A BLUE plaque has been unveiled in Clifton to celebrate the life of the first female Lord Mayor of York.

Born to a Quaker family in 1876, Edna Annie Crichton was a member of the city council, held the position of Lord Mayor from 1941 to 1942, and was awarded honorary freedom of the city in 1955.

Edna was a leading figure in the Women’s Citizens’ Association.

She served as ward councillor in Bootham and Clifton, was chair of the housing committee for 20 years, and by the time she was elected chair of the reorganised committee in 1931, 2,482 council houses had been built in the city or were under construction.

Edna died at the age of 93 in a nursing home in 1970. The plaque was organised by the York Civic Trust, and unveiled by current Lord Mayor of York Councillor Barbara Boyce yesterday (THURS), following a similar plaque for Oscar-winning musician John Barry earlier this week.