A YouTuber who unlocked history for the next generation has unveiled her long-awaited debut book.

YouTuber Catherine Warr is known for her fast-paced deep dives into Yorkshire history and little-known stories of the past. 

She has debunked myths around pirates, explored Britain’s baseball boom, and reset the narrative on vikings, battles, and Robin Hood.

Now the University of Bradford graduate has delved into the world of Yorkshire folklore and traditions.

A Yorkshire Year, published by Carnegie Publishing, offers something interesting about ancient and modern folklore, customs, and traditions every day. 

The book has taken almost three years to bring to life - featuring tales from old books that have not yet made it to the internet.

Catherine said: “I felt it was a niche that I could fill because there’s a lot of books about folklore and traditions but they don’t cover a whole year. 

“This was an opportunity for me to make a really insightful book. 

“Customs don’t have to be a certain age to be a custom. It’s any meaningful practice being performed by a community over time.

“There’s bits which you’ve probably never even heard of. The fact you get something every single day guarantees you’re going to get something a little bit different.

“It feels really good, it’s taken a long time to get here. I’ve changed so much as a person in that space of time. Sometimes I see the cover on a website and I’m like, oh that’s me. It feels really satisfying to see an idea I had finally here.”

It is a poignant milestone for the 24-year-old historian who was raised on museums and castles, antique books, as well as Horrible History and Fred Dibnah.

After joining a historical reenactment group, she started collecting different costumes and accessories which appear in her videos.

Growing up on a council estate, the Leeds-born YouTuber is on a mission to make history for anyone. 

She has been called  “Yorkshire's answer to Lucy Worsley - though not so posh”.

Describing how her younger self would feel, she said: “She’d feel really buzzed. In a way she would know I’d written a book because I always used to think I could do it. She’d be surprised I actually did it.”

In a message to other young people, she said: “Find the original voice you have in what you’re taking about and use that to make you stand out. It’s all how can you do something different to what everyone else is saying. I was only 22 when I started the book. It’s a great opportunity to be a young person in this position. Whatever you’re interested in, find the way of making it different.”