MIDDLETON ON THE WOLDS HERITAGE

Cherised Community Asset

Located at 7 Front Street in the heart of the village, the Middleton on the Wolds Reading Rooms have been a cherished community asset. Gifted to the Parish for various recreational activities, these rooms have been lovingly managed by a dedicated group of trustees. Despite occasional damage from HGVs over the years – the roof has always been promptly repaired, they have ensured the building remains in good condition. The Parish Council oversees the ongoing maintenance and usage of the Reading Rooms, which are currently under long-term rental.

Source: Front Street, Middleton On The Wolds. OntheMarket.com

The Brooksbank Family Legacy

Arthur Brooksbank married Anna Maria, the daughter of the vicar of St Mary’s Lichfield. Together, they had five sons and two daughters. Arthur passed away on 21st December 1903 and is buried in a family grave in the churchyard.

Captain Arthur Heywood Brooksbank succeeded his father. Born on 19th December 1856, he retired from the 19th Hussars and settled into the life of a country gentleman. In 1890, he married Dora Helen, daughter of Sir Richard Baggallay, one of the Lord Justices of Appeal. Captain Arthur Heywood Brooksbank served as a magistrate for the Bainton Beacon Petty Sessional Division, which convened every other Thursday at the Mechanics’ Institute. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing legal matters and maintaining community order. Additionally, as a Commissioner of the Driffield Navigation in East Yorkshire, Captain Brooksbank played a key role in managing and maintaining the waterway. His responsibilities likely included ensuring the navigation’s upkeep, overseeing necessary repairs, and managing financial aspects related to its operation. He died on 24th May 1917 and is buried near the entrance of the overspill burial ground. His estate was valued at £15,344.

Percy Brooksbank succeeded his father and passed away in 1952. His ashes were interred in the Middleton on the Wolds cemetery. An American newspaper obituary highlighted his diverse achievements.

The Village Reading Room

When Colonel Brooksbank provided the village with a Reading Room in 1897, it was a timely acknowledgment of the progress of literacy since compulsory education was introduced in 1880. Methodism, with its emphasis on the reading of scripture and Friendly Society activity, had also given certain villagers growing confidence with written material.

Nationally, businessmen were keen to exploit the growing market for the printed word by providing the expanded reading public with popular material, including puzzles and competitions, along with news items written in an entertaining and easily digestible form—the forerunner of today’s tabloid press.

Locally, newspapers such as the Driffield Times and the Beverley Guardian increased their coverage of local happenings, aided by railway distribution, marking a golden age for local reporting.

In August 1899, the parish magazine reported:

“The annual meeting of the Middleton Reading Room was held on Friday, June 23rd, Colonel Brooksbank in the chair. After the minutes and balance sheet had been read by the secretary, Mr. Phillips, he appointed to serve on the committee the Rev. J. Hare, Messrs H. Simpson, Railton, Towse, and George Eastwood; and the members elected Messrs H. Simpson, D. B. Soanes, W. O. Railton, and J. Shipley.

The Rector then proposed a vote of thanks to Col. Brooksbank for his generous gift of the Reading Room to the parish, and assured him that it was much appreciated by the members. Mr. Eastwood seconded this, and it was carried unanimously. At the first meeting of the new committee, it was decided that in future the subscription of members should be as follows: Yearly members 4/- payable in advance; quarterly members 1/6 a quarter. The committee hopes that all members will become yearly members.”

At the Village Feast held by the Foresters that year, the Reading Room was included in the toasts, which were a feature of those festivities.

On 30th March 1901, the Driffield Times reported: “An addition of 50 volumes has just been made to the library in connection with the Village Reading Room at Middleton. Towards the cost of this addition, the committee received a donation from Colonel Brooksbank of the Hall.” It would be nice to know the titles of some of the books and their subsequent fate.

As a mark of its fame as a village landmark before the First World War, a local newspaper had a column by “Paul Pry” entitled “Middleton – Heard at Reading Room Corner,” which contained snippets of local information, often of a barbed character. In 1913, Kelly’s Directory listed Miss Constance Wood as secretary, and a report for the Hull Times in 1914 stated that “several newspapers are taken.”

The building, as Waters Appleton recalled to a journalist in 1929, was on the site of six thatched cottages and contained a library kept under lock and key, with books only issued one day a week. There was also a billiard table, much used by the village doctor, Ernest Clements, an active man who played a big part in village affairs. Membership was strictly confined to males who could, as Jack Bentley recalled, join at the age of 16 but were expected to remain silent when games were being played.

During the Second World War, it was a popular venue, particularly for card games, but for some years its fortunes declined. The Parish Magazine reported in 1960 that the Rector, the Rev. E. Winter, had made several unsuccessful attempts to revive its fortunes, and that year a Reading Room and Youth Group committee were formed.

Over the years, the building deteriorated, and in 2006, Madelaine Dewar and Janet James worked hard to secure grants to refurbish both the Reading Room and Village Hall. The Reading Room was a useful venue for smaller activities such as Parish Council meetings, coffee mornings, interest groups, and elections until 2023.

The Property information

Entrance Lobby

• Front entrance door
• Tiled floor
• Radiator

Office (4.23m x 3.73m / 13’10” x 12’2″)

• Radiator
• Two fitted cupboards
• Telephone point

Main Hall (7.27m x 5.18m / 23’10” x 16’11”)

• Bay window to front
• Wooden flooring
• Four radiators
• Partial wood panelling to walls
• Cupboard housing hot water cylinder

Kitchen (3.27m x 2.89m / 10’8″ x 9’5″)

• Fitted with a range of wall and floor units
• Complimentary work surfaces
• Stainless steel sink unit
• Electric cooker point
• Electric water heater
• Extractor fan

Rear Entrance Lobby

• Side entrance door
• Radiator

We hope to add more to the website in this area.

Source: Geoff Wisher Heritage Sheet 28

Written by M. G using sources from Geoff Wisher

May 2025