Editorial 2009

Maureen Ellis and Michael Slater

Some of the NCHT talks are eventually expanded as articles in the Journal as the spoken word is more fugitive than the written one. The debate about information from the printed word versus that via cyber space is likely to continue but we are lucky to have the best of both worlds. Thanks to the knowledgeable and hard working experts who manage our web site the contents of the Journal are obtainable in that way. In that particular manner extra text, references and illustrations can also be presented. This year we are very privileged to be able to use one of Annie Farrer’s paintings on the front cover. It links nicely with one of the articles describing an aspect of the botanical heritage that is so abundant in North Craven.

The differences in length of the articles are very welcome as they give a varying pace to the text. We are very keen to make the Journal look attractive and not only do images illustrate points in the articles but they are a visual source of information and rest from the act of reading. However we want every illustration to have a reason to be there as well as being of sufficient quality for the caption to make sense. These aims are of course relaxed when an old photograph emerges with intrinsic historical merit.

It may be noticed that there is inconsistency in the spelling of certain words in some of the articles. We have a deliberate policy of allowing variability in spelling, particularly where it relates to place names but also when quotations are used from old documents. It was only with Ordnance Survey mapping that variability of the spelling of place names settled down. There is still, and will no doubt remain, a lively debate about consistency versus evolution in the spelling of many words and in the conversion of the spoken word to formal spelling in our rich language.

Please note the deadline of 15th March 2010 for copy for the next Journal.

As we go to press it is with great regret that we announce the sudden death of our second President, Bryan Braithwaite-Exley, on Friday 29 May.
Sadly Arthur Lupton has died in June this year and a full obituary will be published in next year’s journal.