Sunday, 27 July 2008
Don Pickering
St Margaret Clitherow Roman Catholic Church at Gt Ayton was packed for the funeral and Mass of Celebration for the life of Don Pickering, the well-known and much-loved organist, who died suddenly on April 13th, his 70th birthday. The celebrants were Mgr Ray Charlton, Parish Priest, Mgr Seamus Kilbane, an old friend of the family, and Fr Anthony Storey, former Parish Priest.
Mgr Charlton said that he counted Don as a close and personal friend for many years. He was a dedicated member of the parish and had played the organ for more then 30 years, starting long before the present church was built, playing a donated pedal harmonium in St Margaret’s Hall. Mgr Charlton concluded: “He was a truly delightful person, with a generous, pleasant disposition, always smiling, a gentleman in the true sense of the word, and was God’s gift to us.” Don joined his wife in preparing the Ayton church for Mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.
An only child, Don was born in Teesville. On leaving school, wishing to pursue a career in electronics, he enlisted in the RAF and did a training course in that subject. He was posted to Kenya, where he completed his short-term service contract before returning to live in Teesville. He then obtained a job with the TV rental firm, Rentaset, covering a large rural area from Stokesley to Egton. He met his future wife, Anne, in 1958. They married in 1961 and settled in Ayton, where they bought the bungalow in which they have lived ever since. They have always said that moving to Ayton was the best thing they had ever done. Don was next employed by Shell at Teesport, but his department closed in 1985 & he was offered work in Saudi Arabia. It was a big wrench to go there, but he remained in the job for 15 years, enjoying his home leaves.
Don took a keen interest in the education of their daughter, Catherine, and was elected a Governor of the school. He also supported her interest in Connemara ponies, travelling with her to shows all over the country. He was delighted when Catherine’s pony, Marwood’s Doon Caedmon, won the Pony of the Year title at Olympia in 1995.
He was a keen photographer and enjoyed reading. He liked to participate in village activities and organised many quizzes for charity. In general, he loved life and approached all activities calmly, but with enthusiasm.
Don’s grand-daughter, Frances, was born in 1999 and she quickly formed an affinity with him. They loved each other’s company and Don had started to teach her to play the organ. Don was a keen organist. He played the organ at the 10.30 Mass at Great Ayton and also, on a rota basis, at the 9 am Mass at Stokesley. Years ago he played at all four weekend services in both churches. He loved a wide selection of music, in particular classical church music, organ music and especially the music of J S Bach. A performance in the church by The Angrove Singers of Music for Good Friday, the day after Don’s death, was dedicated to his memory. He will be sadly missed. Paul Pearson, son-in-law.
Mgr Charlton said that he counted Don as a close and personal friend for many years. He was a dedicated member of the parish and had played the organ for more then 30 years, starting long before the present church was built, playing a donated pedal harmonium in St Margaret’s Hall. Mgr Charlton concluded: “He was a truly delightful person, with a generous, pleasant disposition, always smiling, a gentleman in the true sense of the word, and was God’s gift to us.” Don joined his wife in preparing the Ayton church for Mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.
An only child, Don was born in Teesville. On leaving school, wishing to pursue a career in electronics, he enlisted in the RAF and did a training course in that subject. He was posted to Kenya, where he completed his short-term service contract before returning to live in Teesville. He then obtained a job with the TV rental firm, Rentaset, covering a large rural area from Stokesley to Egton. He met his future wife, Anne, in 1958. They married in 1961 and settled in Ayton, where they bought the bungalow in which they have lived ever since. They have always said that moving to Ayton was the best thing they had ever done. Don was next employed by Shell at Teesport, but his department closed in 1985 & he was offered work in Saudi Arabia. It was a big wrench to go there, but he remained in the job for 15 years, enjoying his home leaves.
Don took a keen interest in the education of their daughter, Catherine, and was elected a Governor of the school. He also supported her interest in Connemara ponies, travelling with her to shows all over the country. He was delighted when Catherine’s pony, Marwood’s Doon Caedmon, won the Pony of the Year title at Olympia in 1995.
He was a keen photographer and enjoyed reading. He liked to participate in village activities and organised many quizzes for charity. In general, he loved life and approached all activities calmly, but with enthusiasm.
