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York Musical Society

Dr Eileen White was the daughter of Wilfrid and Dorothy White of Idle. White was an active local historian in both West Yorkshire (principally Bradford and Idle) and York. Her research interests in York centred on the Mystery Plays and the history of food, however her work covered many topics. In terms of period, her research was wide-ranging but generally focussed on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
White died after a long illness on 28 September 2023.

The first Public Libraries Act was passed in 1850 and was the result of a movement looking to form libraries which were freely open to everyone. After much opposition this first Act was only applicable to towns in excess of 10,000 people and it did not provide for the purchase of books. A further Act in 1855 resolved some of the limitations of the first one, and as a result more towns began to open their own free libraries. The method of adopting the Act was to be by a poll of the city ratepayers. It took until 1891 for York to gain approval from the city ratepayers, by which time 169 towns had established 'free libraries'.

On 1 September 1891, the York Corporation took over possession of the former subscription library building in Clifford Street. After two years of conversion work, overseen by the first librarian Mr Arthur H Furnish (the former Subscription Library Chief Librarian), the new Public Library was officially opened on 5 October 1893 by HRH The Duke of York (later King George V).

At the time of opening the stock of the library was 10,417 volumes, including volumes obtained from both the former York Mechanics Institution and the Subscription Library. On 1 January 1895 the library opened its magazine room to try and relieve overcrowding in the news room. Formation of the Reference Library was also at this point underway, with 2,269 books being set aside to form the core collection.

During the First World War soldiers were initially billeted in the basement and on the stairs of the library building, and once they left heavy machinery was installed instead. The war also saw the employment of female assistants for the first time.

In 1913 the Library Committee had been considering that the building was inadequate and approaches were made to the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. After preliminary negotiations, a formal request was made to the Trust in 1915, and following investigations, an offer of £12,000 was made on 29 February 1916. The Trust added, however, that any building work should not commence until after the war. A site had been acquired in Museum Street, and Messrs Brierley and Rutherford, architects, were employed to design the building. When work commenced after the war, the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust revised its offer to £13,200, however even then a loan was needed to complete the project.

The first portion of the building, containing the central block and one wing, was officially opened on 23 September 1927 by the Earl of Elgin, and cost £24,500. In 1934 a further portion of the building was erected, before the building was finally completed in 1938. The completed building was opened by Sir John A R Marriott MA on 26 October 1938.

On 1 April 1937 the City boundaries were extended to include Acomb and Dringhouses, and the Public Library acquired its first local branch libraries as a result. In July 1937 a book service was also introduced one day per week from the Social Hall on the Huntington Road Estate.

On the outbreak of war in September 1939, the News Room and Magazine Room at the Central Library were taken over by the Civil Defence Authority as the headquarters of the WVS, and in the following month the Hunt Room and the basement were commandeered by the Ministry of Food for the local Food Control Office. Following the Baedeker Air Raid on York in April 1942, the building was used for a fortnight as the Central Administrative and Information Centre for relief purposes. During the first week of this work library activities were completely suspended, and staff were seconded to help the thousands of people requiring assistance.

During the 1940s a new site was acquired for Acomb Library, and the new City Information Bureau, which had split from the Reference Library to handle 'quick reference' enquiries from personal and business interests was formed.

Towards the end of 1957 the Civic Records were transferred from the Guildhall to the Library and a full time archivist was appointed to administer this collection and other archival material relating to the city. Further alterations to the building were also seen in the 1960s, with the expansion of the Readers' advisory service and the addition of a gramophone record collection in 1968.

Plans for a new branch library at Tang Hall were drawn up in 1960, although delays meant that the building was not officially opened until 29 November 1962. Dringhouses library also underwent structural work in 1961, including the addition of a workroom, and by 1967 began opening on a full time basis. The following year permission was granted to build a new purpose-built library at Acomb, replacing the temporary structure on the same site.

The library service in York continued to expand, and by 2014 the service it included the main central library and 14 branch libraries across the city. The service also currently has two reading cafes and one mobile branch library.

On 1 May 2014 the library service of City of York Council 'spun out' from the main council as a not-for profit Industrial and Provident Mutual Society called 'Explore York Libraries and Archives.'
See Also - York Subscription Library

The Guild of York Swordbearers is thought to have been founded in the late 16th century when the Boyes and Sigismund swords were donated to the City of York and began to be used upon civic occasions to represent the city's fealty to the monarchy and commitment to defend the crown by force of arms if necessary. Entries on the Roll of Investiture for the first three centuries are undated so the date of the Guild's establishment sadly cannot be ascertained. The Guild flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries with over 50 members being initiated over the course of 200 years. Until the 21st century all members were male, the first female Swordbearer was initiated in 2022. The Guild of York Swordbearers continues its mission to 'provide good fellowship and cheer' for York Swordbearers to the present day.

