b'Railway ManiaA Footnote: Kate Pratt1 845 was the year when the railway boomunderstood, that the Station is to be at first touched Pocklington. At least 3 differentthe River Head, and not at Pocklington, I companies were planning routes through Pocklingtonadvised Mr Seller not to proceed with his to create a line from York to Market Weighton andpetition until I had ascertained the truth of beyond. the report from you.One plan, which was backed by George LeemanI believe the people here are generally in of York, also proposed a branch line running fromfavour of Hudsons line, on account of its Pocklington to Driffield. On 4th September 1845,nearer approach to the Village of Bishop Leeman instructed the Pocklington solicitors,Wilton, and should your station be fixed James and Henry Powell, to do all in their power toat the River Head, very few here, I believe, gain support for such a project from the influentialwould be willing to sign your petition.gentlemen in the neighbourhood 1 . The plan wasShould it, however, be the intention supported by various local landowners includingof your Projectors to have a Station at George Legard of Fangfoss, Sir Charles Anderson ofPocklington, the Petition would, in that Burnby and Mr Read of Hayton.case, have a better chance of success.An alternative plan was backed by GeorgeA line will much oblige, dear Sir.Hudson, the Railway King, who was endeavouringYours faithfully,to develop a monopoly of railway routes in the NorthJ Shooter2East. He had the support of other local landowners including John Singleton, Baron Hotham and LadyThe matter of which railway company won the Muncaster of Warter. battle to build the new line was resolved in typically Bishop Wilton was also divided over the issue, asflamboyant fashion by George Hudson. In November is shown in a letter retained in the Powell & Young1845 it became known that he had bought the (Solicitors of Pocklington) archive, and lodged by them12,000 acre estate of Londesborough from the Duke in the East Riding Archives at Beverley. It is from theof Devonshire for nearly half a million pounds. 3This Reverend Joseph Shooter, Vicar of Bishop Wilton, andmeant that he owned a critical section of land that any dated October 15 1845: proposed line must pass through, thereby putting an Dear Sir, end to Leemans plans. As we know, the line was built Mr Seller the Schoolmaster of this placeonly as far as Market Weighton, the proposed branch called upon me yesterday with a petitionline to Driffield never materialising, and the station was in favour of your Railway, but havingbuilt in Pocklington rather than at Canal Head.1D Neave, Pocklington (1971), p272DDPY 32/2, Beverley Archives & Local Studies3A J Peacock, George Hudson, 1800-1871, The Railway King (1988), p166Ponds below PondsMike PrattI n his booklet, Wild Heath - The History of BishopPonds might have been situated. Was it possible that Wilton, Richard Sefton quotes from a poem of 1767the beck was dammed at the cross-roads forming a by W. H. Gent: pond? But this would only be one pond. What about But see where Wilton her fair fields displays! the others?Not Fairer fields are warmd by Phoebus Rays. I now think that this describes the view of the Plannd and preserved by Darleys Taste and Care, village from somewhere up Worsendale Road with There tender Firlings suck the Southern Air, the four ponds as described in my preceding article Here Guardian Oaks their broad brown Arms extend, laid out below. It coincides with the evidence quoted And with Parental Shade their feeble Young defend. from the survey map of 1765 (which was produced for Lo farther yet! to feast the roving Eye, Richard Darley) which appears to show these ponds Ponds below Ponds in meet arrangement lye; still holding water.Expanded wide the Watry Mirrors flow, By the way: classical Latin poets also used And floating Groves in all their Grandeur show. Phoebus as a byname for the sun-god, evidently.I have always wondered where the Ponds below 282 BULLETIN 15'