Today (Friday) the cyclists depart from
Barnsley another Metropolitan Borough that in 1974 swallowed up all the surrounding authorities (in this case 11 of them plus parts of two more).
The arms of Barnsley granted in 1869 (with supporters added in 1913) were:
Blazon:
Arms : Argent, on a chevron gules between two shuttles fessewise in chief and in base as many pickaxes in saltire proper, a falcon wings elevated and holding in the dexter claw a padlock or between two boar's heads couped of the last each holding in the mouth a cross patée fitchée in pale of the first; a chief sable, thereon e cross patée between to covered cups also or.
Crest : On a wreath of the colours, a gryphon argent, wings elevated sable, resting the dexter claw on an escutcheon argent charged with a chuttle palewise sable.
Supporters : On the dexter side a miner, his pit lamp suspended from his neck, supporting in his exterior hand a pick axe proper, and on the sinister side a glass-blower, supporting in his exterior hand a blow-pipe, issuant therefrom in base a glass bottle, all proper.
Motto :"Spectemur agendo" (Let us be judged by our acts).
Following the major upheaval in local authorities in 1974, the arms were re-interpreted with a bordure, an escarbuncle of 14 points (representing the 14 authorities now combined into one) replaced the shield in the crest, and the supporters swapped sides and were given a compartment on which to stand.
Blazon:
Arms : Argent on a Chevron Gules between two Shuttles fessewise in chief and in base as many Pickaxes in saltire proper a Falcon wings elevated and holding in the dexter claw a Padlock Or between two Boar's Heads couped of the last each holding in the mouth a Cross patee fitchee in pale of the first a Chief Sable thereon a Cross patee between two Covered Cups all within a Bordure embattled Or.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours a Gryphon Argent wings elevated Sable resting the dexter claw on an Escarbuncle of fourteen points Gules.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Glass-Blower supporting in his exterior hand a Blow-Pipe issuant therefrom in base a Glass Bottle and on the sinister side a Miner his Pit Lamp suspended from his neck supporting in his exterior hand a Pick-Axe proper all upon a Compartment composed of a Grassy Mount to the dexter and a Pile of Coal to the sinister all proper.
Motto : "Spectemur Agendo"
Incidentally I have in my possession a stained-glass maker's apprentice piece from 1548 which features the falcon with a padlock of the Locke family.
The destination is
Ilkley ("On Ilkley moor baht'at") which was swallowed up by Bradford in 1974. Until then its arms were:
Blazon:
Arms : Gules a Stone Celtic Cross proper between two Fountains on a Chief Argent a Lion passant guardant Sable armed and langued of the first.
Crest : On a Wreath Argent and Gules a Mount of Rocky Moorland proper thereon issuant from a Crown Palisado Or a Bull salient Gules the horns Or.
Motto : "Per Salubritatem Opes" (Through health, wealth)
"On Ilkley Moor Baht'at"" is one of those songs composed by "trad" of which every British child could once sing at least the first verse. It's entirety deserves recognition:
Wheear 'as ta bin sin ah saw thee,
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!
Wheear 'as ta bin sin ah saw thee?
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!
Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane|
(chorus)
Tha's bahn t'catch thi deeath o'cowd
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Tha's bahn t'catch thi deeath o'cowd
(chorus)
Then we shall ha' to bury thee
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall ha' to bury thee
(chorus)
Then t'worms 'll cum and eat thee oop
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then t'worms 'll cum and eat thee oop
(chorus)
Then ducks 'll cum and eat oop t'worms
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then ducks 'll cum and eat oop t'worms
(chorus)
Then we shall go an' ate oop ducks
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall go an' ate oop ducks
(chorus)
Then we shall all 'ave etten thee
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall all 'ave etten thee
(chorus)
That's wheer we get us oahn back
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
That's wheer we get us oahn back
(chorus)