HAPPY YORKSHIRE DAY!
DECLARE Yorkshire Day! Yorkshire Day, 1st of August, is when the Declarations of Integrity should be read in each of the three Ridings. Traditionally the Declaration should be read in five different dialects including modern English and Old Norse, while facing towards the county’s ancient capital of York (towards the North West for us in Hedon).
This is the Yorkshire Day Declaration of Integrity which must be made traditionally this year at exactly 11.49 am.
I, from the Borough of Hedon, being a resident of the East Riding of Yorkshire declare:
- That Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York, with these Boundaries of 1149 years standing;
- That the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire;
- That all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshiremen and women;
- That any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status.
These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2024. God Save the
QueenKing!”
Why at 11.49 am?
The declaration of Yorkshire integrity commences at the time that coincides with the number of years since the first recorded reference to the three Ridings of Yorkshire in the year 875. Example: 2024 – 875 = 1149 so in 2024 the declaration is read at 11.49 am.
Yorkshire Flags
The Yorkshire flag can be flown from public buildings to celebrate Yorkshire Day, but apparently, the East Riding should show the Rose with a sepal (the green leaf) at the top and not the petal. A petal at the top signifies the other two ridings – North and West!
The preference for Yorkshire Day still seems to fly the traditional flag depicting a white Yorkshire rose on a blue background in solidarity with the other two ridings, but the East Riding of Yorkshire now has its own flag with the white rose on two colours; a blue representing maritime and a green for agriculture.
Whatever your flag, enjoy our County Day!
Surely this should now be ‘God save the King’.
Was brought up in Yorkshire but this is the first time I’ve heard/read about Yorkshire day!
David
I was wondering who would be the first to notice, David! Have changed it!
YORKSHIRE DAY is celebrated on 1st August each year to celebrate the integrity of the traditional county of Yorkshire.
Why 1st August? On 1 August, 1759, British troops and their allies defeated the French at the battle of Minden. After the battle, the British soldiers picked white roses and wore them as a tribute to their fallen comrades. Since that day, a number of Yorkshire-based regiments have worn white roses on 1 August to commemorate the events of 1759 and all those from Yorkshire who have fallen in battle since.
What do we mean by Yorkshire? In 1974, Yorkshire underwent a number of administrative changes, which meant that its traditional boundaries established for over 1100 years were redrawn.
However, the act which created the new administrative areas stated clearly that the existing county boundaries were unchanged by the legislation. The boundaries of our traditional counties, the three ridings of North, West and East Riding, have never changed.
Since 1975, people have been invited to celebrate Yorkshire Day at community and civic events.
The first Yorkshire Days in the East Riding during the 70’s were probably held as a protest movement against the decision to change this area of Yorkshire into the then new – but now abolished – county of Humberside.
So what happens at Yorkshire Day? Yorkshire Day is largely a fun event, celebration and opportunity to raise money for good causes, although it still serves to commemorate those who have fallen in battle.