READERS of a certain age may still remember the days when York's riverside wharves were busy with river cargo.

Those days weren't actually that long ago.

York Press:

The picture above shows Queen's Staith in 1973, with barges clustered two or three deep along the wharf. Even then, this may have been an unusual scene, however, if the caption is anything to go by.

"Like a scene in a busy seaport, barges cluster alongside Queen's Staith," it says - suggesting this was not an everyday sight. The barges, the caption says, were unloading sacks of illipe nuts shipped from Borneo and Sarawak.

"The consignment is then taken back to Selby where the oil-bearing nuts will be processed for animal feed."

We must admit we can't quite work that one out. Were the nuts being brought to York and unloaded here? In which case why were they subsequently taken back to Selby? Or were they being loaded onto barges to take to Selby?

In which case, how did they get to York in the first place? Perhaps a reader with memories of those days can enlighten us? Whatever the truth, it's a great photo which evocatively captures York's past as a busy river port.

Our second photo may bring back memories for other readers. It is dated July 22, 1964 - the day when Haxby's own international swimmer Pauline Clarkson declared the new swimming pool at Ralph Butterfield School open. And a fine pool it looks - though perhaps a bit chilly on a cold day...

A handful of street scenes from York city centre next. Two show Parliament Street - one of them in 1962, when a row of black cabs dominate the foreground, and one in 1974, just before street parking was banned.

The man in an official-looking uniform coat and hat to the left of the picture looks suspiciously like a traffic warden. He's certainly keeping a watchful eye on the parked cars - but why, if street parking hadn't actually been banned when the photo was taken?

There is also a photograph of Pavement dated January 7, 1965, showing the old Pavement Vaults ('Established 1830' according to the sign) apparently up for sale; and a picture of Rougier Street circa 1960. We particularly love the little three-wheeled car - it looks more like a one-man tent on wheels - at the front corner of the car park. Does anyone know what it is?

And finally, we have a couple of views of St Margaret's Arch, which borders Exhibition Square at the junction of St Leonard's Place and Bootham.

One dates from September 10, 1948, the second (below) from January 27, 1960 - when, the caption says, there were proposals to demolish the arch to improve the flow of traffic: a piece of cultural vandalism that thankfully we were spared.

York Press:

* We welcome contributions from readers to Yesterday Once More. However, we would ask you not to send in original old photographs, as we cannot guarantee that these will be returned. If you have old photographs or documents you would like to share with us, either send copies, or contact Stephen Lewis on 01904 567263 (email stephen.lewis@nqyne.co.uk).