[Mike Young]

I often tell my tour about the York Minster Police Force and something about thier history and current status. Once, whilst I was inside the Treasurer’s House gardens a group of about 10 middle aged lady cyclists arrived. They parked their bikes against the Treasurer’s House wall. Within minutes a York Minster Poilicewoman arrived and told them very firmly that they muct remove their bicycles immediately. There was no dissent. I even felt that I should go and move my bike immediately too, even though I haven’t got one!
I wondered if the group thought I had arranged the event to illustrate my point about the Minster Police.

[Mike Young]

I read that there were 180 hospital residents when the hospital was finally closed. Do you have any idea where they might have gone? Were they looked after by church communities? Did they go to ‘secular’ hospitals?

( I am curious to know as, during my social work career I led teams of staff who were relocating residents of the old asylums into other kinds of accommodation.)

Thanks

Mike Young
17th April 2023

[Mike Young]

THE ‘UPSIDE-DOWN TREE’
Around 20 Guides responded to my question about the ‘Upside-down tree’ in the Museum Gardens by the entrance gate through to the Multangular Tower. Many thanks for taking the time to advise me.
Most people pointed out that it was a stumpie. This was a Victorian invention which used dead tree stumps as objects of interest in public or private gardens. Sometimes the stumps of dead trees would be sculpted into shapes such as people or animals or walls along garden walkways. In the mid nineteenth century great interest was developed in ferns and varieties were imported from all over the world. Garden designers began to grow plants, especially ferns, in or around them. The artificial structures encouraged wildlife such as insects, mosses and lichen.
The first collection of stumpies, known as a stumpery, was opened in 1856 at Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire. The King has a large, modern collection of them at Highclere House in Gloucestershire.
I also learnt that next to the stumpie is an extremely rare Wollemi pine tree from Australia. It was thought to be extinct and was known only in fossilised remains until it was re-discovered in1994. The Royal Horticultural Society website says there less than 100 such trees left in the world. One guide recalled the great excitement shown by two Australian naturalists on his tour when they saw it. (For further information see https://www.wollemipine.co.uk/ )
Thanks once again to everyone who responded to my query.

Mike Young
15th January 2023

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