The Munby family, centred around Joseph Munby (1804-1875) and his wife Caroline Eleanor Forth (1806-1879), were a prominent middle class York family in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Joseph Munby and his father, Joseph Munby (1773-1816) came from a line of York solicitors, and both continued the family occupation. Joseph Munby's sons, Frederick James Munby and John Forth Munby both also became solicitors. The family eventually established the Munby and Scott firm of solicitors, which was originally based at the family property in Blake Street.
Joseph Munby's son, Arthur Joseph Munby (1828-1910), was a Victorian poet, civil servant, and diarist. He had a long relationship with Hannah Cullwick, a maid-of-all-work, who also kept her own diaries. The couple married in 1873, but largely kept their relationship secret.
The family typify a prosperous middle class family of the time, and were involved in social and leisure activities which reflect the society around them. Many members of the family retained a strong personal faith, and some became members of the clergy. The Munby family was descended from, and connected to, other prominent families, including the Forth family, who for several generations were agents to the Earl of Carlisle.
The family had considerable social impact; they had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances and carried out a considerable amount of philanthropic work. Frederick Munby supported the missionary activities of the Reverend Frederick Lawrence, was a leading member of the Gentlemen's Committee, and handled legal matters for the York Penitentiary Society. He was also a leading member in the management of the York Refuge for Fallen Women, while the firm of Munby and Scott handled many of the records of the Refuge.
The family was also involved with the Wilberforce Home for the Blind, later the Wilberforce Trust. They travelled widely to locations including Scarborough, London, Bath and Paris. From1848, the Munby family lived at Clifton Holme (at the end of Ousecliffe Gardens, now St Hilda's Garth) which was built for Joseph Munby. The firm of Munby Solicitors was located at 9 St Helen's Square from c1830 - 1838. In 1838, it relocated to No 18 Blake Street. This property had originally been built in 1789 for Elizabeth Woodhouse, who was the mother of Caroline Eleanor Forth.