Newspaper diarist honoured for long service

The man behind the farming diary Year Round, which has appeared in the Yorkshire Post for 45 years, was honoured for long service to agriculture yesterday.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jul 2010, 12:11 BST
Updated 15th Jul 2010, 12:11 BST

Edward Hart, 85, grew up at Strensall, North Yorkshire, grandson of a farmer, left school at 17 and went to work on a dairy farm at Harrogate.

Eight years and several farms later, he had 800 to put down on 154 acres selling for 3,000 at Bilsdale. He ran sheep and cattle there for 12 years. But meanwhile, he had discovered another vocation – writing.

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He became a regular contributor to the Yorkshire Post and in 1965, the agricultural editor of the day suggested the format for Year Round – the rotating diaries of a set of real-life farmers.

Mr Hart, who now has a great- grandson on a farm in Wensleydale, still calls one of his "stable" of farmers every week and sends his Year Round to the Saturday supplement Country Week.

The others named for honours this year by members of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society were – Les Backhouse of Boroughbridge, wagon driver for JC Lister Farms; John Brown of Topcliffe, farmworker for JC Lister; George Cartner of Pickhill, tractor driver, shepherd and handyman for John T Fall Ltd; Mick Dewing of Skelton, near Saltburn, head forester for Skelton & Gilling Estates; Ronald Eggleston of Norwood, near Harrogate, farm manager for Brown Bank Farm; Colin Harris of Skelton, gamekeeper for Skelton & Gilling Estates; Geoff Howard of Ulleskelf, near Tadcaster, farmworker and driver for RM Cornforth & Son; Philip Jackson of Green Hammerton, York, agricultural worker for JD Leather & Partner; Alan Kirk of Thornton Watlass, Ripon, general hand and craftsman for Thornton Watlass Estate; Ellis Kneeshaw of Malton, tanker driver for BATA; Peter Lazenby of Acaster, Selby, farm manager for Ibbotson Storage & Farming Ltd.; David Parker of Helperby, York, farm worker for DW Cupit; Alan Peacock of Skelton, Saltburn, labourer for Wharton Estates; Steve Taylor of Margrove Park, Saltburn, forester for Skelton & Gilling Estates; Kevin Ward of Skelton, Saltburn, groundsman for Skelton & Gilling Estates; John Whitehead of Knaresborough, head tractor driver for Brettains Farm; David Wood of Stanghow, Saltburn, farm manager for Skelton & Gilling Estates.

Related topics:North Yorkshire