Bainbridge Village Past

Bainbridge
Bainbridge Brass Band 1911


Photograph taken in 1911 at Middleham castle at the Coronation celebrations of George the V.
The Bainbridge Hornblower of the time Mr. Jack (Jammy) Metcalfe aged 11 years(the boy on the back row in the middle) remembers that they played all afternoon and then had to play for a dance in the evening at the castle.
After the dance they travelled by waggonette to Leyburn Railway station arriving at 4.30 am. They had to wait over an hour for the train back to Askrigg. To make the walk to Bainbridge seem easier they decided to march back playing their instruments. They arrived in Bainbridge at 6.00am and proceeded through the village still playing their instruments waking everyone up who was within earshot of the band.
After a good breakfast the band played for the rest of the day at Bainbridge for their Coronation celebrations.

The Founder Members of Bainbridge Womens Institute

Top Row left to right.

  • Mrs. Elsie Kirkbride, Mrs. Margaret Hopper, Mrs. Alec Lambert, Mrs. Bell Metcalfe, Mrs. Watson Hird.

Bottom Row

  • Mrs. Hetty Peacock, Mrs. Dick Mason, Mrs. Guardie Iveson, Ada Allen, Mary Alice Metcalfe.

If you can date the photograph for me please add a comment to bottom of page.

  • Bainbridge WI was founded in 1932

Bainbridge Village Green 1900

The Village Green circa 1910 looking down the village from the Rose and Crown

Children excercising on the village green circa 1950

Mr James Peacock 1919

Leylands’ shop (grodery and drapers) post 1929

Shop keeper is Mr Sam Peacock
The entertainment on the notice board is for a whist drive supper and dance at the village hall by the British Legion.

Bainbridge village green 1970s

Bainbridge Sports early 1950s


Lady Edgar Daykin in the middle taking part in the fancy dress at Bainbridge Sports. They are all dressed as ladies and the theme was the Bainbridge choir at the Wensleydale Tournament of Song.
Happy days!

Bainbridge circa 1910 looking up towards the Rose and Crown

The mermaid above the entrance in the old grammar school

The current Yore Bridge grammar school was built in 1848/49

The original grammar school was built in 1601 by Anthony Bessons.
There has been at least three buildings erected at this site.

The relics of the old Roman Bracchium, few in number are scattered far and wide among the museums of the curious; but over the entrance into the Town-school there are two door heads respectively dated “IE 1763”, “1660” and surmounted by a rudely sculptured mermaid found in the Roman camp.
All these stones are framed in a “Dog-tooth” border which probably came from Fors Abbey.
George Hardcastle 1866 Herald Office Sunderland

The two doorways preserved in the present building bearing the dates IE 1763, and 1660 appear to be the dates when the school was enlarged or rebuilt. The Rev. C Whaley, M.A., Vicar of Askrigg 1890

The mermaid/siren symbol was used by the Mediaeval church as embodying the pleasures of the flesh and to be shunned by the god-fearing.
Mermaid carvings figured prominently in church decorations in the Middle Ages to symbolically serve as a reminder of the temptations of the flesh.

Lake Semerwater frozen over in 1956

The girl is Doreen Fawcett the boy is William Beresford now living at Hawes

1856 there were two inns in Bainbridge. The Rose and Crown and the White Lion

  • In Bains directory 1823 Stockdale Ann, is listed as victualler of the White Lion

The Hornblower of Bainbridge 1898

James Horner

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