Sand. Grit. Dust...

Courage. Spirit. Nerve. Tenacity...

Peculiar to the City of York

#YorkyGrit

‘CHOSEN’
‘BOTTLED’
‘CURATED’
‘BEFITTING’

The Polite Tourist presents ‘yorky grit


From an Ancient City of Warring Armies, Restless Ghosts, Religious Persecution, Delicious Chocolate, and Infamous Outlaws – ‘Yorky Grit’ is THE Quintessential Memento from York!

From the shelves of the The Polite Tourist emporium and designed by the artist Lady Brigante – this is an exclusive hand-made miniature from the City of York.

With a pinch of sand and locally sourced Yorkshire grit, and dressed in our exclusive recycled label – this little bottle will add a peculiar and perfect finishing touch to your cabinet of curiosities.

Browse. Shop.


The Polite Tourist offers true crime walks through Victorian history. Through York, Scarboro’ and beyond.

Innovative, meticulously researched and inspired by true crime stories from the Victorian era and through the tales of those ordinary people woven into the rich fabric of an ancient city or town’s social history – our walks are designed to offer an informative and unique experience with a professional and spirited storyteller.

Described as the bête noire of the long forgotten dearly departed – our storyteller, the Lady Brigante is a spiritual sleuth, sometime artist and a seeker of the dead.

to the box office?


Panel 1

Sand. Grit. Dust…

Inspired by the local colloquialism of ‘Yorkshire Grit’ and named after the Pennine sandstone which for centuries has been used to grind corn – ‘Yorkshire Grit’ is also a state of mind, an elusive virtue which speaks of courage in the face of adversity and of the human spirit refusing to be ground down.

But WHY ‘Yorky Grit’?


Fondly described as the ‘Cinderella’ of her family and while our Lady Brigante ekes out a living from her miniature creations while working hard as a company director to increase the profile AND profit margin for Death in a Chocolate Box – she is also a care giver for her infirm mother and a younger brother who struggles with dementia.

That she has an irascible spouse, two high-maintenance felines and a gaggle of hens who also demand her care and attention and a large house to run merely adds to the romanticism of this sorry tale.

However, earlier this year during one cold, grey UK lock-down afternoon, and with an income running on negative, no access to a research library; and with a painful wrist tendon having thwarted her All Hallows Eve plans for some model design and clay sculpture – our Lady B retreated to her lair.

And while poised before a blank computer screen her telephone rang and as she answered call after call of bad tidings – she opened an email from the IPO warning her of a potential threat to her beloved Death in a Chocolate Box brand.

And just like that – all of her precious creativity and those stories waiting to be shared, now vanished into the ether along with her exciting plans AND motivation.

Tether. End. Of. Reached? Absolutely!

Now, ever faithful to her Yorky nature, she was in need of a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit or two.

SAND. GRIT. DUST…


As she waited with heavy heart for the kettle to boil, she remembered the tale of the soprano singer Lesley Garett from the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are? in which Lesley talks candidly of her emotional struggle upon leaving home for the first time and of receiving a handful of Yorkshire grit by post from her mother by way of reply.

And having gone in search of a glass bottle from her collection of miniature curios and now with some local grit to hand – she bottled it and carried this miniature back upstairs to her desk.

COURAGE. NERVE. SPIRIT. TENACITY…


And there this little bottle of Yorky grit has stayed to this day – like a faithful friend, a witness to that difficult day and a powerful reminder that this too shall pass.

One brighter morning weeks later and while gazing a this little bottle of grit – our Lady B was suddenly smitten with the desire of sharing this miniature and all that it embodies with the rest of the world.

PECULIAR TO the city of YORK.


And so, having invested some of her savings in a huge bag of locally sourced grit, logo design, a collection of tiny bottles, another website, some beautiful keepsake cards, personalised ribbon, an array of cute vintage labels, a special stamp or two, some gloriously colourful recycled shredded paper and a selection of attractive kraft pouches – ‘Yorky Grit’ was thus created!

From a day of despair to dare to dream.

Browse. Shop.


Panel 2

Peculiar to the City of York!

With a pinch of sand and locally sourced Yorkshire grit, and dressed in our exclusive recycled label – a little bottle of ‘Yorky Grit’ will add a peculiar and perfect finishing touch to your cabinet of curiosities.



Panel 3

‘Yorky Grit’

CHOSEN


On offer and measuring just under 3 cm is a miniature glass bottle of our unique ‘Yorky Grit’.

From the shelves of the The Polite Tourist emporium and designed by the artist Lady Brigante – this is an exclusive hand-made miniature from the City of York.

‘CHOSEN’
‘BOTTLED’
‘CURATED’
‘BEFITTING’

‘BOttled’


With a pinch of sand and locally sourced Yorkshire grit, and dressed in our exclusive recycled label – this little bottle will add a peculiar and perfect finishing touch to your cabinet of curiosities.

And for those in search of a quirky and unusual souvenir from this ancient city of warring armies, restless ghosts, religious persecution, delicious chocolate, and infamous outlaws – our ‘Yorky Grit’ is a quintessential memento!

‘curated’


Whatever your plans for this miniature – this unique bottle of ‘Yorky Grit’ will find its way to you nestled in a bed of shredded tissue paper and lovingly packaged inside an attractive natural kraft paper pillow pouch and beautifully finished with ribbon.

‘befitting’


Inside, you will discover a miniature token of provenance with our unique stamp of approval along with a peculiar ‘Yorky Grit’ keepsake card.

And we can include one of our delightful gift cards for you too!

Browse. Shop.


Design and Content © The Polite Tourist Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This is a collectable miniature and as such is NOT intended as a toy OR suitable for children.


Panel 4

Waking the Dead of York, Scarboro’ and Beyond?


With the coming of dusk…


And with the door of an atelier closed for the day – it is possible to catch a glimpse of a celebrated miniaturist and storyteller clad in her distinctive black feline boots wandering through the unquiet streets and secret passages in a quest to wake the dead.

ORDINARY FOLK. EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS.


And for those of a curious and hardy temperament – why not come along and listen to the Lady Brigante as she shares with you the tales of the illustrious, the miscreants, artists, misfits and those ordinary folk who have ALL been lost to history – until now!

However, for those of a sensitive nature who are averse to real stories of tears, heartache and tragedy – a meander through the fascinating streets of York, Scarboro’ and beyond with the Lady B may NOT be to your taste.

Who or what is The polite tourist?


The Polite Tourist offers true crime walks through Victorian history. Through York, Scarboro’ and beyond.

Innovative, meticulously researched and inspired by true crime stories from the Victorian era and through the tales of those ordinary people woven into the rich fabric of an ancient city or town’s social history – our walks are designed to offer an informative and unique experience with a professional and spirited storyteller.

Described as the bête noire of the long forgotten dearly departed – our storyteller, the Lady Brigante is a spiritual sleuth, sometime artist and a seeker of the dead.

Browse the shelves of our emporium for the deliciously unusual or become a fellow taphophile on our forum Beneath Thy Feet to quench those unanswered questions or dispel gossip from truth!

Walk with us awhile?


#politetourist #ladybrigante #indieyork


join m’lady for tea?



However, if a walking tour through this ancient city of warring armies, restless ghosts, religious persecution, delicious chocolate, and infamous outlaws is not possible for you – why not cross the threshold and into a little slice of the web to which the Lady B has since laid claim?

Step inside the twilight world of a celebrated storyteller and seeker of the dead and take a peek at the bundles of old documents, and hear the untold tales of nefarious deeds and suspicious deaths from the exclusive Brigante archives.

YOUR generosity of spirit is noted AND appreciated.