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.
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]
Amy Woodforde-Finden Centenary Events (2)
Amy Woodforde-Finden : 'An Evening with Amy'A centenary concert to celebrate the life and works of Amy was held in Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall on April 21st 2023 Click on images to open full-size in new window and use the Browser back arrow to return to here.

Hollins Close

View of Hollins Close (to follow)

This estate of 33 bungalows was constructed in the 1950s and stands on land which in 1919 formed part of agricultural land sold that year to Frederick McCulloch Jowitt of Hollins Hall. Mr Jowitt was a Wool merchant and Top maker and a substantial landowner, living in what was until recent years the most notable residence in Hampsthwaite.

The land he acquired appears to have already been or thereby become part of Hollins Farm. Mr Jowitt died in 1921 and his estate passed to his widow Helen Dorothea who held it until her own demise in 1952.

On the 18th May 1956 her executors sold Hollins Farm to George Ripley Pinkney who was in fact already in possession as its farmer and holding some sort of tenancy. The purchase price for the farmhouse with over 61 acres of land and further land at Killinghall was £3000!

Part of Mr Pinkney’s property was field number 297 on the 1909 Ordnance Survey Map . . .

. . . and he sold a few (building?) plots out of that field in 1957. Then in 1959 planning permission was granted for the erection of 33 bungalows on the remainder of the field. With the benefit of that permission the remainder of the field was sold in October 1960 to J. Sandever & Son Ltd for the price of £3,350. It had not taken long for Mr Pinkney to recover his expenditure of 1956!

The Company proceeded to develop the site with the construction of the properties we see today.

This was the first substantial expansion of housing in Hampsthwaite since the construction of Finden Gardens in the 1930s.

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Hollins Close

View of Hollins Close (to follow)