While the Mansion House is being refurbished another project is running to collate memories of those who worked there

WE all have memories, some better than others, but Van Wilson won't forget this year in a hurry, because she has been asked to compile the recollections of staff who worked at the Mansion House, when the whole building was the Lord Mayor's home.

It's part of Opening Doors, a Heritage Lottery Funded project that will see the Mansion House restored and made accessible to the public.

"This is a one year project to interview people who worked there and can talk about it behind the scenes," says Van. "Already on the list we have the last cook, two secretaries and we're looking for more people who can describe changes and events there."

Relatives too. So if any member of your family was in service for the Lord Mayor, do get in touch on the number below.

Van has just started interviewing past staff, including chauffeur Paul Yeomans whose duties also involved carrying a sword during ceremonial occasions. He explained to Van the etiquette for holding it when meeting royalty.

"Monarchs visiting York go through Micklegate Bar," she says. "When the Lord Mayor offers entrance to the city, the sword is pointing upwards, he then takes it out of the scabbard, she touches it and he puts it back in.

"After that the sword has to point downwards, Paul's words were 'You don't bear arms against a Monarch',"

Traditionally, the sword and mace bearer walked in front of the mayor as bodyguards. They still do. Among Paul's other job was helping the Lord Mayor dress in their robes. Indeed whenever the chains came out, he was there to guard them. But as a chauffeur Paul spent many of his wee small hours ferrying dignitaries.

"His wife must have been understanding," says Van. "Often he would be at a function until after midnight, then would have to take the Lord Mayor home and help him disrobe, before he could go home."

Those in office only have to put up with this punishing schedule for 12 months, Paul did it for 20 years.

Another story he mentioned was DN1 (the mayoral car) getting a parking ticket in Fossgate outside Merchant Adventurers House Then there was the night he was on duty at the Guildhall and two burglars came down the stairs carrying laptops and credit cards.

Councillors were in the chamber, completely unaware of this, but Paul and his colleagues chased the men, who got away but dropped all the stuff.

"For most of it's history the Mansion House was the Lord Mayor's home and the public didn't go in," says Van. "We're delving into a hidden world and I want to find out things even the mayors don't know about. There will be stories that have never seen the light of day."

Janet Piggott

 Recollections from a more distant past will also figure in Van's collection of memories including those of Janet Piggott. She worked for the town clerk in the 1950s and says among her fondest memories were the Queen's visits.

"The Town Clerk paid privately for his staff to have an identical meal the next day as a thank you to them all, while the flowers and name cards were still in place. That was a real treat for us.

"On another occasion the Queen Mother was due to visit and sent her personal mother-of-pearl toilet seat on in advance, to be fixed for her use on her visit. Mr Simpson, the butler, who was normally very serious and straight laced, was amused by the request to have it fixed and he invited all the ladies to come and look at it and we each took turns in sitting on it. Thank goodness she never knew."

Janet recalled the day mace bearer and caretaker Tom Atkinson showed her a secret door in the committee room's oak panelling.

"It led to a priest hole, with a flight of steps down to a landing on one side of the River Ouse. After that, two or three of us would use it in our lunchtimes on the hot summer days and go for a swim in the river.

"One day the river was particularly oily. We had to clean up in a wash basin. I was the last to wash and as I bent down and switched the gas heater on, the pilot light back fired and my hair caught alight. The crackling noise and acrid smell brought me up instantly. Through the mirror I could see the crown of my head aflame. After that I never went swimming in the Ouse again."

PANEL Evelyn Dobson was born in1905 and worked at the Mansion House as a kitchen maid for a year when she was aged 20.

"There was a butler, who was always in the silver pantry. We had a reception room, two big dining rooms, a big ballroom and a musical gallery.

In the kitchen we had one big gas stove – a great big grill. I used to do the washing up and help out. The poor kitchen floor was like flags. The stone staircase, I washed that down. I did all the fireplaces. There was a big beautiful one, all brass. Imagine cleaning that up. I used Brasso. There were two fireplaces in the dining room and we had one in the servants’ sitting room.

I was up just before seven and I would do the servants’ fireplace. Sally the parlour maid would be down and make a cup of tea, then she’d go and do the bedrooms. And she used to do little bits of cooking for us. I would do the dining room fires, clean them out and then laid breakfast for us.

With the fires we had to rake them all out, the cinders and everything. They had this wooden box and it had a shelf, with a little hand brush. I used to put cinders in the bottom and then put the shelf back.

A man came and swept the outside passage and I’d come and fill the coal buckets for him. I had to do all the front steps, there was a big passageway and large black and white squares. They used to look lovely when they had been washed. We’d use soap and a brush.

The butler always laid the table in the dining room. Toast, bacon and eggs. After that we’d clear the pots, wash up, clean the servants’ rooms, then start planning for dinner.

I’d peel potatoes and whatever the vegetable was then put them on to boil. Often on a Sunday or Saturday they’d cook a big joint of beef, which the butler used to cut.

We made a lot of pies. There was always raspberries and gooseberries, and a little custard. We had a second cook for a while and she’d serve something from India, she did a lot of curries. We used to go to Barton’s in Blake Street and often get teacakes and scones. Tea was at about half past four. If there was any vegetables left, we used to fry them up and make bubble and squeak.

In the evening we’d sit in our sitting room and read, or do a bit of knitting or sewing. We wore a uniform. I had to buy all my own collars and cuffs. We had one afternoon off a week. On Sundays if I went in the morning to the Minster, I had to be back when they came back from the service to make them coffee and biscuits."

If you have some memories to share, please ring the Mansion House on 01904 551027 or email mansionhouse@york.gov.uk