A Hollywood star with strong connections to Harrogate is to be commemorated with a plaque next month. 

Michael Rennie was once a household name, and in 1946 became the highest-paid filmstar in Britain.

He acted with such Hollywood greats as Orson Welles, Richard Burton, Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando and Bette Davis. His most famous role was perhaps the lead in the 1951 sci-fi blockbuster The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Rennie was born in 1909 in Idle, near Bradford, and schooled in Cambridgeshire, but his family home was on Otley Road in Harrogate, where he died in 1971. His headstone can be seen at Harlow Hill Cemetery. 

The brown plaque, which has been created by Harrogate Civic Society, will be unveiled at 1 Otley Road – the Rennie family’s former home – by Rennie’s son, David, on Saturday, September 9, at 11am. Well-wishers are welcome.

David Rennie, a high court judge whose godmother was Elizabeth Taylor, told the Stray Ferret: 

“This plaque means a lot to me, because I didn’t know my father as well as I would have liked. I really got to know him – the way he moved, the sound of his voice – by watching his films.

“When I was growing up, it wasn’t unusual to meet people who knew of him and his roles, especially after he played Harry Lime in the TV series of The Third Man, and I always got the feeling that he was very much liked and admired. 

“When he wasn’t in Hollywood, London or Geneva, he came to Yorkshire. I’m confident that although he had this glamorous life, the fact that he always kept on coming back to the family home in Harrogate meant that the connection mattered to him, and I wanted to mark that.” 

Harrogate Civic Society is currently considering creating plaques for two other local figures of note: Charles Taylor, who founded Taylor’s Tea; and Claude Verity, who worked from a studio in Harrogate and is believed to have been the first person to add a soundtrack to film.

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A new plaque recognises the “invaluable contribution” played by Harrogate Convention Centre during the covid pandemic.

The plaque was unveiled yesterday to coincide with the third anniversary of the convention centre being converted from an event and conference space into a 500-bed NHS Nightingale Hospital within three weeks.

The hospital — one of seven built across the country — did not treat a single covid patient but was used to carry out non-coronavirus diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments.

It was stood down in April 2021 before being dismantled. An inquiry later revealed the facility cost £31.6 million.

The convention centre was also chosen as part of the government’s events research programme pilot to help get audiences back safely into the wider events sector as restrictions eased.

Cllr Cooper unveils the plaque

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council and chair of Harrogate Convention Centre board, unveiled the plaque. He said:

“I am delighted to be able to unveil the plaque that recognise the invaluable contribution that Harrogate Convention Centre made during the covid pandemic.

“It was no small feat to transform an exhibition and events venue into a fully operational hospital within 21 days. Even more so, when the advice at the time was to stay safe and stay at home.”

Craige Richardson, executive director of estates and facilities at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said:

“As lead trust for the region, LTHT played an instrumental role in the commissioning process, from the initial site selection to the construction works and supply of medical gases.

“The Nightingale team worked around the clock to build the hospital and plan how it would work clinically. At times it seemed like an impossible task, and it was down to the commitment and hard work of every involved that it was up and running within 21-days.”

The hospital was built in collaboration with BAM, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, the British Army, NG Bailey, Silcock Leedham, Roses Medical and Brebur.

Pic shows: Staff from Harrogate Convention Centre and officials at the plaque unveiling.

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The Harrogate Club has honoured its longstanding member, Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam, by naming its dining room after him.

The club on Victoria Avenue, which dates back to 1857, provides a variety of events, dining, and social occasions to members and their guests.

Mr Neesam was at the club today for a special lunch to mark the naming of the dining room, which is now called The Malcolm Neesam Room, and to unveil the latest Harrogate Civic Society plaque.

The plaque, close to the footpath on Victoria Avenue, gives details about the club, why it was set up and what it stands for.

The historian had a hand in designing the civic society’s first Harrogate plaque at Tewit Well in 1971. The latest plaque is the 89th to be installed in the town by the group.

Harrogate Civic Society has a website and app with walking trails between different plaques.

L to R: Stuart Holland (Harrogate Civic Society), Janet Chapman, Malcolm Neesam, Kevin Parry (The Harrogate Club), Trevor Chapman.

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The club’s president, Kevin Parry, said it wanted to honour Mr Neesam for his contributions to the venue and to the town over many decades by naming its refurbished dining room after him.

It was officially unveiled by the mayor and mayoress of Harrogate, Trevor and Janet Chapman.

Mr Neesam gave a typically interesting and humorous talk to around 30 people who attended.

Some of his speech is below:

“The club’s early members were deeply embedded in the life of the town. Most notably was in the Great War, when the club opened its doors to army and navy servicemen.

“I have done guides to the club, and people ask, ‘what does the club actually do?’ Actually, the club does nothing, it’s the members who do it.

“When I joined the club, it was male-only and the conversation could be terrible. The quality has improved immeasurably since females joined!

“The club will continue to thrive, continuous of younger members joining whose views may be very contrary to the established membership, but they represent the future and their views will triumph in the end, as has always been the case with the club.

“I have always valued above else the fellowship to members, not just to me.

“No better example than that is the wonderful plaque which I do not deserve. It touches me very much, and to the heart, that the club has done this wonderful gesture.”

Two commemorative plaques are to be installed in Pateley Bridge and Bewerley this summer to thank the communities for their “amazing” response during the pandemic.

Pateley Bridge Town Council and Bewerley Parish Council are installing the markers in their towns as a way to thank and recognise community members who collectively came forward to help out.

The idea has been discussed at a few council meetings in recent months but at Tuesday’s annual council meeting it was agreed to arrange an unveiling for July.

Both councils felt it was important to hold the ceremony once lockdown had eased to allow for a proper celebration of people’s hard work.

One plaque will be placed halfway up Pateley Bridge high street, aside other plaques, and the other on the outer wall of Bewerley youth shelter. They will be funded by the two councils.

Mayor of Pateley Bridge, Mike Holt, said he came up with the idea a few months ago after trying to find a way to recognise various people and companies’ efforts.

He said:

“On the whole, the community came together in a tremendous way. The plaque will be there forever to remind people of the past year. I think it’s important for us to come together and remember the people who came together at the time.”

Further arrangements for July’s unveilings will be announced as covid restrictions ease.

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