Don’s grand-daughter, Frances, was born in 1999 and she quickly formed an affinity with him. They loved each other’s company and Don had started to teach her to play the organ. Don was a keen organist. He played the organ at the 10.30 Mass at Great Ayton and also, on a rota basis, at the 9 am Mass at Stokesley. Years ago he played at all four weekend services in both churches. He loved a wide selection of music, in particular classical church music, organ music and especially the music of J S Bach. A performance in the church by The Angrove Singers of Music for Good Friday, the day after Don’s death, was dedicated to his memory. He will be sadly missed. Paul Pearson, son-in-law.
Dr. Len Groves
In December (2005)the village mourned the sudden death of Dr. Len Groves, 78, who for nearly 50 years was involved in many village activities. The church was full for his funeral at Christ Church, where he was a member of the Parochial Church Council for many years, & a Churchwarden. Canon Paul Peverell, said, “Len was a person we respected as a gentleman & a gentle man, who was always the same, always welcoming, always courteous & always with an interest in you”.
Len was a Geordie & very proud of it, attending the Royal Grammar School & taking a first degree, then a PhD, in chemistry at Kings College, Newcastle. He joined ICI to do research in Manchester, where he met Joan, also working at ICI & they married in 1952. Len joined ICI on Teesside in the late 1950s & moved to Ayton, soon becoming active in the local community as Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association, School Governor, & Secretary of the local Scout Group, besides his church duties.
In 1979 he was elected to the Parish Council, always re-elected, & 5 times Chairman. Elected to Hambleton D.C. in 1983, retiring at the last election in 2003, he was Chairman in 1994-5, & a Cabinet Member. Highly respected by all his colleagues, he is remembered with great affection & many councillors & council officers, past & present, & past Chairmen of Richmondshire & Selby, attended his funeral. Cllr June Imeson & Len often laughed at her description, for the Stream, of their respective duties when Ayton simultaneously provided the Chairman (Len) & Leader (June) of HDC: she had concluded that Len got the sherry and she got the blame! Civic duties were not just attending meetings, but resolving local issues with residents & officials – often slow, controversial & difficult, but Len was diligent, and his gentle, fair-minded and peace-making approach calmed many difficult situations.
He assisted the inauguration of the Twinning Association – & became an active member! Len & Joan both joined the new Archaeology Project & he researched much of the information about the name & literary associations of Roseberry Topping for the book to be published soon. Len was Treasurer of the Captain Cook Schoolroom Museum, Chairman of the local Conservative Association, Committee Member of the Friends of Gt. Ayton Health Centre, and a Friend of Durham Cathedral. Heart surgery in 1983 & ’93, didn’t stop him – until very recently he regularly climbed Roseberry to keep fit!
Canon Peverell said that it was as a family man that Len excelled. He & Joan had 3 children: Michael, Caroline & Ian (now a Western Buddhist, named Paramabandhu) & 5 grandchildren. They all spoke with love & respect for the way he had lived, the hobbies they had shared with him & the valuable things he had encouraged & inspired them to do, in particular the many family gatherings & holidays they had enjoyed together. The grandchildren felt incredibly lucky & privileged to have had a Grandfather like Len for such a long time as he was always so interested and involved in all aspects of their lives.
Canon Peverell concluded, “There is much in our picture of Len’s life of love, time, & service given to his family, his friends and the whole community; a life sustained by his Christian faith and beliefs that showed in practical acts, not just in reciting creeds”.
Canon Peverell, Robert Lappin, June Imeson
Len was a Geordie & very proud of it, attending the Royal Grammar School & taking a first degree, then a PhD, in chemistry at Kings College, Newcastle. He joined ICI to do research in Manchester, where he met Joan, also working at ICI & they married in 1952. Len joined ICI on Teesside in the late 1950s & moved to Ayton, soon becoming active in the local community as Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association, School Governor, & Secretary of the local Scout Group, besides his church duties.
In 1979 he was elected to the Parish Council, always re-elected, & 5 times Chairman. Elected to Hambleton D.C. in 1983, retiring at the last election in 2003, he was Chairman in 1994-5, & a Cabinet Member. Highly respected by all his colleagues, he is remembered with great affection & many councillors & council officers, past & present, & past Chairmen of Richmondshire & Selby, attended his funeral. Cllr June Imeson & Len often laughed at her description, for the Stream, of their respective duties when Ayton simultaneously provided the Chairman (Len) & Leader (June) of HDC: she had concluded that Len got the sherry and she got the blame! Civic duties were not just attending meetings, but resolving local issues with residents & officials – often slow, controversial & difficult, but Len was diligent, and his gentle, fair-minded and peace-making approach calmed many difficult situations.
