Recent articles

VE-Day80 8 - 10 May 2025
Our Memorial Hall was built to honour the fallen in two world wars and give thanks to those who returned. It is appropriate therefore that we play our full part in the national celebrations and village activities are planned for May 8th VE-Day and Saturday May 10th 2025
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.
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).
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.
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]

Memorial Hall Documentation

The main repository for all Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall policies, guidance and related documentation.

Memorial Hall COVID Guidance and Procedures.

Following Lockdown, Village and Community Halls were able to accommodate indoor sport and exercise, dancing classes and certain other performance-related activity from 25th July 2020.

The Memorial Hall Management Committee have now conducted a Risk Assessment and is taking a steps to qualify the hall as being COVID-19 Secure. Revised Conditions of Hire and associated guidance have been produced with a view to our being able to accept bookings and resume most activities from September 1st 2020 - see Memorial Hall and COVID-19.

Memorial Hall Conveyance (and Constitution) 1953

The present Hall was built in 1967 and commemorates the lives and sacrifice of those villagers who fell in the two World Wars. The Hall was not the first such structure on the site - it had been preceded by a more fragile building which was destroyed by fire on the 10th January 1966.

This Conveyance sets out the legal basis on which the Memorial Hall and its management are established and serves as the Constitution for the Memorial Hall Management Committee.

A re-typed reconstruction of the Conveyance of 1953 (514k bytes)

A scan of the original Conveyance document (2.13M bytes)

Memorial Hall Booking Form

. . . and related matters including:

Scale of Charges (provided for budgeting purposes and subject to change without notice).
Maximum Room Capacities (in the context of different usages)
Emergency Procedures in Case of Fire
Risk Assessment Policy and Record
Health and Safety Policy and Accident Record
Internet Acceptable Use Policy
Complaints Procedure

Memorial Hall Booking Form and Hire Agreement (491k bytes)

Maximum Room Capacities (108k bytes)

Memorial Hall Emergency Procedures in Case of Fire (279k bytes)

Risk Assessment Policy (129k bytes)

Risk Assessment Record (84.5k bytes)

Health and Safety Policy (97.6k bytes)

Accident Report Form (114k bytes)

Internet Acceptable Use Policy (104k bytes)

Complaints Procedure (95.3k bytes)

Afore Ye Go! (120k bytes)

Memorial Hall Insurance, Licenses and Certificates

. . . including:

Insurance Certificate
Insurance Schedule
MPLC Film Licence No.402026
Energy Performance Certificate
Logic Fire and Security

Employers Insurance Certificate (214k bytes)

Commercial Combined Insurance Schedule (119k bytes)

HBC Premises Licence (granted 2012) (73.6k bytes)

Public Use of Sound Recordings Licence (37.4k bytes)

The Music Licence (233k bytes)

MPLC 'Umbrella' Film Licence Explained (207k bytes)

MPLC Rightsholders:
For an up-to-date list of film companies and distrubutors covered by the MPLC Umbrella Licence go to: https://uk.mplc.com/our-rightsholders/

Energy Performance Certificate (83k bytes)

Logic Fire and Security Certificates

Fire Detection and Alarm Certificate (97.6k bytes)

Fire Extinguisher Certificate (89.7k bytes)

Emergency Lighting Certificate (362k bytes)

PAT Testing Certificate (89.7k bytes)

PAT Test Register (45.7k bytes)

Memorial Hall Management Policies and Procedures

. . . including: