Why we exist

The Yorkshire Ridings’ Society was formed in 1974 at the time when massive changes were being made to local government and to the areas they administered. These changes resulted in new administrative areas, some of which were referred to as “new counties”.

Yorkshire intact

This statement was included in the order which created new Administrative areas in the reorganisation of local government in 1974:

“The new county boundaries are administrative areas, and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change despite the different names adopted by the new administrative counties.”

This is not a matter of opinion, it is fact!

The word, "Riding", is derived from Old Danish, "Thridjungr" and later Anglo-Saxon, "Thridding", meaning, "a third". The settling Danes organised the territory into an East Third, a North Third and a West Third and called representatives from each of them to a "Thing" (Parliament), thereby establishing the Ridings system of governance. To this day, Yorkshire consists of a North, East and West Riding, along with the City of York as its cultural capital. That is why there is no "South Riding"; except, of course, in a novel by that name.

Yorkshire’s boundary, along the River Tees and the North Sea coast to the Humber Estuary, along the Old River Don and the River Sheaf (south of Sheffield), and up the western edge of Saddleworth, the Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales and Teesdale back to the River Tees, is about 600 miles long, and it is intact! All those people who were told that they had ‘been moved out of the county’ were misinformed. They may be in an administrative area which is based outside the county; they may have been given a strange postcode and may find many of their services are over the boundary, but, they still live in God’s Own County. How good is that? This information was not widely publicised in 1974 but the Yorkshire Ridings Society is striving to ensure that it is common knowledge within our county and greatly recognised beyond.

In 1977, responding to a Government White Paper on devolution, YRS published, "What future for Yorkshire?", which proposed, as a "starting point":

• The abolition of the county councils created in 1974 as soon as possible.
• The metropolitan boroughs to become "boroughs" or "cities" with the powers of pre-1974 county boroughs.
• Retention of the non-metropolitan districts established in 1974.
• Three new cities or boroughs for York, Hull and Middlesbrough and their hinterlands.
• Possible introduction of a similar borough covering the Selby coalfield.
• County-wide services to be provided by a "consortium" of district councils.
• A Yorkshire Provincial Assembly to cover the pre-1974 Yorkshire Ridings.

The society has been working hard for half a century to ensure that the integrity of Yorkshire, its three Ridings and all the associated boundaries is maintained by:

• Roadside boundary signs to mark the Ridings.
• A Yorkshire address for all parts of Yorkshire.
• Accurate representation of Yorkshire in all respects.
• Local government to more closely reflect Yorkshire's true geography.

Our work has included, in 1975, the creation of Yorkshire Day, an annual celebration of all things Yorkshire and a day to reaffirm Yorkshire's true boundaries; and, in 2008, the registration of the White Rose Flag of Yorkshire with the Flag Institute. The Society is currently working towards ensuring that county boundaries are marked on maps and by the installation of appropriate road signs. You can see more maps of Yorkshire showing a variety of detail here.

Read more about Yorkshire Ridings Society

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