Sarah, et al,
I lived in a hamlet to the north east of Meltham (Helme) for the first 20 odd years of my life before moving around the country, finally ending up in Dorset, where I have lived for the last 30 odd years.
My connections with Meltham (in The West Riding of Yorkshire !!) are now quite tenuous, but I well remember very cold Christmas Eve nights carol singing in Meltham market place and surrounding areas, starting at midnight with 'Christians Awake' and finishing around 5.30am
However, I consider myself very fortunate in owning a cd of 'Meltham's Favourite Carols', recorded in St Bartholomew's Church Meltham some time ago. The church choristers performed the necessary, and the carols included:-
Hear ye now, the gladsome tidings
Christians awake
Morning Star
The Hallowed Season
Salvation (Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells)
Peaceful, Gladsome Christmas Morning
Tenderley Sleeping
and ending with 'Goodnight', a total of 20 carols, the ones above having a particular 'Meltham' feel about them.
Incidentally, my wife hails from Holmfirth (home of 'Pratty Flowers'), and I also remember many a happy Saturday evening spent at The Royal Oak in Upperthong singing the hunting songs of Holme Valley Beagles ilk (Gossip John etc).
Raggytash mentions his pride of living in one of Yorkshire's 3 Ridings.
Being a true Yorkshireman, I do not recognise 'South Yorkshire', and therefore any correspondence emanating from my home address to that glorious County will have the appropriate Riding attached as part of the address!!!