Clifton was originally mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, with Count Alan, St Peter's School, the Archbishop of York and the Canons of York Minster all holding land there. A manor worth 20 shillings is also mentioned. Parts of the township of Clifton eventually fell into three manors - Clifton, Acomb with Holgate & Clifton, and Strensall.

Tha Manor of Clifton was given to St Mary's Abbey soon after 1088, a gift from the King, William Rufus. It remained in the Abbey's hands until the Dissolution, when the Crown took it over. The Manor was was presumably leased out by the Crown to individuals and in 1606 it was leased to the Robinson family who kept it for the next 300 years or so.

The Robinsons were already a substantial merchant family in York and their subsequent purchases and inheritance took them into the ranks of the county families. Sir Thomas Robinson was created Baron Grantham in 1761 and in 1833 Thomas Philip Robinson succeeded his aunt as Earl de Grey. For several generations the Robinsons took an active part in civic affairs as Aldermen, Lord Mayors and MPs.

The City purchased the manor in 1919 from Lady Lucas and Lady Alwyne Compton Vyner, joint Ladies of the Manor and descendants of the Robinson family.

Clifton Manor also had a manor court. Although the papers are headed 'Court Leet', only a part of the full normal manorial court business is conducted within them. Transfer of property does not appear, for example, but list of tenants and suitors are given, from which a jury is chosen and Affearers (officers appointed by a manorial court to assess the penalties for proven offences), Byelawmen, Constables, Overseers and a Pinder are all chosen as the manorial officers.

People were fined for not appearing before the Manor Court if they didn't have a good excuse. Those summoned to the court included women if they held property subject to manorial rights.

The jury laid pains (i.e. made byelaws) and those for Clifton were entirely to do with the free running of watercourses. The jury later made presentments and apportioned fines.

The Manor Court meetings used to end with a dinner paid for by the Lord of the Manor.Clifton was originally mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, with Count Alan, St Peter's School, the Archbishop of York and the Canons of York Minster all holding land there. A manor worth 20 shillings is also mentioned. Parts of the township of Clifton eventually fell into three manors - Clifton, Acomb with Holgate & Clifton, and Strensall.

Tha Manor of Clifton was given to St Mary's Abbey soon after 1088, a gift from the King, William Rufus. It remained in the Abbey's hands until the Dissolution, when the Crown took it over. The Manor was was presumably leased out by the Crown to individuals and in 1606 it was leased to the Robinson family who kept it for the next 300 years or so.

The Robinsons were already a substantial merchant family in York and their subsequent purchases and inheritance took them into the ranks of the county families. Sir Thomas Robinson was created Baron Grantham in 1761 and in 1833 Thomas Philip Robinson succeeded his aunt as Earl de Grey. For several generations the Robinsons took an active part in civic affairs as Aldermen, Lord Mayors and MPs.

The City purchased the manor in 1919 from Lady Lucas and Lady Alwyne Compton Vyner, joint Ladies of the Manor and descendants of the Robinson family.

Clifton Manor also had a manor court. Although the papers are headed 'Court Leet', only a part of the full normal manorial court business is conducted within them. Transfer of property does not appear, for example, but list of tenants and suitors are given, from which a jury is chosen and Affearers (officers appointed by a manorial court to assess the penalties for proven offences), Byelawmen, Constables, Overseers and a Pinder are all chosen as the manorial officers.

People were fined for not appearing before the Manor Court if they didn't have a good excuse. Those summoned to the court included women if they held property subject to manorial rights.

The jury laid pains (i.e. made byelaws) and those for Clifton were entirely to do with the free running of watercourses. The jury later made presentments and apportioned fines.

The Manor Court meetings used to end with a dinner paid for by the Lord of the Manor.

Osbaldwick Parish Council was officially created at some point after the Local Government Act of 1894 formed Parish Councils. The new Parish Councils assumed responsibility for local civic and social welfare which was previously managed through ecclesiastical parishes. Osbaldwick became part of the York Unitary Authority in 1996.Osbaldwick Parish Council was officially created at some point after the Local Government Act of 1894 formed Parish Councils. The new Parish Councils assumed responsibility for local civic and social welfare which was previously managed through ecclesiastical parishes. Osbaldwick became part of the York Unitary Authority in 1996.

Selected from the majority party.
Chaired the Executive or Cabinet.

