LAST week, we began the James W Arthur story. Mr Arthur's biggest claim to fame was that he published the first picture postcard of York way back in 1893. But his interests and enthusiasms went far beyond the humble postcard.

Mr Arthur loved York. He was something of an authority on its history, and was keen to share his knowledge with those wanting to learn.

He was an early pioneer of the guided walk around the city. In 1949, when he was getting on in years, he took a party on a tour of historic sights. This was fully a year before City Librarian Raymond Doherty advertised for voluntary guides to staff the service that is still going strong today.

Mr Arthur met his walkers at the Minster Gates. Precisely where he took them is not recorded, but we can get a good idea from a reprint of Ten Acres Of History, his 1950 article based on a short tour of the city. This leads the reader to King's Manor, St Olave's Church and St Mary's Abbey, among other places.

Showing more of this spirit of civic pride, Mr Arthur threw himself into all manner of city events and celebrations. He was a supporter of the annual York Gala, held in the grounds of Bootham Hospital to raise cash for local charities.

He also organised the Confetti Carnival in the Exhibition Hall, which stood behind York Art Gallery until it was hit by a German bomb in the 1942 raid.

An undated newspaper cutting from the Arthur family archive describes the scene.

"The Exhibition was transformed into a veritable fairy land, hundreds of flags, which, if arranged in a line, would cover a distance of something like a quarter of a mile."

The report commented that "in the costume parade it was peculiar to see a 'prehistoric man' rubbing shoulders with a fashionable lady". It goes on: "Mention should be made of Mr JW Arthur, who managed and arranged the carnival with such success, and who, it will be remembered, was presented with a memento by Mr JG Butcher."

The two knew one another well. Mr Butcher was one of York's MPs, and had been pictured looking stately on horseback on one of Arthur's postcards.

The MP's presentation to Mr Arthur was made on behalf of the Ebor branch of Primrose League, of which he was a prominent member. Founded in 1883 by Lord Randolph Churchill, with the intention of infusing new life into the Conservative Party, the league was named in memory of Lord Beaconsfield, whose favourite flower was a primrose.

Another major event was the York Pageant of 1909. This colourful retelling of city history involved hundreds of residents, dressed to represent everyone from primeval Britons to the Norman gentry.

The festival featured an elaborate score for orchestra and 220-strong choir by Minster choir master T Tertius Noble. Mr Arthur, sensing the popularity of the music, rearranged the main themes for piano and sold the sheet music.

"The Tertius Noble music is quite difficult," said Margaret Poole, who has original copies of the sheet music among a large collection gathered by herself and husband Chris in their York home.

"It was obviously arranged for a large group of performers. Mr Arthur just made an arrangement and published it himself. It wasn't published by the festival organisers."

Here Mr Arthur combined two of his areas of expertise: music and publishing. He published other pieces by York musicians, as well as his own compositions, including Military Sunday In York and Royal York Valse, which he wrote with Eille Norwood.

He was also a solo singer much in demand at concerts, and a guitarist.

Mr Arthur's company sold musical instruments. A gem from the family archive is the Arthur & Co Catalogue of Musical Merchandise. The instruments could be ordered from his Music Warehouse, Davygate, billed as: "music sellers, publishers, instrument dealers and concert agents; specialities Arthur's professional violin strings, real American banjo strings."

The catalogue lists every imaginable instrument from accordions (12 shillings) through hunting horns (£6 13s) to zobos (full instructions supplied). You could even order bird warblers and dog whistles.

Another legacy of Mr Arthur's many businesses can be found in York Reference Library. It is the celebrated Arthur Directory of York.

Much effort went into this directory, which was a sort of Yellow Pages, electoral roll, telephone book and York guide in one extremely handy volume.

After enjoying some success with an early edition, a second followed in 1909.

"Every portion of York has been canvassed from door-to-door by local men, who pride themselves upon having obtained as accurate a list as possible of the inhabitants and their occupations," the Evening Press reported upon its publication.

Among the new features were "the introduction of telephonic numbers"; a military directory; and details of local clergy and clubs.

Mr Arthur told the paper that he had used 20 reams of typing paper in compiling the guide. "If the sheets were put end to end they would reach a distance of 2,660 yards, or about as far as from the Post Office to Knavesmire by way of Coney Street, Low Ousegate, Micklegate and Blossom Street."

James W Arthur, publisher, printer, postcard pioneer, musician, event organiser, political campaigner, historian and sports enthusiast (he was involved in both a York skating rink and a baseball team), was a colourful contributor to York for many years. We are very grateful to his granddaughter Christine Lancaster, of Poppleton, for allowing us access to the family archive.

A newspaper obituary of Mr Arthur captured his essence. It said: "York has lost a personality who extolled the city's many virtues with great zeal and energy in many original ways."