Phil Gilbank, chairman of The Pocklington & District Local History Group introduced the commemoration of events of a hundred years ago with a World War One talk and exhibition in Pocklington Arts Centre that focussed on the tragedies and heroics of local men from across the district during the Somme offensive of 1916. Gareth Hughes, head of history at Pocklington School and the author of a guidebook to the WWI battlefields, gave a talk entitled ‘The Somme: futile tragedy or birthplace of victory?’. Hughes is a noted expert on the Somme and has taken numerous parties of schoolchildren on visits to the battlefields. The evening also heard ‘Voices from the Past’, short recordings and readings of local men who served in the trenches. Andrew Sefton had re-edited some of the recordings of soldiers from Pocklington and surrounding villages recalling their experiences; while David Rumbelow read some extracts from a diary by John Brooke who fought throughout the conflict. Brooke was a Pocklington plumber when he joined the 5th Yorkshire (Green Howard) Territorials in August 1914. He was sent to France in April 1915 and was plunged straight into the battle of Ypres. Keeping a diary at the front was prohibited in case it fell into enemy hands, but Brooke had a remarkable memory for detail and wrote a retrospective log of his wartime experiences, including life in the trenches and in no-mans land at the Somme and meeting up with friends from back home. He was still at the front when the war ended in November 1918, being repatriated and returning to Pocklington to start up in business again in The Pavement in early 1919. Paul Bennett, the bursar and clerk to the governors at Pocklington School, read from another unique account of fighting in the trenches. Bennett went to see the Imperial War Museum WWI exhibition in London in 2014. He purchased an exhibition brochure, written by leading author, Sebastian Faulks, of ‘Birdsong’ fame, and was amazed to find the brochure prominently featured a letter to one of his predecessors as clerk, local solicitor, Alfred Summerson. The letter was sent back to Pocklington by a soldier called ‘Harry’, but attempts to discover his full identity have not yet succeeded.



To coincide with the evening was a World War One exhibition of photographs, memorabilia, newspaper articles and stories from across the district open from Thursday 10 November to Tuesday 15 November in the Arts Centre studio.

George Hudson walked into Pocklington Station in 1847 to review his newly opened railway station. The railway line was laid between Market Weighton and York for the transportation of goods and passengers. Historical actor Chris Cade gave a very entertaining talk and presentation of the life of George Hudson 'The Railway King', dressed in costume and acted out with audience participation how George had started from humble roots to become and amazing entrepreneur who created many of the north's railway network and stations, only to fall in later life in debtors prison with many people losing their money by buying his shares in the railway companies and for them to eventually become worthless pieces of paper. It was appropriate for the presentation to be held in the Sports Hall which is a lucky surviving remnant of the old railway line, whereas the old station at Market Weighton was demolished and now a housing estate. Pocklington station gained a second life as the sports hall for Pocklington school. An exhibition of old photographs was put on display and were moved to the Oak House Arts Centre for a weeks further display.

John Kent from Surrey has researched his wife's ancestors (the Lamb family) and discovered a group of around 40 adults from Pocklington and district who emigrated to near Detroit in Michigan, USA in the nineteenth century. He researched them and has produced much information on the emigrants. It included the families of Lee, Vaux, Lamb, Walker, Ackley, Houghton, Hunt and Watson. They arrived in the period between 1830 - 1845 and by 1860 there were more than 40 adults and 50 children from the Pocklington area that settled in 'Leesville', Detroit, so named after Charles "father" Lee from Pocklington. Phil Gilbank gave a superbly delivered talk on the families, reasons for emigration, the place where they emigrated to, and the difficulites they encountered. The skills they brought with them were very useful and included farming, wheelwrighting, blacksmithing, brick making, all very useful skills in the new world and the settlers and their offspring soon prospered. Their settlement of Leesville became swallowed up as a suberb of Detroit as the city rapidly expanded. A publication is being considered to bring this research together and publish the findings.

Richard Myerscough is an expert in origin of church stone, and gave us a church tour explaining about which pieces of stone were Birdsall Calcarious Grit, Redcar Mudstone, Late Jurassic Hildonley Limestone and which pieces were most likely robbed from other buildings in the area. The high status and rare Hildonley was also used by the Romans and Monastary buildings. Richard pointed out stones in the wall of likely Roman origin and the remarkable amount of stone in the floor of the church which was of high status Hildonley. The large numbers of repairs and rebuilding evidence were found over all sections of the outer walls. Magnesium Limestone from West Yorkshire was also found in the Eastern end wall of the church. A very fascinating tour of the church, which opened up many possibilities for further research. A good attendance in association with the Friends of Pocklington Church with all proceeds given to the church funds.