Founded pre-1391. Transferred in 1478 to gild of Corpus Christi. Following dissolution of gild of Corpus Christi in 1547, hospital continued independently, then co-opted Lord Mayor and Aldermen as master and officers in 1552. Property transferred to Lord Mayor and commonalty of York in 1582-3, subsequently managed as a corporation charity.

The National Licensed Victuallers Association was created in 1986 after a reorganisation of the National Union of Licensed Victuallers. It was dissolved in 1992 and replaced by the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Association.

The British Legion formed in 1921 from the amalgamation of four other groups: The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, The British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers, The Comrades of The Great War and The Officers' Association. The first ever Poppy Appeal was held with the first Poppy Day on 11 November 1921. The charity gained a Royal Charter in 1925 and the Queen granted the Legion a "Royal" prefix in its title in 1971, the same year it celebrated its 50th anniversary. It extended membership to serving members of Her Majesty's Forces as well as ex-Service personnel in 1981. Presently, anyone can become a member of the Royal British Legion.

This collection contains material mainly relating to the St Paul's Scout Troop which started in 1909 as a group of five boys meeting behind a grocer's shop in Holgate.
The first Scoutmaster was Cecil S. Molyneaux, a teacher at St Paul's School. The troop met in St Paul's Schoolroom on Dalton Terrace and consequently re-named themselves 'St Paul's' Troop. The '1st' part of their name refers to the fact that they were the first registered Scout troop in the city. Molyneux was a gunner in World War I and was killed in action in 1917.
From 1920 - 1950, the Scoutmaster was W.G. Ineson. and from 1955, the Scoutmaster was D.N. Broadley.
The St Paul's Troop is thought to be the oldest in Yorkshire, and was the first registered Scout Troop in the city.
The Treasurer's House Troop, the 2nd Scout Troop to be registered in the City, is also mentioned in this collection.
The York and District Boy Scouts Association first appears in the City Directories in 1925, located at Civic House, Southlands Road, York. The President was Mr Frank Green.
By 1930 there were 21 Scout Troops across York and the surrounding areas. This included special Troops for handicapped boys (King's Manor (Blind)) and Troops affiliated with local schools, solely for boys attending that institution (i.e. Fulford School Troop). Most of these troops had Wolf Cub Packs attached.
In 1935, Arnold S. Rowntree was the President.
In 1949, the President was R.W. Willsdon.

Oldfield's Wine Merchants was established in 1664. The firm appears in the earliest published York Trades Directory in 1781. It last appears in the Directory of 1970.

The York & District Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers was formed on 2 October 1960 by a small group of textile teachers and weavers. The aims of the guild are to promote the three crafts of weaving, spinning and dyeing. The guild covers an area stretching from Hull to Leeds and Harrogate and up to Teeside.

The guild holds an annual programme of events and publishes a quarterly journal for members.

Robert Kite & Co were a London-based firm of insurance brokers in the late 18th century and early 19th century, dealing with UK and colonial investments.

The exact opening date for William Dove & Sons has not currently been confirmed, but it was some point before 1862. The business became one of York's oldest firms of ironmongers, builders and plumbers. Originally based on the corner of Parliament Street, the business moved to Piccadilly in 1934.

By the time of its closure on 30 June 1962, the business occupied premises in Piccadilly, Fossgate and Lady Peckitt's Yard.

Smithson and Teasdale had moved to 6 Lendal, next to Gray, Dodsworth & Co, some time before 1896. In 1934, when the company was styled Smithson, Teasdale and Hewitt, they moved to 3 St Leonard's, and stayed in that premises until after the Second World War. The firm later moved again to premises in Pavement, by which time the company was styled Teasdale, Hewitt & Holden.
Gray, Dodsworth & Co, York solicitors; Brown and Elmhirst, York solicitors

History of Accumulator

Responsibility for health issues such as sanitary notices, inspection of food, slum clearances, health instiutions, public baths, air pollution. Acted through an increasingly large number of sub-committees such as environmental health, mental health, ambulance service, maternity etc. Business transacted relates to policy, management and named individuals.
Previously the Urban Sanitary District Committee (1872-1901). Instructed the Medical Officer of Health and the Chief Sanitary Inspector.

The Munby family were solicitors in York from as early as 1665. In 1878, Henry Venn Scott became a partner in the firm. From 1838, their offices were located at No. 18 Blake Street (which was actually No. 3 Blake Street up until the mid-1950s when the street was renumbered). The house in which their offices were located was originally built in 1789 for a member of the Woodhouse family, who were connected to the Munbys by marriage.

The business continued to provide legal services to York customers until 2008, when it merged with Langleys solicitors.
See Also - York Subscription Library