We reviewed local historian Paul Chrystal’s new book, York A-Z, a week or so ago.

As we explained then, the book is an alphabetical whizz through York’s history, starting with A for Alcuin and ending with Z for Zeppelin.

It is a fun and quirky book, with a few snippets even the most enthusiastic historian of York will enjoy discovering.

But it is also beautifully illustrated. Paul is an inveterate collector of old photographs and postcards – and he uses them to good effect to illustrate the book.

Here are four more illustrations from the book. One is a photograph taken in 1911 showing sheep being driven along Cromwell Road, and the others are sketches or drawings.

We particularly love the one showing The George Inn in Coney street on race day. The illustration is taken from a postcard franked in Liverpool 1908.

The title is: Scene In An Old Country Inn Yard At Race Time: The George, York.

The original painting was by John Charles Maggs. Maggs, a painter best known for his coaching scenes, lived from 1819-1896, so this can probably be taken to be a representation of a York scene in Victorian times.

It’s a pretty rowdy picture, full of movement and bustle and drunkenness and grime. “Some things never change,” Paul remarks cryptically in the caption.