The Yorkshire Ridings Society

Minden Rose to be marked by plaque.

A plaque is to be placed next to the the white rose tree, which was carried to Minden, Germany by YRS members Chris and Roger Sewell. The walkers will attend a ceremony, organised by the Royal British Legion, Minden Branch and attended by the Bugermeister of Minden, at the Battle of Minden Memorial, on Monday 18th April, at which the plaque will be unveiled.

Minden Rose Update.

The White 'Yorkshire Lady' Rose, carried to Minden, last year, by walkers Chris and Roger Sewell is thriving. It bloomed in late June but the weather has been very hot since then and it didn't produce blooms for August 1st.

On a recent trip to Germany, between walks in the Netherlands, Chris and Rog were able to see for themselves how well the rose is doing and were able to meet up with members of the Minden Branch of the British Legion whom they met last year.

The annual sercice of rememberance at the Battle of Minden Memorial was held on August 1st.

To Germany with a White Rose. 250 miles for 250 years.

Why would anyone walk 250 miles to Germany carrying a white rose bush?

Well Tony Hawks travelled round Ireland with a fridge, so it's perhaps not as strange as it first seems.

YRS members Christine and Roger Sewell will set off from the Mansion House in York on the 16th July to walk to the site of the Battle of Minden, in Germany. The battle took place on 1st August 1759. August 1st is also Yorkshire Day and the walk is intended to create a link between the two days.

A Yorkshire Infantry regiment, The 51st Regiment of Foot, fought in the battle and local reports state that English soldiers wore roses, picked locally, on their uniforms either during or after the battle, possibly in memory of fallen comrades. The tradition of wearing roses on Minden day has been carried on by English regiments which have connections with the battle of Minden. In the case of Yorkshire Regiments these are white roses. The white rose has been used as  a badge showing association with the county for some time.

The rose bush which is being carried is to be planted near the monument to the battle so that white roses will, in the future, bloom, hopefully for Minden Day / Yorkshire Day, at the site of the battle. The roses will serve as a memorial to the Yorkshiremen who fought in the battle and as a reminder of the link between Minden Day and Yorkshire Day.

Read more on the background to the walk, and keep up to date with Chris and Roger's progress in this section of the website.