Following the EU referendum it was a nice relief from all the political debate to enjoy a pleasant evening's walk around Nunburnholme led by local historian Ann Hill and Peter Wilkinson whose family has lived in Nunburnholme for 250 years. Ann showed us some of the old buildings around the village and their vernacular history. Most of the old buildings like the school and old post office are now private residences. Peter (pictured left on the bridge) showed us the bridge that was built by his GG Grandfather, which bears his name from 1862. We were told stories from Peter about his life in the village working in various farms 6am - 6pm, 7 days a week milking cows and earning £11 per week. We were shown the old long house which still remains in the village. The buildings and some local archaeology was studied by a Nunburnholme Community Heritage Project which cooperated with the University of Hull and Dr. Peter Halkon to make a study of the village. It was funded by the National Heritage Lottery fund and the Ferens Educational trust. The results of their study were shown on display in the church after the walk when refreshments were taken. Some members climbed the very narrow staircase to view the impressive 6 bells which were installed in the Edwardian period. A very enjoyable evening and our thanks were given by Phil Gilbank to Ann and Peter with all funds raised (almost £50) donated to the church.

Dr Barrie M. Rhodes explained the history of the invasions of this country from the Romans through the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings to the Normans. Parts of our present language was left by each of them: the Anglo-Saxon (Germanic) language became the basis for modern day English largely replacing, the previous Brythonic (Romanic) language spoken by the Celts. The later invasions by the Vikings left an imprint on Yorkshire, which was part of the Danelaw, and was the basis for Yorkshire dialects. Yorkshire was divided into ridings (from the Old Norse Thrydings) and many of its place names are of Scandinavian origin. The main contributors to Yorkshire dialects today are Old English and Old Norse/Old Danish together with a smaller contribution from Old (Norman) French. Barrie sees the dialects (or languages) as constantly evolving over time. He mentioned ‘the tyranny of standard English ’ which he maintains is only another dialect of English and says that the speakers of other dialects in this country should never regard their language as less valid than the standard. Barrie gave a passionate talk about his subject to an attentive and full room of listeners. His talk was full of humour and announced at 80 years of age he was retiring from public speaking and joked "I am at an age where I no longer buy green bananas!"

The audience, of another very well attended evening, heard David Rumbelow give an entertaining talk on a very odd invasion of Scarbrough in 1557 by Thomas Stafford and his followers. He was involved in two rebellions, the first led by Thomas Wyatt against Queen Mary after concern over her intention to marry Phillip II of Spain. The rebellion failed and Thomas Statfford fled to France. Stafford took two ships from Dieppe to Scarborough with over 30 men and took over the castle.The Earl of Westmorland recaptured the castle and Stafford and his men were captured and he was beheaded on Tower Hill along with 32 of his followers.

The Battle of Flamborough Head and the search for the wreck of the "Bonhomme Richard" by Denis Moor. Denis was assisted by Jo Green to tell the story of the Battle of Flamborough head that took place in 1779. A fierce sea battle took place between the French warship the Bonhomme Richard commanded by the colourful character Jean Paul Jones fighting the British fleet as part of the American War of Independence. HMS Serapis was taken and boarded by the crew of Paul Jones and following the fierce sea battle of cannons firing at close quarters, the Bonhomme Richard sunk, off the coast of Flamborough Head, after their crew had already taken possession of HMS Serapis. Denis was a keen deep sea diver in the York sub aqua club and in the 1960's was called to look at some wreckage found in fishing nets. It could not be positively identified but on the night Denis brought pieces of wreckage including an old bilge pump. A fascinating talk from a living Pocklington legend of 86 years of age!

The Astronomers of the Pocklington area by Andrew Sefton. In the early nineteenth century, Pocklington and the local villages of Allerthorpe, Bielby and Seaton Ross produced contemporary astronomers, mathematicians, sundial makers and opticians and telescope makers. Using the journals of William Watson, Andrew speculated that they all used to meet at the house of William Watson in Seaton Ross where he had an observatory. Thomas Cooke made lenses and founded a large business in York making telescopes and navigation instruments. His younger brother Barnard founded an optical instruments shop in Hull still operating today. John Smith from Bielby was a sundial maker who finished his days in Stockton in the North East. William Rogerson and William Richardson from Pocklington became assistants to the Astronomer Royal in Greenwich, London. As a coincidence, the speaker mentioned he was also a founder member of the York Astronomical Society which started in 1972.