A Report on our meeting held on 2 February 2026

For millennia new people have come to the East Riding and settled or moved on.  Hannah Stamp enthralled members with some examples from the last millennium.

Hannah is an archivist at the Treasure House and part of a small team researching this subject.  She explained that records reveal a long history of locals complaining about the number of aliens.  Late medieval records list about 1600 tax paying aliens in the East Riding including a large contingent of Scots, the remainder being largely from the near continent and Iceland.

The Beverley Minster sanctuary records give names of people arriving from far and wide, and Hannah gave more personal stories derived from the 1900’s Alien Registration Papers.  She also touched on the plight of Gypsies.

From the 1700’s onwards many in the East Riding employed black servants.  Around this time both Boynton Hall and the local vicar had them.  From archived records Hannah was able to name some and tell their stories.

A “Travellers and Settlers in the East Riding” touring exhibition is being prepared which will visit Sewerby Hall later in the year.

The vote of thanks was given by Christine Gatenby.