He assisted the inauguration of the Twinning Association – & became an active member! Len & Joan both joined the new Archaeology Project & he researched much of the information about the name & literary associations of Roseberry Topping for the book to be published soon. Len was Treasurer of the Captain Cook Schoolroom Museum, Chairman of the local Conservative Association, Committee Member of the Friends of Gt. Ayton Health Centre, and a Friend of Durham Cathedral. Heart surgery in 1983 & ’93, didn’t stop him – until very recently he regularly climbed Roseberry to keep fit!
Canon Peverell said that it was as a family man that Len excelled. He & Joan had 3 children: Michael, Caroline & Ian (now a Western Buddhist, named Paramabandhu) & 5 grandchildren. They all spoke with love & respect for the way he had lived, the hobbies they had shared with him & the valuable things he had encouraged & inspired them to do, in particular the many family gatherings & holidays they had enjoyed together. The grandchildren felt incredibly lucky & privileged to have had a Grandfather like Len for such a long time as he was always so interested and involved in all aspects of their lives.
Canon Peverell concluded, “There is much in our picture of Len’s life of love, time, & service given to his family, his friends and the whole community; a life sustained by his Christian faith and beliefs that showed in practical acts, not just in reciting creeds”.
Canon Peverell, Robert Lappin, June Imeson
Great Ayton Community Archaeology Project (2005)
Great Ayton Community Archaeology Project www.historic-cleveland.co.uk
It seems that every organisation now needs a website, especially a small local history group because it enables people elsewhere to make contact with it. There are also many who lived in Ayton previously who might be interested in our work & be able to contribute to our researches.
Our local history group, the Gt Ayton Community Archaeology Project (CAP), has been running for 4 years, & all this time we wished for a website but were not sure what to do about it. At last we have been able to assemble sufficient funds to pay for a professionally designed website. The first step was when Dan O’Sullivan obtained an Awards for All grant for the transcription of the Diaries of Ralph Jackson, an 18th century gentleman who, remarkably, kept a detailed diary for over 40 years. The grant included money for setting up a website.
Then Barry Lewis (better known as Bazz), a founder member of the Gt Ayton Community Archaeology Project, sadly died last year. Bazz had thrown himself into the group’s activities with enthusiasm and energy, but was concerned as to what would happen after the funding runs out in 2007, so when his family very generously donated to the group the money collected in his memory, it seemed fitting to use it to encourage local history research in the longer term.
The concept of setting up a website to cover all aspects of Historic Cleveland soon evolved. By combining the Ralph Jackson funding with the Bazz Memorial Collection, it would be possible to set up a basic site. However, if the website was to fulfil its promise, it would need a bespoke design & comprehensive internal search facility. The last step was a successful appli-cation for a 2nd Awards for All grant to cover this extra design work. We have now commiss-ioned mixd, a small website design business in Northallerton, to build our Historic Cleveland website. It will be launched featuring the Ralph Jackson Diaries & the Gt Ayton CAP. It will also be able to provide space for any local history group that wishes to be involved, & feature specialist topics, where different groups can post information & research reports. It will not only develop a common understanding & collaborative working between the groups, but will allow people living outside the region to become involved. Known as www.historic-cleveland.co.uk the website should be on-line before the end of the year. Keep an eye open for it!
We continue to discover more & more fascinating things about our local history. Interested in joining us? Do come along to any of our meetings, held every Wednesday at 9.30 am in the Friends’ Meeting House on High Green. Ring for further details: Dan O’Sullivan 723 358 David Taylor 722 748 or myself, Ian Pearce 722 964
It seems that every organisation now needs a website, especially a small local history group because it enables people elsewhere to make contact with it. There are also many who lived in Ayton previously who might be interested in our work & be able to contribute to our researches.
Our local history group, the Gt Ayton Community Archaeology Project (CAP), has been running for 4 years, & all this time we wished for a website but were not sure what to do about it. At last we have been able to assemble sufficient funds to pay for a professionally designed website. The first step was when Dan O’Sullivan obtained an Awards for All grant for the transcription of the Diaries of Ralph Jackson, an 18th century gentleman who, remarkably, kept a detailed diary for over 40 years. The grant included money for setting up a website.
