A Mystery solved - nearly
By Margaret.  Last updated Sun 19 Feb at 7.49pm.

The committee of the Ritz cinema have been trying to find the exact date of the opening of the cinema. After much trawling through the archives, the following copy was found in the archives of the Darlington & Stockton Times. It shows that on 26th October 1912, a license was granted to Walter Power to open the cinema.

The exact date of the opening has not been traced yet, but a further entry in the archive shows that on the 15th Nov 1912 Mr Power gave a benefit performance in the Public Room (the current Ritz building), in aid of the Thirsk Primitive Methodist organ fund, so the opening must have been between these two dates

Welcome to our website
By Margaret.  Last updated Thu 16 Feb at 11.59am.

In the last six months (mid August to mid February), 10,500 separate people have logged onto our website. Many of them have been back to the website more than once, because in total we have had 14,666 visits. Since mid December, we have been making an effort to publicise the site even more by using the social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, we have also been trying to increase our exposure on Google.
Our statistics show us that in that time, there has been a very large increase in the number of site visits, so hopefully when the next quarter’s numbers are available, we will see an even bigger increase.

We also count the number of visitors who come into the office and this shows we have over 30,000 visitors to our TIC per year

We have been working hard to add lots of new information to the site. In case you haven’t seen it, under information, we have a comprehensive A to Z list of information sheets which cover everything about the area. If you want to find where you can take your dog, where children are welcome, where the exercise classes are etc. then this is the place to look.

Under events, you can find “What’s On”, also all of the Country Shows and Fairs for the whole of the season, plus links to other entertainment organisations.

Under travel, you can find details of every bus passing through Thirsk, plus information on trains, taxis, cycle routes and maps of all types.

These are just a few of the things you will find, take the time to look around and hopefully, you will be pleased with what you see.

If there is any information which you think is missing and would like to see added, then please let us know, there is a “contact us” button on the right hand side of this blog page.

Thirsk 5th February
By Peter.  Last updated Sat 11 Feb at 10.30pm.

Ritz ceremony
By Margaret.  Last updated Thu 16 Feb at 11.00am.

As an update to the previous entry on the Ritz centenary . On Saturday 4th Feb, a group of volunteers from the Ritz cinema gathered in Thirsk Cemetery to commemorate the death of Walter Power, the founder of what is now the Ritz cinema. The photo shows Ritz chairman John Potter placing a wreath in the form of the Ritz logo onto Walter's grave.

Hello New York
By Margaret.  Last updated Mon 6 Feb at 4.40pm.

We would like to give a mention to an avid viewer of our webcam Janet Stipp who lives in upstate New York.She looks at our webcam every day and comes to Thirsk when she visits her friend Cathleen Foord, so hello Janet and Cathleen

Keep Your Purse Safe
By Margaret.  Last updated Thu 2 Feb at 10.47pm.

Any one aged over 50, or who is a vulnerable member of the community can collect a free purse chain from either Thirsk or Northallerton Police Stations. The chains attach your purse to your bag to stop them from being taken.

The Ritz centenary
By Margaret.  Last updated Wed 1 Feb at 5.05pm.

2012 marks the centenary of the opening of the Ritz Cinema in Westgate Thirsk. To mark the centenary, various events will be organised throughout the year.

The building was originally a Mechanics Institute built in the mid 19th century. The institutes encouraged self-improvement among working men

Whellan's History of Thirsk (1859)
The Mechanics Institute and Public Room was built at the cost of Sir W. P. Gallwey, Bart., M.P, in 1848-9. This convenient building contains a large lecture room; which is approached by a stone staircase, a good reading room, and library, with class rooms, &c.. The library contains upwards of 600 volumes. Sir W. P. Gallwey, Bart., M.P., is the President of the Think Mechanics' Institution.

The 1879 Education Act made schooling compulsory, attendances at the institute slowly declined and the movement had run its course by the end of the 19th century when the premises were put to other uses.

In 1912 Walter Power opened ‘The Picture House’ to show the latest silent movies; locally known as ‘Powers’. He was a well known personality, who would often accompany the mood of the films himself on the piano. The original silent movie screen with the T.P.H. crest above it still exists behind the present screen. In 1927 when “talkies” arrived, the balcony area was added and the name changed to The Ritz.

Walter Nugent Power was born in Darlington in 1886, the son of Thomas Power, a Blacksmiths striker and his wife Louisa. On the 1911 census, he was unmarried and living with his parents in Darlington, his occupation was given as shop assistant (Pianoforte). In 1914, he married Elizabeth Robson in Darlington.

He died age 47 on January 31st 1934 in a Harrogate hotel where he had gone to seek medical attention for a heart condition. His funeral took place on Feb 4th 1934 in Thirsk Cemetery. The newspaper report showed that his funeral was very well attended, at the time of his death he lived in Belgrave Terrace Sowerby with his wife and daughter.

