Unpropitious weather for Yarm Fair

Advertisements on this page from the Darlington & Stockton Times 50 years ago.

From this newspaper 150 years ago. – Yarm Michaelmas Fair. – On Tuesday the Annual Horse, Cattle, Sheep, and Cheese Fair was commenced at Yarm. The weather on the first day was very fine, and the attendance of visitors was large. This was the day on which the horse fair is held, together with that of cattle and sheep. The show of horses for sale was of a most meagre character, indeed. We are informed that it is a number of years since so small a show has been known at the Michaelmas Fair. The prices were of as varied a character as the animals exhibited, but the few good sound animals which were brought to market were speedily bought up at rather high prices. In cattle there was a much better show, although milch cows were unusually scarce, and met with ready sales at prices as high as 20 guineas. Irish cattle were very numerous, and fetched good prices - as high as £10 each being offered for the better class of animals, whilst many were sold at from £5 to £5 10s each, and altogether a better trade was done in this class of cattle than on preceding years. Fat cattle met with ready sales at about 8s 6d per stone. On Thursday – the day on which the sheep and cheese fair is held – the weather was very unpropitious, the wind being high and rail falling at intervals, causing considerable annoyance to both buyers and sellers, but we believe it is no exception to the weather at the generality of fairs held at Yarm, as fine weather is more generally the exception that the rule. At this fair the show of sheep was quite equal to the average of former years. Half-bred animals were sold at from 18s to 20s each, whilst thoroughbreds and fat lambs varied in price from 20s to 22s, and many sales were effected at these prices. Fat sheep met with rapid sale, at 8s 6d per stone of 14lb, and at the close of the fair very few remained unsold. The cheese fair was better than in any former year, both in the quality of the article and the quantity offered for sale. The prices were better than they were ever known to be, being in many instances 80s per cwt., receding to 76s for best quality; and second class, with numerous buyers, at 45s to 46s per cwt. Each day the attendance of visitors from the adjacent towns and villages was large, and the railway company ran several special trains to the town.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – The people and Northallerton and district were brought into immediate touch with the immense tragedy which is taking place on the Continent, by the arrival on Friday of last week of 22 wounded Belgian soldiers and of 47 refugees. It was a spirit-stirring spectacle, and the day will stand out vividly as long as memory lasts. The class of refugees that came were not the class expected, and for which provision had been made. To an agricultural district it was expected that country people would be sent - peasants and farm labourers - but those who came were clearly, at first sight, the polished and educated residents of the towns. But one can understand that in the overwhelming flood of refugees at London there is no time to delay, calculate, and allocate every refugee to his proper position. The first exigence is to give him food and a roof to shelter him, and after that things can be better settled and adjusted. At Northallerton three cottages had been prepared by the local committee (which consists of Dr Hutchinson, Mr H Hird, Mr Denton Woodhead, and Mr H Allison, the two latter acting as secretaries,) two at Ainderby Steeple and one at Brompton. They were meant for workmen, although they are very comfortably furnished, and there turned up to occupy them two master confectioners of Malines and Brussels and an electrician and their families. When they arrived on the Friday night in motor cars each family found a house bright and warm with firelight and a hospitable table. The committee will no doubt do what they can to exchange these urban families with those adapted for the country. But they are so well looked after in their humble homes, there are so many generous friends, and visitors, such a plenty of good things given by farmers and others, that the guests are all highly gratified and grateful, and with the formation of friendships will grow reluctant to leave.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – The tiny village of Langthorne near Bedale is dying. Year by year more of the 21 houses in the village become condemned and families move out. Already 10 houses are the subject of closing orders. But now two villagers at least are trying to get Langthorne resurrected by urging Bedale Rural Council to build council houses in the village. One of the men who are doing what they can to stop Langthorne dying unnoticed and unmourned is Mr Ronald Murfin, a 49-year-old garage proprietor. He has written to the Bedale Rural Council asking them to consider building in the village, and at their last meeting the council instructed its Housing Committee to look at the problem. Mr Murfin said: "People who used to live in Langthorne years ago knew it as children are shocked when they come back to visit it. Langthorne used to be a nice little village. Now everywhere you look there are condemned houses or others which are falling apart." If the council cannot do anything to help the village, you might as well call it dead and all that is left is to bury it," said Mr Murfin. Another of the villagers who is trying to stop the rot that has gradually set in over the years is farmer Mr Peter Goldlee. "Several times I have organised meetings at my house trying to get some solid feeling and plans to do something. Each time they have been well attended. There is no apathy in the village but it just that there is very little we can do." One of the village's oldest residents who is living in a house which is on the condemned list is a 68-year-old widower, Mr Fred Pocklington, a retired farm worker. He lives next door to two houses already empty, one of them being what was once the pub. But it closed about four years ago and will never re-open. "This old house will suit me for the rest of my time. But it's a pity the way the village has gone like it has. I remember it as a lad when it was a pleasant place. Now most of the houses are tumbling down." The village has no main sewerage system and 95 per cent of the houses have earth closets. Water borne sewage can only be made possible by individual septic tanks. Even the road to the village is unclassified, says Mr Murfin, who feels bitterly that the village has no nameplate saying what it is called.