Then Barry Lewis (better known as Bazz), a founder member of the Gt Ayton Community Archaeology Project, sadly died last year. Bazz had thrown himself into the group’s activities with enthusiasm and energy, but was concerned as to what would happen after the funding runs out in 2007, so when his family very generously donated to the group the money collected in his memory, it seemed fitting to use it to encourage local history research in the longer term.
The concept of setting up a website to cover all aspects of Historic Cleveland soon evolved. By combining the Ralph Jackson funding with the Bazz Memorial Collection, it would be possible to set up a basic site. However, if the website was to fulfil its promise, it would need a bespoke design & comprehensive internal search facility. The last step was a successful appli-cation for a 2nd Awards for All grant to cover this extra design work. We have now commiss-ioned mixd, a small website design business in Northallerton, to build our Historic Cleveland website. It will be launched featuring the Ralph Jackson Diaries & the Gt Ayton CAP. It will also be able to provide space for any local history group that wishes to be involved, & feature specialist topics, where different groups can post information & research reports. It will not only develop a common understanding & collaborative working between the groups, but will allow people living outside the region to become involved. Known as www.historic-cleveland.co.uk the website should be on-line before the end of the year. Keep an eye open for it!
We continue to discover more & more fascinating things about our local history. Interested in joining us? Do come along to any of our meetings, held every Wednesday at 9.30 am in the Friends’ Meeting House on High Green. Ring for further details: Dan O’Sullivan 723 358 David Taylor 722 748 or myself, Ian Pearce 722 964
CAPTAIN COOK
The South Sea Islands and the Pacific Ocean have always beckoned us. The magical names of Tahiti, Moorea (of “Bali Ha’i” fame), Raratonga and Fiji more than lived up to our expectations. An added interest was endeavouring to seek out Captain Cook connections, from viewing Cook’s Bay in Moorea to visiting Matavia Bay in Tahiti, both being places where he came ashore – but the Tahitians were apparently not enamoured of his arrival. Contrary to this, the people of Raratonga (one of the Cook Islands which Cook did not visit) revered his name. The local press was The Cook Times & the local Cook’s Passenger Transport was at Cook’s Corner. At the oldest timber-built restaurant, overlooking the Pacific, Geoff & I sampled a Cook’s Lager & an Esk Valley wine!
A highlight of our holiday, however, was a 3-day Captain Cook Cruise from Fiji, aboard a 2-masted schooner. We overnighted on Drawaqu Island, sleeping on a palm-fringed beach in basic chalets (bures) built with coconut fronds. There was no electricity, and only a limited supply of cold water on this small island. Snorkelling the coral reef in idyllic conditions was spell-binding, but nothing could ever surpass the magical moment when the crew hoisted the schooner’s sails and gentle singing to lazy guitar music performed by the crew, natives from the nearby Naviti Islands, all conjured up the essence of Paradise.
Next stop, Australia: Sydney – a memorable visit – then on to Cairns when, after snorkelling the famous Barrier Reef, we hired a 4-wheel drive vehicle and departed north along the Captain Cook Highway, following the coastal route to Cape Tribulation where a roadside sign welcomed us to COOK SHIRE. A short boardwalk enabled us to see the bay where Captain Cook breached his ship on the coral reef. It was rainforest & off-road from then on. We slithered along the Bloomfield Track, the only road (a single-rutted dirt track which is impassable during the rainy season). Luckily, traffic was light! A short detour to a viewpoint provided a welcome break. The arrow on a map-board directed our eyes towards the coast and, to our surprise, pointed to Whitby, though the town was never built. Nevertheless, the one isolated homestead, still occupied, is ‘Whitby’!
Our journey continued along a metal road surface, passing through a large, orderly, Aboriginal encampment. Being tourists, we considered it inappropriate to take a stroll. We stopped 4 hours on from Cairns, as planned, in AYTON, a sleepy roadside village consisting of a few single-storey dwellings amongst the trees: a small wooden-built church, a converted container on stilts - the Library, a public loo, and a pleasant wind-swept beach nearby. Fresh sandwiches were prepared especially for us in The General Store, the only shop. Students were bussed to school elsewhere.
A further 2 hours passed by before we reached our destination: Cooktown. The James Cook Museum was just closing so, undeterred, we took a short drive out of town to explore an even smaller village: Marton, on the banks of the Endeavour River. By then, early evening, there was
still time enough to drive up the steep, narrow, winding road to the summit of Grassy Hill to watch the sun setting over the river – a pastime enjoyed many times by Captain Cook during his enforced 48-day stay whilst his ship was being repaired. A stone was erected in his honour by the Royal Australian Navy, bearing a plaque on which is printed: “Dedicated to Lieutenant James Cook RN The crew of Endeavour and to all Mariners.” From there Captain Cook also planned his passage out to the east, thus passing the mouth of the Esk River.
