Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Click here for:
My Pages
700 hits
This picture, typical of mail conveyance in the 1800s, is of a carter in York - York Press archive and is dated 1863.
Please contact the author, via either the guestbook or shoutbox, if you have any more photos to contribute. Cheers!
1823
Many farmers had a sideline in moving goods and people around. Full-time carters and waggoners travelled up and down the dale, and regularly into Richmond. The distances were not great: Richmond - Reeth about 11 miles; Reeth - Gunnerside just over 5 miles, Gunnerside - Muker about 3 miles, Muker - Keld about 3 miles, Keld - Birkdale [RICHMOND, DL11 6LR] about 3 miles. [Although in Cumbria / Penrith and The Borders, Birkdale, Harwood, BARNARD CASTLE, DL12 0JA is delivered via Cow Green and is not to be confused with Keld.]
There was a daily carrier service between Richmond and Reeth, and daily postal services between the villages themselves and out to Richmond. Many dale villagers travelled into Richmond for the big market days, or to the bank or the chemist or the barber, or had goods delivered from the Richmond shops.
Bridges and fords:
The road distance from Birkdale, above Keld, to Marrick, where the dale road meets the main Leyburn-Richmond road, is about 20 miles. In that distance, the map shows just five bridges, plus one more at the Richmond end of the dale.
Coming from Richmond along the south bank of the river, the first crossing is just before the start of the dale road at Downholme bridge, leading to Marske and Marrick. The next bridge is about 7 miles up river at Grinton, crossing to Fremington, Reeth, and Arkengarthdale. A further 3 miles takes you to the bridge at Low Whita, then another 2 miles to the Isles Bridge at Smarber, 2 more miles to Gunnerside Bridge, a further 1 mile to the Mill Bridge at Low Oxnop. Then the river goes round one side of Kisdon Hill whilst the road goes round the other side, through Muker, Thwaite, Angram, and they join up again at Keld.
There was a daily carrier service between Richmond and Reeth, and daily postal services between the villages themselves and out to Richmond. Many dale villagers travelled into Richmond for the big market days, or to the bank or the chemist or the barber, or had goods delivered from the Richmond shops.
Bridges and fords:
The road distance from Birkdale, above Keld, to Marrick, where the dale road meets the main Leyburn-Richmond road, is about 20 miles. In that distance, the map shows just five bridges, plus one more at the Richmond end of the dale.
Coming from Richmond along the south bank of the river, the first crossing is just before the start of the dale road at Downholme bridge, leading to Marske and Marrick. The next bridge is about 7 miles up river at Grinton, crossing to Fremington, Reeth, and Arkengarthdale. A further 3 miles takes you to the bridge at Low Whita, then another 2 miles to the Isles Bridge at Smarber, 2 more miles to Gunnerside Bridge, a further 1 mile to the Mill Bridge at Low Oxnop. Then the river goes round one side of Kisdon Hill whilst the road goes round the other side, through Muker, Thwaite, Angram, and they join up again at Keld.
A 1936 postman on his walk alongside the River Swale.
Taken from The Bar / Castle Hill - houses and the Green Bridge can be seen in the background.
Taken from The Bar / Castle Hill - houses and the Green Bridge can be seen in the background.
(Thanks to Ian Allan, Delivery Office Manager Leyburn, in locating where the picture was taken. Shame he wasn't arround in 1936 to identify the Postie!)
A 1936 postman walks down stairs that lead away from Richmond Castle, North Yorkshire. Part of the Castle wall remains is pictured in the background.
PO Mag Aug 1936 - centre page spread 'Through Swaledale'
1938 Richmond Postman
walking alongside the
River Swale
walking alongside the
River Swale
1938 Keld Post Office
1938 Richmond Postman
walking downstairs from the Castle
walking downstairs from the Castle
1938 Muker Post Office
1938 Richmond Postman
crossing River Swale on
stepping stones
crossing River Swale on
stepping stones
1938 Richmond Postman
walking alongside
River Swale
walking alongside
River Swale
1938 Richmond Postman crossing River Swale via footbridge near Arkengarthdale
1938 Grinton Post Office
1938 Arkengarthdale Post Office
‘The above 1930's images are © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2008 with kind permission of The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA)’ .
After 47 years service Dennis Garbutt, Postman Higher Grade (PHG), is pictured receiving his valedictory letter, in February 1992, from Assistant Delivery Services Manager, Keith Brown.
Dennis started work as a telegram messenger boy in 1944 and spent his entire career at Richmond, North Yorkshire.
Dennis started work as a telegram messenger boy in 1944 and spent his entire career at Richmond, North Yorkshire.
