Skipton, North Yorkshire – Another location in my novel Mr de Sousas’s Legacy.

Skipton North Yorkshire - The Gateway to the Dales

 

Skipton, my home town, is a market town in North Yorkshire.  Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is located on the course of the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the south of the Yorkshire Dales. 

I could not write my novel Mr de Sousa’s Legacy without including Skipton in my story, after all, it is where I started writing.

 

Skipton was anciently distinguished by Skipton Castle, constructed in 1090 as a wooden motte-and-bailey by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron. In the 12th century it was  strengthened it with stone keep to repel attacks from the Kingdom of Scotland to the north, this elevated Skipton from a poor dependent village to a burgh. The protection offered by Skipton Castle during the Middle Ages encouraged the urbanisation of the surrounding area, and during times of war and disorder, attracted an influx of families.

To the right of Skipton Castle is the Bailey, and in 1939 it snowed so hard and laid so deep, people could walk level with the top of the lamp posts in the Bailey. Someone actually put their cap on top of the lamp post, and when the snow thawed away, it was still there as a reminder.

Skipton became a prosperous market town in the Middle Ages, trading sheep and woollen goods, which also led to its naming, derived from the Old English sceap (sheep) and tun (town or village). A market is still held in Skipton on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

 

In the 19th century, Skipton emerged as a small mill town connected to the major cities by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Dewhurst mill - or Belle Vue Mills, was the home of spinning, weaving, dyeing, and the making of sewing cotton (Sylko) (Trylco)

Built 1828 by John Dewhurst, Belle Vue Mills on Broughton Road in Skipton was built and opened as a spinning and weaving mill, but burned down two years later, and was immediately rebuilt, this time as a cotton mill. In 1852 an extension was added to allow 385 looms to be housed. In 1870 a further extension was added. In 1882 Dewhurt's had a floor area of 20,000 square yards spread over 5 storeys, and employed over 800 workers. It wasn’t until 1886 that electric lighting was installed.

The mill was the main source of employment for the Town of Skipton and its surrounding villages. Down the generations most Skipton families had someone working at the mill.  I, like my father and grandmother, was one of them. I remember my Grandmother telling me that she used to go to school in the mornings, and work at the Mill in the afternoons. Then she would collect a stone of flour from the local flour mill and carry it, in her apron, two and half miles home. This she did most week days.

Even in the 70’s the local secondary schools were all geared up to churn out fodder for the Mills, only the very few managed to aspire to greater things.

Consequently I started my working life there after leaving school and stayed for nine glorious years,  until the Mill closed in 1983. The Mill had been taken over by Coates Viella and the whole business was moved up to Scotland, leaving hundred of people out of work. It was a sad day for all concerned. I remember our last day, none of us wanted to leave each other, and none of us wanted to take off our overalls for the last time. But as they say, one door closes and other opens and redundancy is not the end, but the beginning of something new. Which was so very true.

My book Mr de Sousa’s Legacy touches on life in the Mill, though I probably didn’t show the Mill in the best of lights. For the story, it needed to show the negative side of working there in the Second World War. I need to show the hardships of working for long hours in a very noisy and dusty environment.   Having said that, I have very fond memories of working at the Mill, I met my wonderful husband there; in fact most people met their spouses at the Mill. I remember with joy working with some wonderful people, I missed the camaraderie and the fun after we were made redundant. 

But that was all a long time ago. 

Thank you for reading.


Ann E Brockbank now lives on the banks of the River Helford in Cornwall.

Mr de Sousa's Legacy - A Cornish love story.

1938 - In the ancient port of Gweek, on the beautiful banks of the River Helford, nothing can detract from the happiness widow Rachel Pendarves has found with the enigmatic Adam de Sousa. But, Rachel never anticipated being attracted to the same man as her step-daughter Verity, or realised how tragically the affairs of the heart would become entangled and split her tight knit Cornish community.

With the outbreak of World War Two, a shocking event tears them apart. With her world shattered, Rachel must fight her own inner battles.

1960 - The following decades bring their share of happiness and heartache for Rachel, then a chance encounter with her past, looks like history is about to repeat itself in a most shocking way. What ensued would haunt Rachel for weeks as she is forced to confront a devastating and heart-breaking dilemma……

From Cornwall, to Tuscany, Yorkshire, to war torn Devon, Mr de Sousa’s Legacy spans the decades in this intense and epic love story.

Want to know more about Mr de Sousa's Legacy? The book is now available in Paperback at Waterstones Truro, and as a Stock Transfer from all UK Waterstones.

From Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490930760/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

From Amazon Kindle store http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk 

Read the first three chapters free on kindle. If you haven't got a Kindle download the Kindle app from the Amazon Kindle Store.