Famous Fathers of Yorkshire: Happy Fathers Day
June 2021

We are truly into tour season now with many visitors already satiating their Yorkshire Appetite. We even had a celebrity special last week. Harry Gration and Roy Player, ex presenter and producer of Look North, are starting their own venture with a podcast and book in production about the Taste of Yorkshire, following on from a successful ‘Taste of Holy Island’ book last year. We wanted to show them how vibrant and exciting the food scene is in our little corner of Yorkshire and I am pleased to say they went away very satisfied! I’ll keep you posted for when the podcast is live.
It’s Father’s Day on Sunday and what do you get a man who has everything and you as a son/daughter? – why, a gift voucher for a food tour OR a Yorkshire Goodie Box (they can share with you!). Now that plug is out of the way, let us look at some notable local Fathers: philanthropists who did much for their towns of Harrogate and York.
Joseph Rowntree in York was a businessman and Quaker who joined his brother, Henry, in his chocolate making business in 1869. After Henry’s death 14 years later, he took over the company and also the welfare of his workers, creating several charitable trusts, four of which exist to this day. He was very much the father of his employees, making sure that they had access to a library, free education, a work magazine, a social welfare officer, a doctor, dentist and a pension, not to mention top quality chocolate!
Samson Fox, over in Harrogate, was another philanthropist, making sure Harrogate had enough water gas to light the entire town, well at least Parliament Street. Born in Bradford, he finally settled on Grove Road in Harrogate and was to become Harrogate Mayor not just once, but three times – as yet unrivalled. He threw a big town party on the Stray for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 and made sure the people had plenty of roast ox, beer and buns.
Food Festivals are back and the Great British Food Fair at Harewood House on the bank holiday gave an incredible welcome to the season. The atmosphere was perfect, people were relaxed, happy and able to taste the rich abundance of street food and artisan food products while enjoying the sunshine and watching some cookery demonstrations. Yorkshire Appetite was very pleased to meet another local Bake Off contestant – Sandy Docherty – local lass from Leeds showing us how to make some delicious bites to accompany a night in at the movies. Watch out for her new book – Sandy D Bakes! We also got to discover some new Yorkshire products that are going right in our basket (and our Goodie Box) – Reet Yorkshire jams and chutneys in Ripon, delish, and Yorkshire Pudding Beer – I kid you not – made in Malton, at the foothills of the North Yorkshire Moors.
Next weekend, on the 26th and 27th June, there is the first of two Harrogate Food and Drink Fairs this summer on the Stray. “A celebration of international influence and local talent, expressed through international food, independent drink, music and arts”. Food Festivals, if you haven’t tried them, are just a nice relaxed way to spend a couple of hours finding out about interesting food and soaking up the atmosphere of a shared love of all things culinary. We’ll be there, come and say hello!









