In 2008 The Work Place opened in Newton Aycliffe. The story of how this came about has now been published by the Elm House Trust, one of the two charities founded by Jane Ritchie.
Jane was left £9 million by her Cousin Margery and she spent over £5.5m on building an ‘industrial learning centre’ on the Aycliffe Business Park to promote education business partnership.
From her mother she inherited a large collection of family history documents which needed cataloguing and sorting. Jane commissioned Mike Keeble, renowned for his role as a commentator at many local agricultural shows, to turn this archive into a readable story to explain how the ‘Grit in the Oyster’- the pearl that is The Work Place, came into being.
Jane’s ancestors include a long bowman who fought at Agincourt, a Steward of Richmond Castle and founders of the Swaledale and Wensleydale Bank, the Robinson Memorial Church of England School, Leeds Infirmary and Clapham Women’s Hospital.
Dyers & Bleachers, Ironmongers, Mill Owners, Tea & Rubber Merchants, Farmers, Soldiers, Civil & Public Servants, Academics, Doctors, Vicars, Gentlemen Smugglers, a Japanese Countess and a Hungarian Baroness, are woven into this family history in a wonderful eclectic mix within the framework of national events.
Mike opens a Pandora’s Box of bigamy, fatal accidents, greed and law suits with eye-watering costs; and considers the ‘hope’ that is the legacy for the future. As this is real life, there is goodness to balance the record with a look at bankers who served their customers, soldiers who served their country and women who served their communities.
The Grit in the Oyster costs £12 and is available from The Work Place or direct from York Publishing Services on 01904 431213 or enqs@yps-publishing.co.uk
