The Yorkshire Society is a non-political organisation founded in December 1980. It extended the philosophies of an earlier Yorkshire Society which, in 1818, wished to encourage people born, working or living in the County of

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

to join and then help improve several aspects of the area, including the social welfare of its people as well as Yorkshire's physical environment. Traditionally, the patron of the Yorkshire Society is the Duke of York, and its current Chairman is Sir Rodney Walker.

History

Earlier Societies of the same name included the organisation which ran the Yorkshire Society's Schools on Westminster Road in London. The Yorkshire Society referenced in 1818 was headed by wealthy Yorkshire

gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest ...

who were keen to provide charity to the

working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

and poor throughout much of Yorkshire. As is the case today, the organisation's patron was the Duke of York.

Goals

Although there has long been an implication that the organisation is embedded with wealthy "

Society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

" members, its membership is open to all who are interested in the following: *To improve the beauty, attraction and amenities in the Yorkshire countryside, towns, villages, historic houses and monuments of all kinds by encouraging and assisting local branches of the Society to prepare, fund and carry through projects in their own areas. *Working with other established organisations in their efforts to generate and promote tourism in the County. *Supporting efforts to study and solve some of the industrial, commercial and unemployment problems in the area. *Drawing together in fellowship Yorkshire folk by mounting regional and local events and providing a forum for discussion and debate.

Charitable works

The Yorkshire Awards, held in Autumn each year, generate substantial funds for many charities. The Society co-sponsors the annual Yorkshire Awards alongside Yorkshire Television, Joshua Tetley, Asda, Aon, Bain Hogg, Yorkshire Electricity and the Yorkshire Bank. The Society's award category is the Yorkshire Lifetime Achievement Award. To date recipients have included

Lawrence Batley Lawrence Batley OBE (15 February 1911 – 27 August 2002) was an entrepreneur and philanthropist who was born in the town of Huddersfield, in the English county of Yorkshire. He pioneered the wholesale cash and carry business in UK, and supporte ...

Ken Morrison Sir Kenneth Duncan Morrison CBE (20 October 1931 – 1 February 2017) was an English businessman, Life President, and former chairman of Morrisons (Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC), the fourth largest supermarket group in the United Kingdom. He ...

, Victor Watson, Lord Harewood,

Roy Mason Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley, (18 April 1924 – 19 April 2015), was a British Labour Party politician and Cabinet minister who was Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Early life He w ...

, Baron Mason of Barnsley, Professor

Tom Kilburn Tom Kilburn (11 August 1921 – 17 January 2001) was an English mathematician and computer scientist. Over the course of a productive 30-year career, he was involved in the development of five computers of great historical significance. With ...

Brian Rix Brian Norman Roger Rix, Baron Rix, (27 January 1924 – 20 August 2016) was an English actor-manager, who produced a record-breaking sequence of long-running farces on the London stage, including ''Dry Rot'', '' Simple Spymen'' and ''One for ...

, Lord Rix,

Michael Parkinson Sir Michael Parkinson (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his television talk show '' Parkinson'' from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, as well as other talk shows and programmes both in the U ...

Barry Cryer Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory ...

, Brian Turner and Ashley Jackson.

Commemorating Yorkshire History

The erecting of Yorkshire Rose plaques to mark the contributions of famous Yorkshire men and women. To date plaques have commemorated: *

Percy Shaw Percy Shaw, (15 April 1890 – 1 September 1976) was an English inventor and businessman. He patented the reflective road stud or "cat's eye (road), cat's eye" in 1934, and set up a company to manufacture his invention in 1935. Biography Perc ...

, inventor of cats eyes *Thomas Spencer, joint founder of

Marks & Spencer Marks and Spencer Group plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks's or Marks & Sparks) is a major British multinational retailer with headquarters in Paddington, London that specialises in selling clothing, beauty, home ...

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced ...

, Sculptor *

Christopher Saxton Christopher Saxton (c. 1540 – c. 1610) was an English cartographer who produced the first county maps of England and Wales. Life and family Saxton was probably born in Sowood, Ossett in the parish of Dewsbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

Cartographer Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an im ...

to Queen

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...

*The former Lord St. Oswald, first ever Vice President of the Society *Colonel North, for granting

Kirkstall Abbey Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall, north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded ''c.'' 1152. It was disestablished during ...

and grounds to the people *

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928), generally known as H. H. Asquith, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom f ...

, former

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

*Sir Donald Bailey, inventor of the

Bailey bridge A Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World War and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and American military engineering units. A ...

*Herbert Smith, aircraft designer *

Benjamin Latrobe Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 – September 3, 1820) was an Anglo-American neoclassical architect who emigrated to the United States. He was one of the first formally trained, professional architects in the new United States, draw ...

, architect of the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

, Washington DC *

Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...

, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, former Prime Minister *Benjamin Shaw, textile manufacturer *

Sir Martin Frobisher Sir Martin Frobisher (; c. 1535 – 22 November 1594) was an English seaman and privateer who made three voyages to the New World looking for the North-west Passage. He probably sighted Resolution Island near Labrador in north-eastern Cana ...

, explorer *Kit Calvert, "saviour of

Wensleydale cheese Wensleydale is a style of cheese originally produced in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England, but now mostly made in large commercial creameries throughout the United Kingdom. The term "Yorkshire Wensleydale" can only be used for cheese that ...

" (turned the Wensleydale Creamery at Hawes into a farmers' cooperative when it was threatened with closure in the 1930s) *

Mary Ward Mary Ward may refer to: Scientists and academics * Mary Ward (nurse) (1884–1972) English nurse to the boat people on the waterways * Mary Ward (scientist) (née King, 1827–1869) Irish amateur scientist, was killed by an experimental steam car ...

, an English Roman Catholic nun who founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the

Sisters of Loreto The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose members are commonly known as the Loreto Sisters, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education founded in Saint-Omer by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609. The congr ...

. Acting as host for the annual Yorkshire History Awards.

Yorkshire Day

The Yorkshire Society also convenes the civic celebration of

Yorkshire Day Yorkshire Day is a yearly celebration on 1 August to promote the historic county of Yorkshire, England. It was celebrated by the Yorkshire Ridings Society in 1975, initially in Beverley, as "a protest movement against the local government re ...

, which is held on 1 August each year.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Page about the Yorkshire Society and Yorkshire Day 2004Official homepage of the Yorkshire Society
(newly updated) Organisations based in Yorkshire Yorkshire culture