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Happy Yorkshire Day!
A day in celebration of God’s own country
One David Acaster informed me that today, 1 August, is Yorkshire Day. And here’s me, a Yorkshire lass born but not bred, thinking it was Swiss National Day. Right daft, I must be.
In celebration of Yorkshire Day, Alexa will be speaking Yorkshire all day today. She’s a good lass, that Alexa.
This year, the village of Keighley is hosting Yorkshire Day. There’ll be parades, food, booze, games for the kiddies and an artisan market. “Mayors, lord mayors, their attendants and other dignitaries in full costume and regalia” (including a white rose) will gather and do civic things.
Yorkshire Day was established in 1975 to mark the date of two momentous occasions. One: Some British soldiers defeated some French soldiers in the Battle of Minden and the Yorkshire soldiers stuck white roses in their caps. Two: The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 came into effect throughout the British Empire — a tireless campaigner for which was Yorkshire lad, William Wilberforce.
Home to dales and moors and located in northern England, Yorkshire is the largest (and I think best) county in the UK. Celts, Romans, Germanics, Vikings, Normans, my family and the Yorkshire pudding have all called Yorkshire home.
