CITIZENS of York, did you know Nellie Woodhouse?

York's Theatre Royal has been going for more than 250 years, but it could well have come to an abrupt end in 1934 when Percy Hutchison, the man running it, went bankrupt.

The theatre was saved by a group of local citizens, led by Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree, who went on to set up the Citizens Theatre Trust, which is still the theatre's official governing body.

Finding out what inspired them to keep the theatre going is the task that one contemporary York citizen, Clive Goodhead, has given himself. Clive is known to audiences in York as a principal singer and President of York Opera, whose production of Donizetti's The Elixir Of Love is being performed later this month at York's National Centre For Early Music.

Having retired from the civil service, Clive is researching York's Citizens Theatre for his doctorate at the University of Manchester.

Before and after the Second World War, "the Rep" was a popular and regular entertainment, and later the company used to visit Scarborough every summer. Clive has recorded recollections from those days, including those of actors, scene designers and directors, as well as audience members.

But who is the mysterious Nellie Woodhouse? She was one of the York Repertory Company's loyalist fans. She was born and lived in the Groves and worked as school secretary at Park Grove Primary School.

From the age of ten, she kept autographs, signed photographs, newspaper articles and other details in a set of 15 scrap books of all the productions by the York Repertory Company from 1936 to 1952. When she died, this treasure trove was placed in the City of York Archives.

"I have really enjoyed digging into it for historical gems. Nellie was a fan of the theatre. Now I am a fan of hers and of Seebohm Rowntree and hope others will be too. I am proud of York and its culture, past and present and delighted to share them with others," said Clive, who welcomes more contributions of this sort at clive@gdhead.freeserve.co.uk or by phone on 01904 762984.

A DIARY spy may have inadvertently stumbled on York's worst pub tour guide.

A York resident of some 21 years standing was overheard pouring forth the following wisdom to his guests during a bus journey:

"I was in Stonegate the other day and I never realised the York Brewery was there, and that's after living in the city for 21 years! I thought it would be much bigger than that."

(Diary ed: It is much bigger than that... and it's in Toft Green. The Yorkshire Terrier pub, which is indeed small, is in Stonegate).

Our intrepid but ill-informed 'guide' was not finished yet, stating as he gesticulated towards the River Ouse below:

"Just down there is the King's Arms pub - it's a great pub but it always floods. You've probably heard about it."

(We were crossing Lendal Bridge at the time. The King's Arms is, of course, at Ouse Bridge.)

The Diary's spy on the bus was about to step in and correct these above-mentioned ills, when he realised the recipients of the misinformation were from the wrong side of the Pennines.

And there you have it, conclusive proof that two wrongs can in fact make a right.

Updated: 10:30 Wednesday, May 24, 2006