

 Pannal was a village but is it now that is the question. We who live here still call it Pannal Village but the Council and some residents say it is a suburb of Harrogate. The "village people" like to think it is a village. We have an ancient Church St Roberts, Pannal Hall ,Old protected cottages, a Village Green. Village Institute, Old School now Scout Hut, the wonderful Crimple Valley. Old Corn Mill and pond and very lucky to have a railway where steam trains flourished. A number of village shops now down to the Post Office and a new Co-op that replaced the pub in the centre. Spacey Houses was at the top of the village now sadly demolished so no pubs. A hairdressers that replaced the lovely Ken Walkers butcher and fruit and veg. We all miss Ken who retired to look after his wife. Lovely to think back to how it used to be. We used to have a village policeman Stanley Stukens who lived at the top of the village. When he retired we had a shared policeman with Huby. They were so good knew most people and stood no nonsense. 

To us it is still a village apart from the traffic. Where are all the cars coming from. If one stands at the top of Church Lane one will know. Mostly Green Lane and also Leadhall Lane and goodness do they go fast. They fly down Church Lane sometimes slowing down for the Matrix then speed in up and they are never ever doing thirty miles an hour and when they reach the bad bend in Church Lane where the speed drops to twenty mph forget that they fly down Main Street. Interestingly a neighbour had to sell her bungalow as the noise from the traffic nearly drove her mental. It really did. If one is gardening at the front the constant swishing of fast cars up and down from Church Lane and Main Street could drive one mental if they let it. What can one do re traffic, flap all it seems until there is a terrible accident. Accident black spots bottom of Church Lane and approaching the bend by Pannal Green. 

Cup of tea and bp settled I am now back. I am doing a walk for Heritage Week on Friday 19th September. Meeting at St Robert's Church at 11am. Shall walk up to the Mill and Mill Pond then up to the top of Main Street and Spring Lane/Woodcock Hill and see the old school. Then back for some chat and a sit down at St. Roberts. It is a fun walk some history and funny anecdotes - a lighthearted fun talk which I always enjoy and from the feedback my audience do to. 

i have had my cedar deodora cut down as it was so near the house and if it did come down in the high winds it would fall on my house and fat chance I would have had claiming insurance as always happy to not pay claimant out they would have said "should never have been planted there - to near the house. So I am afraid I had to bite the bullet. Tree had a little baby tree so it lives on. Gary my very nice tree man asked if he could have it to plant on. Happy to do so and I am having an owl carving by Jonathan the great wood carver. So that will be really lovely. Left height on the tree so my very kind neighbours can see the owl. 

What did Tigs think of all the noise not a lot. She gave me some very hard stares. 

 

More goings on in Pannal

 The copper beech in Rosedale part of which suddenly came down necessitating its felling. No it is not going to be left as it is the reason being a bees nest was discovered so when the bees leave the nest the trunk of the tree will be removed. My sad news is about forty years ago I purchased "a dwarf conifer" as that is what I was told it was by the gardener at the Great Yorkshire Show. It is now massive and towers over the houses. I planted it to near my neighbours garage and I now think it could undermine their garage. so very sadly it will have to come down. The roots are growing across my garden and it is pretty near my house and in the very strong winds that we had I lay in bed listening to the branches being blown about and thinking if it does come down I am gone so probably would be half the house. I am saddened that it has to be felled as I love trees but I am a bit scare of what might happen. I am hopefully going to have a bird, fish or animal carved on the trunk. I shall, I think, be going out as I do not want to see it being felled. 

I have enjoyed watching England. Hang on have I? It was been so tense edge of the seat stuff. Would be good if they beat Spain but is that realistic? Fingers crossed. I enjoyed Wimbledon the men's matches but not the ladies. The grunting one annoyed me and the Final was boring. 

My intrepid daughter has, with a friend, been walking round Mount Blanc. Many miles. weather not bad but the scenery was beautiful. Michael her brother and his wife are off to do it in September. Michael has already run round it in a competition. This time take it easy and enjoy the scenery. James says he is not going to and Richard loves kayaking.  As a family we have always walked. Long distance footpaths both in Scotland and Yorkshire. 

School is out and the roads in Pannal are quiet which is so lovely. Probably not for long as I do not know where the time has gone. I can remember May but how have we got to the end of July so quickly. Time for my four children and their families to visit Pannal where they were all born. Well apart from Susan who was born when we lived in Kirkby Overblow. I do not want to live anywhere else. Where I live has not really changed and it suits me. 

Tigs agrees she is a happy little soul and follows me around all the time. Funny really as she never bothered with Marble but I think she misses her. 

