Peggy Hutchinson (Northern Echo April 1932) (September 2006)
(Thanks to Bessie Fox for this newspaper clipping.)
Husthwaite is a picturesque old-world village lying south of the Hambleton Hills. Some of the houses date back to 1600 - quaint cottages smothered in roses, girt about by acres of lovely orchards. Well cared for, pruned and trained, in May they are a fairyland of petal dust.
Last autumn this village sold more than 90 tons of plums into West Hartlepool.
The inhabitants are farmers and smallholders, very many owning their holding. There are no poor, for the people combine frugal living with hard work and thrift.
One can stand on the tiny village green, built in the form of a T, and look into three streets. There are beautiful gardens, where creeping jenny and snow-in-summer hang over the low grey walls. Green leafy monarchs mingle with the gay red of flowering currant. Spring flowers are everywhere; primroses and violets nestle in the hedgerows.
The Black Bull is a quaint Tudor inn, with white plaster and oak beams black with age. The church is 1,100 years old and has those priceless box pews on oak (their uprightness allows no snoozing during the sermon).
The good folks’ amusements are dances, whist drives and concerts of local talent. Their market towns are Easingwold and Thirsk. Leslie Hutchinson, a boy of 11, is the soloist in the choir. He has a remarkable, clear range of voice, and is likely to go far.
I spoke to the Women’s Institute, and was met by Mrs Lamb, who has been Hon Secretary during the Institute’s life (11 years) and has missed only one meeting. I felt at home the minute I shook hands with Mrs Wailes, the president I did some judging and saw that the members had imagination in their cooking and a good recipe for rice cake. They told me about their effort to be held this year on 7 August when they hold a show for eggs, butter, cheese, fruit, vegetables and flowers, with side lines, crafts and knitting. They generally make £10 profit, and are the envy of many other show committees, but as I have said before, if you want a job done well set a woman to do it - and a band of women are unbeatable.
These good women are famed for their jams, wines, chutneys and bottled fruits and their happy aces and gay friendly ways.
This beautiful village is a paradise for hikers and cyclists. The White Horse stands out so plain on the hillside above - it looks quite real. They have Gibbet Hill here, which tells its own gruesome tale, and had at one time a witch (probably a harmless old woman). Because Husthwaite has such a healthy situation people live to great ages - 70 and 80 is quite common. Husthwaite’s outlook on life is full of generous kindness.