To mark the anniversary of his funeral, members of the Ritz committee will lay a wreath on Mr Power’s grave in Thirsk cemetery (not St Mary’s) at 11.30am on Saturday 4th Feb.

Even the Sun likes us
By Margaret.  Last updated Tue 31 Jan at 2.12pm.

Here is a link to an article in the Sun newspaper. It has a nice photo of the market place,

Our famous webcam
By Margaret.  Last updated Wed 25 Jan at 9.23pm.

Earthcam is a worldwide search engine for webcams. It has put the webcam in our information centre in its 'top-ten'

Orchestra now recruiting
By Margaret.  Last updated Sat 21 Jan at 5.30pm.

The Community String Orchestra is looking for new members for ensembles in Thirsk and Bedale. Previously the orchestra's were for the benefit of pupils in school, but they are now inviting adults in the area to join in. Any one interested can phone Dave Bentley 01677 424924 / 07523-95100 or email davethefiddle@hotmail.co.uk

A good Samaritan
By Margaret.  Last updated Mon 16 Jan at 7.20pm.

Last week, while on a journey north, one of our volunteers was taken ill and was in need of toilet facilities. Stopping at the first village, she knocked on the door of the pub, the man sitting reading the paper,saw her but refused to open the door.

Olympic Swimming
By Margaret.  Last updated Mon 9 Jan at 8.45pm.

Swim for only 2012pence at Thirsk Swimming Pool on Monday afternoons 2 - 2.30pm from now until the Olympics in August

2012 Literature Exchange
By Margaret.  Last updated Thu 22 Dec at 2.15pm.

The Welcome to Yorkshire Regional Literature Exchange 2012 will take place on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 11:00 AM at the Auction Mart,Thirsk,
Any one wanting to go, please look out for your Welcome to Yorkshire email in order to book a place

Dial 101
By Margaret.  Last updated Mon 12 Dec at 7.43pm.

From the police: The national non-emergency number 101 is coming to North Yorkshire Police on 12 December 2011 and will replace the 0845 60 60 24 7 number.
While 999 is a well-recognised number used to report emergencies, the 2010 British Crime Survey found that only 54% of the public knew how to contact their local police if they wanted to talk to them about policing, crime or anti-social behaviour. The introduction of the 101 number will offer the public one easy way to contact their local police force.

Sunday in the Dales
By Margaret.  Last updated Tue 29 Nov at 5.28pm.

If you would like to spend Sunday in the Dales, it is possible using the following bus service.
The Wensleydale Flyer service 856 runs along the main road straight up and down the dale, linking Northallerton and Bedale with Leyburn, Aysgarth, Hawes and Gayle. Bus passes are accepted on this bus.
There is no public transport on Sunday to take you to Northallerton, but if you can drive there, parking near the Buck Inn is free on Sundays.
The service runs on Sundays from 30th October 2011 until 1st April 2012 (no service on 25th December or 1st January) Bank Holidays 27th December 2011 and 2nd January 2012.
Buses leave the Buck Inn at Northallerton at 9.30, 12.30,16.00 and 18.50, the last bus only goes as far as Bedale.
Return buses leave Gayle at 11.10, 14.40 and 17.30.
The full timetable can be viewed on http://www.procterscoaches.com/pdf/Wensleydale-Flyer-winter-service.pdf

The Olympic Flame in Thirsk
By Peter.  Last updated Mon 28 Nov at 4.17pm.

World Of James Herriot Museum
By Peter.  Last updated Mon 10 Oct at 5.27pm.

Sarah Macmillan has made a short film of the World Of James Herriot Museum in Thirsk.

The museum pays a unique tribute to the life and times of Alf Wight, otherwise known as James Herriot, author of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ and many other stories about his work as a vet. It lets visitors see a snapshot of life in the 1940s and of the man who captured the hearts and minds of so many people, both in the UK and abroad.
More Sarah Macmillan films.

Thirsk's new webcam
By Peter.  Last updated Sun 2 Oct at 10.38pm.

I used to have an office above (what was) Thresher's wine shop in Thirsk Market Place. In 2004 I put a webcam in the big window and beamed the activity here to the world. The picture alongside is typical.

At the end of the lease in 2009 the webcam was discontinued and I got messages like this:
“Very sorry to find that the webcam will finish. I've been watching daily since 2004 and used the images to find my way around on a visit (from Australia), my ancestor left Thirsk in 1835. Thank you for the pictures.
Rob from Oz.”

Two years later I am a volunteer for Thirsk Tourist Information and have pulled the camera out of storage. We erected it in our new building and you can again see what is going on in Thirsk Market Place, but from a different angle! – click here.