Ryedale Folk Museum

This week staff at the museum surprised director Mike Benson with an oversized card and a delicious chocolate birthday cake to mark a special birthday!  Happy Birthday Mike! Many happy returns.

On Sunday 27th March I was lucky enough to have been invited as representative of Ryedale Folk Museum to the AFMC annual mess luncheon in Pickering.  I was invited as 'guest of honour' and enjoyed wonderful hospitality and a delicious three course meal!  AFMC have been working with Ryedale Folk Museum for some years now and have helped to make Junes 1940s weekend event a really wonderful feature on the museums calendar.  This years event 4th -5th June will feature re-enactments, activities and more.  There will also be an evening 1940s village hall dance with live performance from Miss Marina Mae.  Tickets for the evening are available now, see the website for details or give the museum a call. I would like to thank AFMC for all their help and support during our events and for all their wonderful contributions over the years. CG.

In early March the tractor which stands proudly outside the entrance of the museum was re-instated after a brief absence.  It has been tweeked, painted and polished and now looks better than ever!

Whilst researching in the museum's library today anything to do with Bert Frank (Ryedale Folk Museum's founder I stumbled a cross the 1890 edition of the Bulmer's History & Directory of North Yorkshire . The entire contents are accessible online; http://www.genuki.org.uk/index.html Similar to a census it provides a valuable insight to life in the region at that particular time. Here is an extract of some trades people from Hutton-le-Hole, p.908; Baxter, Thomas, tanner Clark, James, joiner Cole, Joseph, bootmaker Pateman, Pennock, birdstuffer Stephenson, Mark, tailor The Waind's do get a mention on p.906, John is entered as a farmer at Ankness Farm, East Bransdale.Other tradespeople include; Duck, S, joiner and wheelwright at Lofthouse Fawbart, Robert, gamekeeper Lancaster, John, schoolmaster Teasdale, Robert, huckster The remarkable difference between 1890 and present day are the number of people who are skilled in their profession. The small rural communities befo...

Sunday 27th March 2011 will see the museum run by students from Lady Lumleys for the Tractor Run and Fun Day. The day will help raise money for the Harrison Development Project. Details of the event are on the website and Kev will be serving his famous barbeque sausages in buns. There'll be face painting, crafts, demonstrations and lots more. Tractor Runners will also be treated to a pie n pea supper after the run.

Hi I am Maud a french volunteer, and I am spending two weeks at the Ryedale Folk Museum. The ryedale folk museum accepted to welcome me during my trip in the goal of meeting people to practise my english and of course discover the museum and the history. So the first day Emma presented me to the staff and  the volumteers. Then before we opened,  Emma and Willow showed me the museum and tried to explain a little the role of the different buildings. We have even given a french name for the chickens: Poulet and Polo... After this visit, Emma taught me a typical activity. This was how to Rag Rug. I have learnt that Rag Rugging was a really important job and I found it rather easy to follow but it's because Emma was a patient teacher. We have used these fabrics yesterday to make rag rugs, it was funny and easier than I thought. After these days spent in the museum I think that the museum is a place very interesting to see the different ways of living in the past...

The museum was donated garments from the Waind family, the Wainds originated from Ankness Farm, Bransdale but left in 1938 to farm in another part of Ryedale. Among the images that are here is a family tree section of the Wainds. The family name is still commonplace in the area, there is a Wainds Coal merchants in Helmsley and a Wainds butcher in Kirkbymoorside. Is there anyone reading this who is or knows of someone called Waind? Please tell them to get in touch with the museum as we are exhibiting the clothing in the Autumn. Jonathan Severs Email, : blogs@ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk

Film Maker Tony O'Reilly has made a short film about Ryedale Folk Museum. It is a fantastic piece featuring staff, volunteers and visitors from the Museum. Click the link to watch it online: http://vimeo.com/20481094

To hear Maurice reading some of his poems and to get a preview of his work click the video below: To hear Maurice explain and discuss his model tractors and other vintage farm machinery click below: The exhibition will be available to view until the 7th April 2011. "I never imagined them to ever be in glass cases, it was just a bit o'fun when it started." Maurice Atkinson. C.G