After dinner we visited the oldest wooden-built establishment in town: ‘The Top Pub’, where we were fortunate to meet an interesting Cooktown character. Apparently he not only dons authentic uniform for formal Captain Cook occasions, but also proudly fires his gun to celebrate weddings, and, more recently, to conclude funerals. Cooktown is most attractive, with the original wooden buildings still lining the main street, overlooking a small harbour and bay with the Endeavour River beyond. A delightful promenade runs parallel to the bay and a Captain Cook Statue and Monument are featured in adjoining well-kept gardens.
A visit to the James Cook Museum was a fitting end to our overnight stay. En route back to Cairns, we crossed an old rickety wooden bridge spanning the Normanby River – a dry, sandy riverbed. The scattered remains of a fire and a dirty, torn shirt draped on a branch gave the vicinity an eerie, isolated feel, maybe similar to an ‘outback’ which Captain Cook could have encountered. Although we did not track down a Staithes, it was still fun coming across many familiar place-names, though situated in such unfamiliar locations from the ones we know so well.
Our journey finally ended in Brisbane, where we joined a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens, close by the James Cook Highway, which resulted in an unexpected “Where do you come from?” coincidence. “North Yorkshire,” we said. “But whereabouts?” The retired gentleman from Hert-fordshire had worked at ICI some 30 years ago, staying at The Royal Oak for 8 months! Con-versation featured his memories of Dick & Eve Kirkup, Petch’s pies, Suggitt’s ice cream, Worthy P’s, Josie’s, Laurie Dilcock – and Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook’s Monument, of course! Gill Perks
A highlight of our holiday, however, was a 3-day Captain Cook Cruise from Fiji, aboard a 2-masted schooner. We overnighted on Drawaqu Island, sleeping on a palm-fringed beach in basic chalets (bures) built with coconut fronds. There was no electricity, and only a limited supply of cold water on this small island. Snorkelling the coral reef in idyllic conditions was spell-binding, but nothing could ever surpass the magical moment when the crew hoisted the schooner’s sails and gentle singing to lazy guitar music performed by the crew, natives from the nearby Naviti Islands, all conjured up the essence of Paradise.
Next stop, Australia: Sydney – a memorable visit – then on to Cairns when, after snorkelling the famous Barrier Reef, we hired a 4-wheel drive vehicle and departed north along the Captain Cook Highway, following the coastal route to Cape Tribulation where a roadside sign welcomed us to COOK SHIRE. A short boardwalk enabled us to see the bay where Captain Cook breached his ship on the coral reef. It was rainforest & off-road from then on. We slithered along the Bloomfield Track, the only road (a single-rutted dirt track which is impassable during the rainy season). Luckily, traffic was light! A short detour to a viewpoint provided a welcome break. The arrow on a map-board directed our eyes towards the coast and, to our surprise, pointed to Whitby, though the town was never built. Nevertheless, the one isolated homestead, still occupied, is ‘Whitby’!
Our journey continued along a metal road surface, passing through a large, orderly, Aboriginal encampment. Being tourists, we considered it inappropriate to take a stroll. We stopped 4 hours on from Cairns, as planned, in AYTON, a sleepy roadside village consisting of a few single-storey dwellings amongst the trees: a small wooden-built church, a converted container on stilts - the Library, a public loo, and a pleasant wind-swept beach nearby. Fresh sandwiches were prepared especially for us in The General Store, the only shop. Students were bussed to school elsewhere.
A further 2 hours passed by before we reached our destination: Cooktown. The James Cook Museum was just closing so, undeterred, we took a short drive out of town to explore an even smaller village: Marton, on the banks of the Endeavour River. By then, early evening, there was
still time enough to drive up the steep, narrow, winding road to the summit of Grassy Hill to watch the sun setting over the river – a pastime enjoyed many times by Captain Cook during his enforced 48-day stay whilst his ship was being repaired. A stone was erected in his honour by the Royal Australian Navy, bearing a plaque on which is printed: “Dedicated to Lieutenant James Cook RN The crew of Endeavour and to all Mariners.” From there Captain Cook also planned his passage out to the east, thus passing the mouth of the Esk River.
