Recent articles

Blind Peter Barker
Remembering Hampsthwaite’s Blind Joiner - an article by Shaun WilsonLike the market town of Knaresborough, who had ‘Blind Jack’ – John Metcalf, the road builder of Yorkshire in the eighteenth century, the small rural village of Hampsthwaite had it’s blind hero also, almost a century later – Peter Barker who became known as ‘The Blind Joiner of Hampsthwaite.’ Though there are some similarities between John Metcalf and Peter Barker’s lives, these are purely co-incidental and each fulfilled a life, character and career in their own right.
The Execution of Hannah Whitley
Arsenic Poisoning in Hampsthwaite - The Execution of Hannah Whitley In 1789, Hannah Whitley of Hampsthwaite used a pie as the delivery medium for a fatal dose of arsenic, with the poison concentrated in the crust. She claimed She had been coerced into the act of poisoning by her employer, a local linen weaver named Horseman, who was involved in an on-going feud with the intended victim.
Jane Ridsdale
JANE RIDSDALEAged 33 years, born at Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, her height is 31 ½ inches.She is remarkably chearfull & enjoys very good health.Published July 1st 1807 by Jane Ridstale, at Harrogate where purchasers of this Print will have the opportunity of seeing and conversing with her
Joshua Tetley
Joshua Tetley was the founder of Tetley’s Brewery in Leeds, and he retired with his wife Hannah to Hollins Hall on the outskirts of Hampsthwaite (Hollins Hall Retirement Village).
Scrubbers and Stones
SCRUBBERS & STONES - Sat 29th June 10.30am - 2.30pm - Entry FREE! Explore the Memorials at St Thomas a'Becket Memorials Treasure Trail - for children if all ages Self-Service / Self-Checkout BBQ from 12 noon (inc. veg option) Food £2, Drink £1, Donations? - yes please! Hot & Cold Drinks Laptop & Screen to show Mapping Hampsthwaite’s Past Use a Bucket & Brush to help reveal Inscriptions on the older memorials . . . or just Sit & Enjoy CORPUS CHRISTI BRASS BAND . . . from 11.30am . . . followed by Afternoon Tea & Cakes at the Memorial Hall!
Hampsthwaite Open Gardens
Hampsthwaite Open Gardens - Sat 29th June 12.30am - 5.00pm - Entry £5.00 (accompanied under 15's FREE) Tickets on the day from Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Plant sales - many named varieties of plants Delicious homemade refreshments Afternoon tea and cakes served from 12.30pm at the Memorial Hall
Genealogy Websites
Free genealogy websites will help you start your family history research at no cost as listed by the 'Who Do You Think You Are' magazine.
Kitchen Refurbishment
Memorial Hall kitchen is now completely, and expertly, refurbished by Neil,Batty Builders Ltd as a result of a grant awarded by the National Lottery's 'Reaching Communities' fund.See also the equivalent
Amy Woodforde-Finden
A highly successful composer of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, Amy Woodforde-Finden, together with her husband and step-son, is laid to rest in the churchyard of St Thomas à Becket Parish Church. Inside the church there is an impressive marble monument of her, created by the renowned sculptor George Edward Wade. It was unveiled in 1923 and a few years later, Finden Gardens in Hampsthwaite was named in her honour.[Click on title or image to link to articles]
Amy Woodforde-Finden Centenary Events (1)
Amy Woodforde-Finden : re-enactment of her memorial unveilingA wreath was laid on the white marble recumbent figure of Amy to mark the centenary of its unveiling in April 15th 1923. Click on images to open full-size in new window and use the Browser back arrow to return to here.

War Memorial

(click photo to enlarge)

In common with thousands of towns and villages throughout the country, Hampsthwaite has its memorial to the dead of the two World Wars. The memorial cross (pictured above) stands at the eastern edge of the parish churchyard and records the names of sixteen local men who died during armed service in the war of 1914-1918 and a further six casualties of World War II. Those names are also recorded on the plaque mounted in the foyer of the Memorial Hall in Hollins Lane.

Each year, on Remembrance Sunday, a commemorative service is held in front of the memorial cross and service personnel from the nearby Army Foundation College are often in attendance. The service invokes, of course, the memory and deeds of all those affected by the conflicts but, particularly, those servicemen from the village and its surroundings who lost their lives. With the help of information from Margaret Power at North Yorkshire Libraries (Harrogate) this article seeks to add something to the memory of those men by recording what is known about their service and connection to the village.

Click on each of the names below to read about them.

1914 -1918
Arthur L. Appleby	Tom Baren	Arthur Barker
W. Stanley Barker	F. William Barker	Harold Barker
Frank Stephen Brown	Thomas Ellis	Newton Gill
John Gledhill	W. Thackeray Haxby	Richard Kay
George H. Ness	Harry Parker	George Pawson
	Jeffrey Swale

1939-1945
Basil H. Bottomley	George F. Grimshaw
Herbert Hainsworth	John Hebblethwaite
Fred Snow	Frederick I. Walton

Download a PDF of the full presentation (5.83M bytes)

Remembrance Sunday

On Remembrance Sunday, 2011, and on the preceding day, the parish church hosted an exhibition of the short biographies contained on this website. During the following days the display was moved to the village school and then to the village Memorial Hall. Thus, the attention of many members of the public was drawn to the information now available about the men commemorated on the War Memorial. It is to be hoped that yet more facts and photographs will emerge in the future.

On that Remembrance Sunday the customary service in the parish church included a procession to the Memorial where, after the sounding of ”The Last Post”, the names of those inscribed on the Memorial were read aloud with added significance. The large congregation was pleased to welcome the usual contingent of soldiers from the nearby Army Foundation College who shared in laying wreaths at the foot of the Memorial Cross.

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War Memorial

(click photo to enlarge)

War Memorial

1914 -1918

1939-1945