Yorkshire Day in Saddleworth
Sunday 1st August 2010

Yorkshire Day is a celebration of the sights, sounds, traditions and scenery of Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Day is celebrated in Saddleworth every year on the nearest Sunday to August 1st. It takes place in Uppermill and begins at 11.00am beside the Ammon Wrigley statue where a garland of white roses in placed on the statue and a local brass band plays. This is followed by a parade up the High Street to the King George V playing field where there are various stalls, displays and brass bands playing up to 3.00pm.

Yorkshire Day and its Origins

The large county of Yorkshire underwent a number of administrative changes in 1974, resulting in boundaries being redrawn and split into North, West and South Yorkshire. Following the 1974 changes, Saddleworth was placed within the newly formed Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, as were several other towns around Oldham, and thus was part of the newly formed Greater Manchester. Prior to 1974, Saddleworth had been within the old Yorkshire boundary as part of the administrative area of Huddersfield.

A year after the boundary reorganisation, the Yorkshire Ridings Society decided on the creation of Yorkshire Day, a day to celebrate Yorkshire's cultural heritage. Yorkshire Day is specifically celebrated annually on August 1st due to the significance of this date in the county's history. In 1759 soldiers including some Yorkshire regiments, fought at the battle of Minden, in Germany. White roses were picked after the battle and worn as a tribute to fallen comrades. A number of Yorkshire-based regiments continue to wear white roses on 1 August to commemorate the events of 1759 and all those from Yorkshire who have fallen in battle since.

Web Links:

Saddleworth Historical Society

Yorkshire Ridings Society