Market Place

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On the south side of the Square, to the left of the Town Hall, the Claro Bank is under construction, and to the right is the Post Office. Note that the northern half of the Square has been concreted. The odd position of the gutter in the foreground is because originally the strip between the gutter and the pavement was cobbled and used for market stalls as can be seen in various market day or fair day photographs. The lamp in the centre of the Square is of significance. A Leeds firm had just invented the gas mantle lamp (the six lamps in the square were fitted with 'Bray burners') and this lamp was erected to test the feasibility of using mantle lamps for street lighting. Apparently it was a success because the four corner lamps were converted to mantle burners. The City Fathers prudently left Bray burners in the middle lamps on each side. The informant was the late Percy Thorpe, whose father had the job of tending the trial lamp. The following quote, taken from 'Ripon Market Place' by Mike Younge, helps explain the general gentrification of the square taking place in the same year; "lavishly appointed toilets were put in with flowers and seats above".