After dinner we visited the oldest wooden-built establishment in town: ‘The Top Pub’, where we were fortunate to meet an interesting Cooktown character. Apparently he not only dons authentic uniform for formal Captain Cook occasions, but also proudly fires his gun to celebrate weddings, and, more recently, to conclude funerals. Cooktown is most attractive, with the original wooden buildings still lining the main street, overlooking a small harbour and bay with the Endeavour River beyond. A delightful promenade runs parallel to the bay and a Captain Cook Statue and Monument are featured in adjoining well-kept gardens.
A visit to the James Cook Museum was a fitting end to our overnight stay. En route back to Cairns, we crossed an old rickety wooden bridge spanning the Normanby River – a dry, sandy riverbed. The scattered remains of a fire and a dirty, torn shirt draped on a branch gave the vicinity an eerie, isolated feel, maybe similar to an ‘outback’ which Captain Cook could have encountered. Although we did not track down a Staithes, it was still fun coming across many familiar place-names, though situated in such unfamiliar locations from the ones we know so well.
Our journey finally ended in Brisbane, where we joined a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens, close by the James Cook Highway, which resulted in an unexpected “Where do you come from?” coincidence. “North Yorkshire,” we said. “But whereabouts?” The retired gentleman from Hert-fordshire had worked at ICI some 30 years ago, staying at The Royal Oak for 8 months! Con-versation featured his memories of Dick & Eve Kirkup, Petch’s pies, Suggitt’s ice cream, Worthy P’s, Josie’s, Laurie Dilcock – and Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook’s Monument, of course! Gill Perks
Bazz Lewis and Tony Dumphy
These 2 men were great friends so it seems appropriate to value & remember them together.
Bazz Lewis
It was a great shock when Bazz died so suddenly, in his 50s and enjoying early retirement from ICI with his wife Sally. He was a gentle, unassuming man, with high qualifications for his work and a wide range of other interests. He tutored a popular WEA course in astronomy a few years ago; he was a founder member of the Bowls Club, as well as of the Archaeology Group; he enjoyed gardening; he was also a member of the Folk Club, known with his friends Stuart & Ricky as the Bazz Band. His guitar playing gave him & others a great deal of pleasure. He was a loving father of his 2 daughters, proudly walking Layla down the aisle last May Day & being very supportive of Vicky’s career – & her adventurous holidays!
His last day was a splendid one – winning a Bowls Tournament, having a celebratory lunch with Sally & friends, then performing at the Folk Club. The overflowing Chapel at the Crematorium testified to the huge number of friends he had, and how much he will be missed by family, friends - and the village he came to through his work, but made his family’s home, contributing to its life in so many ways. A special man indeed.
Tony Dumphy
The tragic death of award-winning journalist Tony Dumphy at the age of 53 stunned his family, his colleagues at the Evening Gazette and his many friends in Great Ayton.
Originally from Manchester, Tony met his future wife, Barbara, at Queen’s University, Belfast. After a spell on She magazine in London, they went to live in the Pyrenees for a year where Tony was a shepherd, before they moved to Great Ayton in 1979, when Tony became a Sub-Editor at the Evening Gazette.
Tony, who has been Head of Editorial Production at the Gazette for the past 8 years, loved the area and living in the village. He was always glad to be home, in such a beautiful part of the world, even from visits to places like Holy Island and the Lake District. A very keen birdwatcher, he and Barbara enjoyed walking on the moors and by the coast. He always said that the village was the reason he never wanted to move to another newspaper – it was such a lovely place to bring up children, and for them to come back to. A peaceful place where he and Barbara found lovely, kind friends.
A strong family man, Tony was justly proud of his two children, Alex and Alison, and of their achievements. He will be greatly missed.
Bazz Lewis
It was a great shock when Bazz died so suddenly, in his 50s and enjoying early retirement from ICI with his wife Sally. He was a gentle, unassuming man, with high qualifications for his work and a wide range of other interests. He tutored a popular WEA course in astronomy a few years ago; he was a founder member of the Bowls Club, as well as of the Archaeology Group; he enjoyed gardening; he was also a member of the Folk Club, known with his friends Stuart & Ricky as the Bazz Band. His guitar playing gave him & others a great deal of pleasure. He was a loving father of his 2 daughters, proudly walking Layla down the aisle last May Day & being very supportive of Vicky’s career – & her adventurous holidays!
