Made in Clementhorpe, the Clements Hall Local History Group’s book about the area’s industrial past, will be published later this month. So we thought now was a good time to take another dip into its pages.

As we’ve reported before, the south bank of the river at Clementhorpe was once a centre of industry – and so could be quite dirty and smelly.

John Stevens, who, with Mave Morris, wrote and researched the book, says that for many years Henry Richardson & Co’s chemical manure works were on the riverfront just south of Skeldergate Bridge. “The processes carried on at Richardson’s were quite unpleasant, with many complaints from residents,” he admitted.

Henry, nevertheless, was something of a philanthropist. He founded the York branch of the RSPCA. “And the horse trough in Bishopgate Street is dedicated to him,” John said. Richardson’s firm continued in business until about 1973, when it was taken over by Hargreaves Fertilisers Limited. “It closed and was demolished shortly after,” John said.

The York Equitable Industrial Society (later the Co-operative Society) also had works on the riverfront just south of Clementhorpe. They opened in 1899, with a coal wharf, stables and a horsekeeper’s house. Later additions housed stables for 30 horses, bacon washing and drying, then a bakery.

By 1908, the Clementhorpe bacon factory produced hams and bacon to the value of £7,300. The bakery supplied 482,096 loaves of bread and 1,161,056 pastries. Work continued up to and throughout the Second World War. The bakery finally closed in 1968.

No history of Clementhorpe would be complete without mention of The Slip Inn. The pub, which dates from 1840 but was rebuilt in 1902, commemorates the shipbuilding industry of the 19th and early 20th Century. It was bought in recent times by Jon Farrow and Paul Crossman, who also took over the Swan pub nearby and the Volunteer Arms in Holgate. Several great photos of The Slip make their way into the book. Paul said: “It has been a privilege to have spent the past decade as custodian of this lovely pub.”

Made in Clementhorpe will be launched at the Slip Inn at 6pm on September 20. It will then be on sale at local pubs and shops, priced £8.