Goings on in Pannal

 I am now very nearly on the mend but not able to fully bend my right knee but I am assured that will come. Still attending HDH but on my next visit I can drive myself. Having had two crutches for a long time I then had one crutch now no crutches yippee. I am finding it slightly difficult as having been held up by crutches my sense of balance is a bit off but that is hopefully will improve. I shall not jump streams again. I took off like a gazelle and landed like an elephant so I have learned my lesson. Friends have said "Whatever did you do that for" My answer "thought I could"

In my resting period I have been busy answering queries about relatives who used to live here or places that people remember and say is it still there? Mostly the answer is yes but there has been a no. Had a query from a gentleman in Ontario who used to live at Rossett Green Lane in the large house that belonged to Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in the 1960/70s.  Unfortunately after the Latter Day Saints owned it it was a Nursing Home then the beautiful house was demolished and other buildings were erected on the site and surrounding area. Rather sad as Sir Norman Rae used to live there when it was a private house round about 1910. He was to all accounts a very lovely man and a great benefactor in the Shipley, Bradford area and an MP for Shipley.  I have a book written about him Sir H Norman Rae 1860 - 1928 Our Local Benefactor written by G Shuttleworth and M Walker. Apart from answering queries I have really enjoyed the fantastic sunny weather. 

Last blog I mentioned Woodcock Hill sign that was removed. NYC will not play ball and re-instate it and the Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council are going to do an Interpretation Board about which I have been asked to help. Think it is going to be positioned near Sandy Bank Quarry and amongst the history of that area Woodcock Hill will be mentioned. It is mentioned on the very old 18c maps that I have so it is important as the large house on the hill was called Woodcock Cottage. I do not like to see Pannal being downgraded by losing part of our history. So I shall do my bit and see that it is not. 

Couple of Sundays ago there was a loud crash. I was in the garden and thought that two cars had hit each other head on it was that loud. What it was the gentleman who owns the second house in Rosedale told me a very large branch on the big copper beech tree had come down. I had put a Tree Preservation Order TPO NO 1 Pannal 1969 on a number of trees in Rosedale but the tree was found to be dangerous and it was felled. Amazing watching the feller climb the tree and saw off the branches and trunk. He was very high up. 

The next noise I heard that week was a car flying through the village. It was going so fast coming down Church Lane and then Main Street which I heard then saw. It was a Police car flying through the village to get to Leeds Road. 

Thank you to all my bloggers who asked "are You alright" and my wonderful neighbours. My four children have been very supportive. They were part of the group that Said "whatever did you do that for" Tigs has also ben very supportive and follows me everywhere. So much so that I sincerely hope I do not fall over her. 

Pannal tale of woe plus

 I have not been able to do anything as I have a self imposed injury. I was walking in the Lake District after having been to an amazing Elvis Concert. Well not him but a very good impersonator. Birthday present from my oldest son Michael and Helen as they knows what a great Elvis fan I am. ( Bit worried would Mum like this) Oh yes she did. Next day out walking with them I  jumped a stream and landed badly. It was painful but seemed to be sore but ok. Travelled down to Bristol to my second son and family and that is where it happened. I have torn everything from behind my right knee down to my ankle. On crutches and looks like a long time out of action so the hospital say. My neighbours are lovely and very helpful as I can hardly walk am in pain. Cannot drive either so have to rely on them My family have also been brilliant and have come up when they can.  I was in Bristol for Easter  and walking down some sleep steps to the beach and stepping from the bottom step onto the beach my leg just gave way and I was in terrible pain. Bearing in mind I did it in the Lakes and it was sore but I did not expect this to happen. Fortunately James was alongside me as I had said walk near me as not too sure with my vertigo. He did fortunately. I was going home by train the next day and if this had happened as I stepped from the train to the platform at Leeds I dread to think.

I thought I could walk down to the VE Day Celebrations at the church and my friends Jenny and Bruce came to walk down with me on the crutches. I got there had my glass of prosecco saw the brazier lit and had to sit on the wall then come home. That was a mistake because I was in such pain later and all the next day. Why did I think I could do that. Don't ask. Unfortunately I did not manage to attend the Celebrations on Pannal Green but I heard it all went very well on a glorious day. Not going to mention the weather because you know what will happen if I do. 

I have been asked to mention that Pannal Methodist Church Spring Lane has a box of books written by Rita Corbridge called Heritage that tells the story of the Methodist Church. I helped a bit with Rita's book. Rita was a teacher at Pannal Primary School and was a really lovely lady. We were both interested in history and I wrote about the history of Pannal and Rita about the Methodist Church. If you would like  a book Heritage by Rita Corbridge contact the Methodist Church or come to the monthly coffee afternoons which are well attended and very friendly. 

The sign for Woodcock Hill that Harrogate Borough Council, in their wisdom removed., will not be re-instated. I contacted Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council and asked them to contact North Yorkshire Council to have it reinstated. They did so and NYC refused. I wanted the sign reinstated above the one for Spring Lane. P&BBPC mention Woodcock Hill in their Neighbourhood plan but people have said to me "where's that then". So I have now asked if the Parish Council will reinstate the sign by getting in touch with NYC and saying they will pay for it. I await their reply. Many years ago HBC had a number of old street signs which they had kept. Wonder if Woodcock Hill is amongst them?? 

Tigs is a very happy little cat as she is very friendly and loving so she now has me all day and every day.