Saddleworth villages celebrate Yorkshire Day

The sound of music rolled over two Saddleworth villages celebrating Yorkshire Day yesterday (Sunday).

After months of lock down and socially distancing, Diggle Band performed in-front of a live audience for the first time in their newly refurbished premises.

With a large socially distanced audience on the lawn the band played something for everyone. 

Mike Jones, club secretary, said: “Events like this bring out everyone in the community and that is what village life is all about.

“We thought the event would be an opportunity for people who have not been to the club since it’s been modernised to come and see what’s changed.”

Dorothy Rhodes, President of Diggle Band, said: “The band are 25 years old this year and it's the first time they have performed to a live audience.

“Hopefully, it will be the first of many performances to mark this special year.”

Meanwhile, at precisely 11.46am in Uppermill yesterday, a jolly man with a deerstalker covered in white roses launched into an ancient tradition.

Robert Rodgers underpinned his credentials to an audience of several hundred saying he was born in Denshaw (Yorkshire) and lived in Delph (Yorkshire).

Then at 11.46, he read the official Declaration of Intregrity which launched Yorkshire 1,146 years ago.

He gave his reading in the shadow of a statue of famous revered local poet Ammon Wrigley, who had be celebrated with a garland of pure white roses by Cllr Barbara Beeley, chair of Sadfleworth Parish Council (yes, you’ve guessed it, she was born in Yorkshire too).

She was accompanied by Cllr Pam Byrne, her deputy.

The crowds remained in respectful silence as Robert’s deep tones rolled out the declaration (see picture below) reminding everyone: “Yorkshire is three Ridings and the city of York... the address of all these places in all these Ridings is Yorkshire.

“That all persons born therein or resident therein and  loyal to the ridings are Yorkshire men and Yorkshire women.”

And the declaration added sombrely: “Any person or corporate body that ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claims to Yorkshire status.”

There was applause from the crowd, happy to spend a day in sunshine wherever they hailed from and share the warm-hearted Yorkshire hospitality.

And a special round of applause was reserved for Brenda Cockayne who lead a true grit team of helpers organising  the event.

Delph Band and Dobross Youth Band played a medley of fine Yorkshire tunes and, taking their time from Mr Rodgers, they shared in singing of ‘The Pratty Flowers’ (the Holmfirth Anthem), a choral folk song associated with Yorkshire, especially the rural West Riding, and particularly with the area around Holmfirth.

Then, banners unfurled, the throng headed for the delights of a real country fayre, with a wide range of stalls, welcoming guests including local MP Debbie Abrahams.

Saddleworth’s administrative ties with Yorkshire were cut during local government re-organisation in 1974, but Yorkshire Day revives memories of those former West Ridings days.

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