Bill Gates exposed as closet Yorkshireman

Bill Gates has been revealed as an honest-to-goodness, Hovis-munching, hardworking Yorkshireman by the same Halifax-based geneaologist who previously claimed that George Bush and John Kerry are both secret Emmerdale watchers.

I'm from Halifax? That's a threp in't steans

Gates’ tykey heritage was uncovered by David Glover, who had found the link investigating Puritan families who fled the area in the 17th century.

Specifically, Gates is a mere 11 generations away from Abraham Halstead, a clothier of Northowram. His son Jonas, who was baptised at Halifax parish church, emigrated to Massachusetts in 1635 before ending up in New York as a land speculator.

His descendents include the Maxwells, a prominent Seattle banking family, one of whom was Gates’ maternal grandfather.

Just how many Yorkshire genes are still active in Gates is debatable. Yorkshire folk have an enviable reputation as being down to earth, plain speaking, family-oriented, proud of their county and good in business. Or as a bunch of flat-vowelled, rude, tightwad chauvinists depending on your point of view – particularly when that point of view is from the other side of the Pennines.

As for the sacred soil which threw forth the Gates clan, Halifax is supposed to be the least popular property destination in the UK, according to this property website.

So perhaps it’s no surprise Gates does not seem to be overly enamoured of his Yorkshire roots, as he’s yet to reply to a polite request for a donation to repair the Halifax church where his great-grandfather 11 times removed was baptised.

The locals don’t seem particularly pleased either, if the comments on the story which broke the news are anything to go by – seven out of 30 had been deleted as unsuitable.

And let’s face it, Halifax has had more loveable sons. The man who invented the Toffee Crisp, Quality Street and Rolos was born there. ®