Yorkshire

The industrial district of south Yorkshire is situated on the northern half of the Yorkshire, Derby and Notts coal-field. The West Riding is the chief seat of the woollen manufacture of the United Kingdom, and has almost the monopoly in the produc tion of worsted cloths. The early development of the industry was in part due to the rearing of sheep on the moors and to the abundance of water-power, while rater the presence of coal further established it, but now most of the wool used is imported from abroad. The industry engages the most important towns. Almost every variety of woollen and worsted cloth is produced at Leeds; Bradford is especially concerned with yarns and mixed worsted goods; Dewsbury and Batley with shoddy; Huddersfield with fancy goods and Halifax with carpets. Linen is also manufactured at Leeds and Barnsley and the cotton industry has also penetrated to the neighbourhood of Halifax. The people of the industrial part of Yorkshire are noted for their singing, and choral societies are numerous. The woollen industry flourishes in the soft-water area and gives place to the iron-and-steel industry south of the Calder valley. Sheffield is especially famous for the finest grades of steel, for heavy machinery, hardware, fine metal-work, cutlery and plated-goods. The development of the iron ore deposits of Cleveland dates only from the middle of the 19th century. In addition to a large amount raised locally, the smelters of the Middlesbrough district import large quantities of ore from Sweden and Spain. The attendant industries such as the production of steel, shipbuilding, etc., also flourish. The chemical industry is im portant both here and in the West Riding where also a great variety of other industries has sprung up, such as the great leather industry at Leeds, the manufacture of clothing, printing and bleaching, and paper-making. Besides coal and iron ore, large quantities of clay, limestone and sandstone are raised. Excellent building-stone is obtained in the West Riding. The sea-fisheries are important, the chief fishing ports being Hull, Scarborough, Whitby and Filey. Leeds has become a great business centre and almost a metropolis for the woollen area of the West Riding.

Communications.

Two main lines traverse the county, the L.N.E. line from London, passing through Doncaster, Selby, York, Northallerton, to Durham and the north; the other, the L.M.S. line from London and Derby to Sheffield, Leeds, Skipton, Settle and on to Carlisle. In addition to these there is a perfect network of lines, the L.N.E. serving for the most part the north and east of Leeds and the L.M.S. the West Riding. The Pennines are crossed by the L.M.S. from Huddersfield to Manchester, Halifax to Todmorden, as well as through the "Aire gap," and by the L.N.E. from Penistone to Manchester, Northallerton to Hawes Junction and across the north-west of the county from Barnard Castle to Kirkby Stephen. A complete system of canals links the centres of the southern West Riding, with the sea, east and west.

Population and Administration.

The area of the ancient county is 3,889,432 ac. ; its population (1931) 4,389,465. The dis tribution of the population may be inferred from the following statement of the parliamentary divisions, parliamentary, county and municipal boroughs, and urban districts in the three ridings. It should be premised that each of the three ridings is a dis tinct administrative county though there is one high sheriff for the whole county. The city of York (pop. 84,810) is situated where the three ridings meet in the Ainsty of York, wholly out side the three ridings.

The county and boroughs of Yorkshire return a total of 57 mem bers to parliament. The West Riding has an area of 1,776,064 ac., with a population in 1931 of 3,352,208. Of this area the south in dustrial district, considered in the broadest sense as extending be tween Sheffield and Skipton, Sheffield and Doncaster, and Leeds and the county boundary, covers rather less than one half. The North Riding has an area of 1,362,058 ac., with a population (1930 469,389. The East Riding has an area of 750,115 ac., with a population (1931) 483,058. The county is divided between the dioceses of York, Ripon and Wakefield, Sheffield, and Bradford with small parts in those of Manchester, Blackburn, Southwell, Durham and Lincoln. York is the seatof the northern archdiocese.