The Origins

The society was founded in 1984 by Donald Bemrose of Bridlington who was concerned about the erosion of the East Riding dialect. Mr Bemrose is currently Treasurer of the Society.

Membership

Details of fees and application forms can be obtained from the society’s treasurer.

Meetings

There are six meetings a year at The Foundry public house, Cross Hill, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire. On the occasions where there is no speaker, members themselves provide the theme with their own poetry and prose, by reading from the society’s collection of dialect books, or by providing personal childhood reminiscences.

Other annual events are:

Yorkshire Day

This is involves an afternoon of Yorkshire humour and dialect readings, both traditional and modern. This event occurs on the Saturday closest to the 1^st of August and is held at Burnby Hall, Pocklington.

Harvest

This is celebrated in Autumn with a Mell Supper. Details of the exact date, time and venue can be obtained annually from the society’s secretary.

Christmas Lunch

As with the Mell Supper, details are available from the secretary

Publications

The society publishes a quarterly newsletter of members’ contributions. Back copies of this publication are held in The Local Studies Section of York, Library, Museum St, York YO1 2DS.

Additionally, the following books are available from the society’s librarian:

Jarratt, A., Lang Sarmons, - a compendium of stories and verse from Holderness. (Reprinted by The East Riding Dialect Society.)

Nellist, G., Yorkshire Wolds of Yesteryear – memories of the Yorkshire wolds preserved in prose.

Spencer, B., (ed) East Riding Verse and Prose, - an anthology of stories and poems form the society’s newsletters (1984 - 1990).

Spencer, B., (Ed) Tales and Poems of the East Riding, - this is a special publication to celebrate ten years of the society’s work

Stockton, N., (Ed) East Yorkshire Facts and Fables, - stories, language, lore, poems , and history of East Yorkshire.

 

Also available from the treasurer in book form or on audio cassette:

Bemrose.D., Diz thoo remember, a collection of poems of the author’s own composition.

Further Information

For any further information about the East Riding Dialect Society please contact the secretary

The logo of the East Riding Dialect Society has been reproduced with the kind permission of Mr D. Bemrose