Chocolate, Derbyshire and East Yorkshire

I forgot to mention previously that, before we left Birmingham, we visited Cadbury World - yes, a themed park dedicated to chocolate! You actually get three complimentary bars just by buying an entrance ticket which entitles you to a total chocolate experience: learning about the history of the Cadbury family, about the discovery of chocolate, and about chocolate making. I didn't know that John Cadbury who founded the company in the late 1700s was a Quaker or that he was ahead of his time in the management of his employees. He introduced a reduced work week (5 1/2 days), provided housing for his workers and even established a pension fund. However, he made sure there were no pubs around Bourneville where his factory was because of his Quaker beliefs. It was all very interesting in spite of the hundreds and hundreds of noisy, hyperactive children wired on all their chocolate bars! At the end of the visit - which included demonstrations, a diorama on the history of chocolate, a ride (not unlike Disney's "It's a Small World") - you were treated to, yes, more chocolate in liquid form this time with 3 toppings of your choice and then, of course, were spat out into the gift store which only encouraged you to buy more chocolate. Which we did!

Clair, Gavin, Harriet and Esme in front of Cadbury World

Okay, now about the last couple of days. On Tuesday, after popping into Chesterfield to see the famous crooked spire church, we met up with our third cousin and his wife for lunch. His grandmother, our grandfather's cousin, is our connection to this area which I have visited often. After lunch, we visited Hardwick Hall and, although the house was closed, we strolled around the grounds. The house was built in the 1500s by Bess (Elizabeth) of Hardwick, the Countess of Shrewsbury (hence the E and S on the top of the building). At the time, she was the second richest woman in England; only Queen Elizabeth I was richer.

Kathleen outside St. Mary's Church with its crooked spire

Photo of Chesterfield's old pub - it was morning and thus closed

Hardwick Hall

The 'E' and 'S' for Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury

Wednesday, we left Chesterfield and headed north into Yorkshire. We briefly stopped in York to visit the minster and then in a nearby village to have lunch with some friends of Kathleen. After that, we drove east to the town of Whitby on the coast. I really like this place and this time the weather cooperated which made our visit even more special. We sat on a balcony in the sun overlooking the harbour enjoying our drinks. Kath kept mentioning how lovely it was to hear seagulls again - and there were plenty of them! We didn't attempt the 119 somewhat steep steps up to the abbey ruins (connected with Dracula as Bram Stoker used Whitby as the setting for some of his gothic novel of the same name) and, instead, drove up there the next morning.