Journey back in time (From York Press)

Journey back in time

11:08am Monday 16th January 2012 in History articles By Stephen Lewis

MORE images from old York taken from the wonderful Evelyn collection today, courtesy once again of local historian Paul Chrystal’s new book, In & Around York District Through Time.

As we reported last week, Dr William Arthur Evelyn arrived in York as a 30-year-old GP in January 1891 to be a partner in a medical practice in Museum Street.

Over the next 44 years, he became a pioneer of the conservation of York, and in the process acquired a wonderful collection of photographs and other images that is now in the possession of the York Architectural and York Archaeological Society. Mr Chrystal has reproduced a number of these in his book.

Our first photograph today shows a horse-drawn carriage full of dark-suited men splashing through flood waters in Tower Street beneath the grim, looming prison walls that enclosed the old female and debtor’s prisons.

A large crowd looks on from the safety of dry ground further up the street. The walls in this photograph were demolished in 1935.

Next up is a view of Goodramgate in 1903, taken as buildings were in the process of being knocked down to give access for a new road – Deangate – leading up to the Minster.

According to Mr Chrystal, casualties of this demolition were John Wharton’s Cheap Shop at No 87 and Webster’s the cobblers at No 86. Wood’s grocer and tea dealer survives as the National Trust shop today.

There is a more rural image for our third photograph: what Mr Chrystal describes in his book as “a delightful early photograph of the River Foss”.

No exact date is given – and no exact location, either: perhaps one of our readers might be able to place it?

Our next image shows the Trinity Chapel in Clifford Street, in the days before it was converted into a fire station in the 1930s. It is festooned with advertising hoardings, of the kind which afflicted York and many other towns and cities in the nineteenth and early 20th centuries, Mr Chrystal writes. “Dr Evelyn was no fan, but this was clearly one of the few ways of marketing your business or event.”

And finally, we have a photograph of Coney Street, taken in 1853 by George Fowler Jones, the best part of a century before the Baedecker raid which wrought such havoc on the street. The photograph shows, in the foreground, John Glaisby’s bookshop and library.

• In & Around York District Through Time, by Paul Chrystal and Simon Crossley, is published by Amberley, priced £14.99.

• You can make arrangements to view the Evelyn Collection yourself by visiting the society’s website, yayas.free-online.co.uk.

Coney Street in 1853

• We welcome contributions from readers to Yesterday Once More. However, we would ask you not to send in original 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 phone Stephen Lewis on 01904 567263 or email stephen.lewis@nqyne.co.uk