February 12th

On 12th February 1519, tailor William Bowman of Sewerby claimed anctuary in Flambrough parish church after assaulting William Johnson. At a coroner’s inquest at Bridlington 2 days later, the jurors reported that Bowman assaulted and killed Johnson with a staff on the king’s road between Sewerby and Bridlington, then fled to ‘Flaynburgh’. The King’s Bench declared Bowman an outlaw on 27.12.1519.

On 12th February 1556, in evidence given in court at York, Thomas Carter of Helperthorpe, 40, herdsman, made the first recorded reference to England’s oldest horse race, Kiplingcotes Derby.

On 12th February 1644, Sir William Constable of Flamborough led Parliamentary troops to capture the Royalist garrison at Bridlington, and took 159 prisoners. On their way back to Hull, they won a skirmish against the Royalists at Driffield.

On 12th February 1687, John Johnson, Rector of Cherry Burton recorded in his diary an earthquake at 3.45 on a Sunday afternoon.

Kiplingcotes

May 20th

On 20th May 1604, Jack Wright of Welwick, Thomas Percy, second cousin of the Duke of Northumberland, Robin Catesby, Tom Wintour and Guido (Guy) Fawkes met at the Duck and Drake Inn, Strand, London, and began the Gunpowder Plot, which eventually included 13 conspirators, including Jack’s younger brother Kit.

On 20th May 1816, Constable Thomas Pashby was fined 40s at the Tiger Inn, Beverley, for neglect of his duty as village constable in Ellerker, apparently for failing to bring defendants to court.

On 20th May 1910, Dora Whitehand, aged 2, drowned on a sofa when the house in Providence Place, Driffield, was flooded. A cloudburst in Cowlam sent a torrent of water down the valley, flooding hundreds of houses to a depth of 6 feet. 2” rain fell in Driffield in an hour. Bridges were damaged, and the furnaces at the gasworks were extinguished. Weaverthorpe was submerged in mud; Helperthorpe and Elmswell were also affected.

On 20th May 1917, Francis Acaster, carpenter, aged 65 of Francis Terrace, Hull, was killed by enemy action whilst a merchant seaman, returning to Hull from Bombay on board SS Tycho of Hull, off Beachy Head.

On 20th May 1941, Dr R.H. Moyes. Voluntary Medical Officer to Civil Defence was awarded the British Empire Medal for gallantry during an air raid.

SS Tycho