His last day was a splendid one – winning a Bowls Tournament, having a celebratory lunch with Sally & friends, then performing at the Folk Club. The overflowing Chapel at the Crematorium testified to the huge number of friends he had, and how much he will be missed by family, friends - and the village he came to through his work, but made his family’s home, contributing to its life in so many ways. A special man indeed.
Tony Dumphy
The tragic death of award-winning journalist Tony Dumphy at the age of 53 stunned his family, his colleagues at the Evening Gazette and his many friends in Great Ayton.
Originally from Manchester, Tony met his future wife, Barbara, at Queen’s University, Belfast. After a spell on She magazine in London, they went to live in the Pyrenees for a year where Tony was a shepherd, before they moved to Great Ayton in 1979, when Tony became a Sub-Editor at the Evening Gazette.
Tony, who has been Head of Editorial Production at the Gazette for the past 8 years, loved the area and living in the village. He was always glad to be home, in such a beautiful part of the world, even from visits to places like Holy Island and the Lake District. A very keen birdwatcher, he and Barbara enjoyed walking on the moors and by the coast. He always said that the village was the reason he never wanted to move to another newspaper – it was such a lovely place to bring up children, and for them to come back to. A peaceful place where he and Barbara found lovely, kind friends.
A strong family man, Tony was justly proud of his two children, Alex and Alison, and of their achievements. He will be greatly missed.
Great Ayton Community Archaeology Project (2003)
We are now (autumn 2003)coming to the end of our first project to research & record landscape features in the parishes of Gt Ayton & Little Ayton. Meeting every Wednesday in the Friends’ Meeting House on High Green, we work under the guidance of a professional archaeologist. Our grant from the Local Heritage Initiative (using Heritage Lottery Fund money) and our Nationwide Building Society Award finish on 31st January 2004. Inspired by our discoveries so far, we will apply for new fund-ing to take us through a further 2-year period with the emphasis on industrial and natural heritage. Over the last few months we have been particularly busy, with field walking, test pit digging, aerial surveys & metal detector searches. We are working on several sites, covering local history over 10,000 yrs. Our activities have attracted “visiting members” from places such as Ripon & Chester! Levensdale. We have now recorded almost 1,000 flint fragments from what were the banks of the River Leven 8,000 years ago. At that time, not long after the last Ice Age, the Leven was a wide meandering stream that crossed the present Stokesley Road near its junction with the back lane to Easby. Although most flints have been collected from the surface, excavations have revealed groups of flint tools and charcoal in what was the gravel of the riverbanks. Flint does not occur locally, & had to be imported, probably from the Yorkshire Wolds. Clearly Mesolithic people were using the area as a hunting ground, & probably camped here for some time before moving on. Our best find so far is a perfect Neolithic arrow from a later period, about 4,000 years ago, in the shape of the playing cards’ spade symbol. Aireyholme Farm. We have traced the way in which the farm buildings have changed over the years as farming practices developed. We have started to look at the site of an Iron Age enclosure near to Roseberry Topping, and have found some pieces of iron. Unfortunately they are likely to be from the Middlesbrough blast furnaces of the 19th century rather than from Iron Age people, but we are having tests carried out (pre-blast furnace iron has a very low carbon content). Alum Works. The hitherto neglected Alum Works above Gribdale has been surveyed by us, and we have plans for a professional survey. Research has been done to locate the boil house site. Hudson NR-E. The background to this WW2 aircraft crash has been fully researched and a book “Lost on Easby Moor – the last flight of Hudson NR-E” has been published. This has generated considerable interest in the village, & 140 people attended a talk about the crash held in August. On 8th October a memorial plaque to the crew was dedicated in a ceremony near Captain Cook’s Monument, attended by RAF Chaplain Rev’d Wing Commander Nick Heron, our Vicar, Rev’d Paul Peverell, schoolchildren, guests and members of the village’s Archaeology Project.
Finally we must record our great debt to farmers and landowners for allowing us onto sites, many of which are not accessible by public rights of way. Ian Pearce If you would like to find out more, please contact Dan O’Sullivan on 723358, Sally Dennison on 723897, David Taylor on 722748 or Ian Pearce on 722964.
Finally we must record our great debt to farmers and landowners for allowing us onto sites, many of which are not accessible by public rights of way. Ian Pearce If you would like to find out more, please contact Dan O’Sullivan on 723358, Sally Dennison on 723897, David Taylor on 722748 or Ian Pearce on 722964.
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