THE statue of William Etty looks on serenely as workmen in flat caps (and one in what looks like a trilby) demolish a static water tank beneath his statue in Exhibition Square, in our wonderful picture today which dates from 1946.

What exactly the static water tank was, and why it was being demolished, I’m afraid we at Yesterday Once More don’t know – perhaps some readers can fill in the details?

The atmospheric photograph introduces a selection of pictures this week from our electronic archives, many of which share a common theme: that of redevelopment or construction.

Another picture shows the stage and stalls of the old Empire Theatre being removed in 1958. The theatre (today it is the Grand Opera House) had closed in 1956 as a result of what the Grand Opera House’s website describes as “the crippling entertainment tax”.

In 1958 it was bought by local entrepreneur Ernest Shepherd of Shambles (also pictured) and renamed the SS Empire (the SS standing for Shepherd of Shambles, apparently).

The stage and the rake to the stage floor were stripped out to give a level surface for roller skating, bingo and wrestling bouts. The business continued in this form until 1985, when it closed, before reopening as the Grand Opera House in September 1989.

Our fourth photograph, show ing workmen installing drainage pipes at Bootham Crescent, was also taken in 1958, the same year the stage and stalls of the Empire Theatre were removed.

Presumably the aim was to drain the pitch: though historians of the club may correct us if this wasn't the case.

We also have a wonderfully busy picture of Pavement in 1957, when workmen who had dug up the street were clearly causing no end of traffic problems; and a great photographs taken in 1912, which shows work underway to create the “new” Piccadilly.

York Press: 1911, and The banks of the River Foss are reinforced prior to work on Piccadilly
1911, and The banks of the River Foss are reinforced prior to work on Piccadilly