EVERY time there are complaints about filth and litter on York's streets, there are always Press readers ready to come forward with stories about how, back in the day, shopkeepers used to keep the pavement outside their own stores clean by washing it down every day.

Well, here's the proof that they weren't just stories. The woman in the photograph of Little Shambles taken in 1929 appears to be energetically scrubbing the pavement in front of what we can only assume is either her shop - or possibly her home.

This photograph, like the others on these pages today, comes once again from the extraordinary collection of the Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society (YAYAS).

Other photographs today show:

- The River King, one of the first and perhaps grandest of all York’s riverboats. Bought in 1901 by Captain Edward Grace of Goole and moored at King’s Staith, the boat offered twice-daily trips on weekdays and three trips on Sundays and general holidays, either upstream to Nun Monkton or downriver to Naburn Lock. We have two great photos of the King, one showing it ploughing through the waters of the River Ouse while a rowing boat carrying three men in sailor suits looks on; and an extraordinary interior, showing the kind of luxury (not to mention the well stocked bar) that passengers on the riverboat could enjoy. There's no date on either photo - but judging by the clothes we'd say they were probably taken in the early 1900s

- Three men in a boat: One of the Crimean Car cannon that once stood at either end of the Blue Bridge (before being removed and melted down in 1941 as part of the war effort) frowns down at three unconcerned fishermen in a small rowing boat in this wonderfully evocative photograph. Again, there's no date: but judging by the bowler hats, we'd date this to the early part of the 1900s

- Terry's Restaurant: a lovely interior view of the famous Terry's restaurant which, together with the Terry's shop on the floor below, once occupied the building on St Helen's Square now used by Carluccios. The photo dates from about 1920

- Blossom Street in about 1900. Not a car in sight - but plenty of elegant horse-drawn carriages, which give the street a distinctly well-heeled look - as does the woman on the pavement on the far right, in her extraordinary Victorian bustle and large hat

- Back Swinegate in 1898. Elegant is the last word you'd use about this photograph. Back Swinegate at the time was clearly desperately poor - though the urchins sitting and leaning against the wall in this photograph seem happy enough, for all that...

Stephen Lewis

The Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society (YAYAS) has been promoting and protecting the history, heritage and architecture of York and Yorkshire since 1842. You can find out more about the organisation by visiting www.yayas.org.uk