Rejoicing in Ripon: Could Ripon rekindle the link with its Californian namesake?
It’s almost 50 years since former Ripon Mayor John Richmond and his sergeant at mace Cyril Hawley made the Transatlantic journey ✈️🌍 to California to represent our ancient city as VIP guests at a newer version of our namesake, as part of the USA’s Bicentennial celebrations.
Freeman of the City John, who celebrated his 90th birthday 🎉 in October, was at the time Ripon’s youngest-ever mayor, having been elected by fellow councillors in May 1975 when he was 39.
The invitation to be part of the huge year‑long events of 1976 — leading to the 200th anniversary of the USA’s Declaration of Independence 📜 on July 4th — came at short notice from multi‑millionaire Californian businessman Talbot Kendall, who also invited Ripon, Wisconsin to join the party.
John told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing Ripon blog:
“The out‑of‑the‑blue telephone call 📞 was taken by my son Paul at the Nordale Guest House in North Street that I owned and ran with my late wife Barbara.
“At first I thought it was some kind of practical joke, but I soon discovered it was for real when Talbot rang me back later in the day.”
John added:
“As I was being asked to take the Mayoral chain 🎖️ and one of the city’s horns 📯 to show and blow for our American hosts, I quickly sought council permission to accept the invitation. I paid my own way, but the costs of Cyril’s flights and accommodation were met by Mr Kendall.”
VIP Treatment ⭐
John pointed out:
“Being from the world’s first Ripon, Cyril and I were treated as guests of honour at a large civic reception attended by Californian dignitaries and business leaders.
“The horn was blown 📯 and we told the attentive audience about the daily setting of the watch, dating back to Alfred the Great in 886 AD, and its place in the deep and rich history of our city — built on foundations laid in the seventh century by St Wilfrid ✝️.
“We also received the red‑carpet treatment when we visited facilities in Ripon, California, including the city’s fire service 🚒, where we were photographed and interviewed by the local media.
“That photograph appears in books marking the Centennial of the Ripon California Fire Department, and I was thrilled to receive copies from Brenda Lange, who works in the department.
“She and her parents Bob and Aina were guests at Nordale when they visited Ripon in 1989, and it was a pleasure to show them around the city’s historic sites 🏛️ and take them to Fountains Abbey 🌿.”
Ripon’s ‘Ryder Cup’ ⛳
“The Langes were among numerous visitors from the USA 🇺🇸 to stay at our guest house, including golfers, friends and families from Ripon, California, who came to take part in — and watch — Ripon’s mini version of the Ryder Cup, held biennially from 1978 until 2018, before the covid pandemic brought it to an abrupt halt.”
Rekindling the special relationship ❤️
“When I received the books from the Ripon California Fire Department, I was pleased to see that our USA namesake still values the link between our two countries and cities.
“As a former businessman and councillor who worked hard to attract visitors and job‑creating inward investment 💼✨ to Ripon, North Yorkshire, it would be fantastic to see the special relationship with our American cousins rekindled 🔥🤝.”
Photo: John’s visit to the Ripon California fire department in February 1976
