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Reported to Tramways Committee (1910-1911), Electricity and Tramways Committee (1911-1923)

Function gained from City of York Tramways Company in 1886. Function transferred to corporation in 1909.

York had three bailiffs. They were replaced by two sheriffs when York became a county in 1396.
Replaced by sheriffs in 1396.

Formed in 1823 by 104 subscribing citizens. During 1828 the City Commissioners objected to the prices and returned briefly to oil lighting. In 1837 a rival company, York Union Gas Light Company was founded as competition but the two companies were amalgamated in 1844.
Amalgamated with York Union Gas Light Company in 1844 to become York United Gas Light Company.

Established in 1627 to specifically collect rents.
Reported to chamberlains or the city. Merged with city husband in 1710 to form one official responsible for city property management and rent collection, but the term continues to appear in later records.

The Finance Committee was renamed the Finance and General Purpose Committee in 1960.

In 1932 York was connected to the National Grid and then produced only a minority of the electricity it consumed. Control was transfered to the North-Eastern Electricity Board in 1948 when electricity and gas were nationalised. During this period the Corporation bought the tramways from a private company (in 1909) and electrified them (in 1910).

Created by private act of Parliament in 1727. Trustees consisted of corporation members and officials but was legally independent. Constructed Naburn Lock in 1757 and built a controversial banquetting house there in 1823.
Function transferred to corporation in 1835 (Ouse Navigation Committee).

The 1903 Motor Car Act introducted mandatory registration for both vehicles and drivers, administered by the local council who were to issue and keep a record of the numbers. The number had to be displayed on the vehicle. In 1969 the function transferred to central government, using the same local offices.

The councillors or "24" were drawn from the common council or "48 / 72" and had often previously served as a civic official such as sheriff. Along with the aldermen they formed the upper tier of the Corporation. They were elected geographically by wards, only freemen could vote.

An independent committee setup by the National Insurance Act 1911, the corporation contributed 20% of the membership.

Following the reform of the corporation, a police force was set up in 1835 and first chief constable apppointed.
Full responsibility for policing transferred to Corporation in 1835 (from Magistrates, Parish Constables and City Commissioners). See also Chief Constable and City Police. Responsibility for prisons transferred to Home Secretary in 1877. Renamed Watch and Fire Services Committee in 1949. Gained fire brigade responsibilites from Yorkshire Insurance Company in 1875.

The first special committee looking at salaries was setup in 1918 and met until 1926 when it was replaced with a full time Salaries Committee. This committee was established to attempt to improve co-ordination and consistency with the council on staffing matters, as committees were responsible for recruiting and paying their own staff independently.
Replaced by Salaries Committee in 1926.

First mentioned in 1385, the recorder was chief legal advisor to the Corporation and a professional lawyer. They were usually chosen by the Corporation but were occasionally royal appointees. The post acquired some of the sheriff's legal functions in 1835.
Acquired some legal functions from Sheriff in 1835.

The salaries committee appears to have been instituted as a full time committee in 1926. It attempted to improve co-ordination and consistency for staffing matters, as committees were responsible for recruiting and paying their own staff independently.
Replaced the Special Salaries Committee in 1926.

The first School Board was not established in York unil 1889, nearly twenty years after enabling legislation permitted it. At the time its responisbilities ceased it had planned or built six new board schools and improved 15 Church of England Schools.
New function. Function transferred to York Education Committee (part of the council) in 1903.

In York an independent Commission of the Peace was setup in 1835, incorporating the Lord Mayor as chief magistrate but with an membership of Justices of the Peace otherwise distinct from the corporation.
Functions transferred from city magistracy traditionally consisting of Lord Mayor, aldermen and sheriffs. Supported by a legal professional clerk.

Instituted in 1837 as independent and non-partisan charitable trustees for the city's former municipal charities including many centuries-old private bequests or "gifts". In 1898, only 5 trustees were alive and political and religious views became involved in the appointment process. The Charity Commissioners raised the number to 18 to allow a balanced membership. In 1902 this was reduced back to 13, including for the first time 5 members of the corporation.
Municipal charities transferred from Lord Mayor and Corporation in 1837.

In the early 1970s the council sought operational control of Clifford's tower, which was refused by the Department of the Environment.
Instructed Curator (Castle Museum). Functions transferred to Museums and Art Gallery Committee (c.1974-1980s) around 1973.

The council acquired the Yorkshire museum and gardens in trust from the Yorkshire Philosophical Society in 1961.
Function created when museum and gardens transferred to council by Yorkshire Philosophical Trust in 1961. Function transferred to York Museums Trust in 2002.

Required by the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 , which also instigated a director of social services. A new social services department was also setup within the City of York Council with broad responsibility for social care.
Replaced the Welfare Committee (1948-1970) (with an overlap of two months). See also Director of Social Services.

The first named common clerk was Nicholas Seizevaux in 1317. The name gradually changed over time to town clerk. From 1708 it appears deputies were provided, one of whom, William Giles, restored and catalogued the city archives between 1892-1909. The office became formally full-time in 1886. The name changed in the twentieth century to Chief Executive.
The term "common clerk" was replaced with "town clerk" which was eventually replaced by "chief executive" in the later twentieth century.

Initially a single post, this expanded to a discrete department in the mid twentieth century with a chief inspector at its head.

Possibly renamed due to involvement in 1951 Festival of Britain activities in York including production and promotion of guidebook, setting up an information bureau and arranging guided tours of the city. Tang Hall branch library established in this period.
Replaced Public Library Committee in 1951. Instructed City Librarian. Functions gained from or complementary to Publicity Committee (1944-1949). Replaced by Library and Friendly Relations Committee in 1962.

Founded as the Mechanics Institute in 1827. Following the Technical Instruction Act 1899 which permitted the corporation to fund technical instruction, the corporation bought the assets of the Institute and ran it directly. The library stock formed the first free library in York which the corporation opened in 1891.
See also Art Master. Managed by Technical Instruction Committee (in various incarnations).

Managed and improved rivers including bridges, tolls, drainage, locks and use of adjacent lands.
See also Sewerage Committee.

Oversaw city tram service, which it took ownership of in 1909.
Gained function from City of York Tramways Company in 1909. Merged with Electrity Committee in 1911 to form Electricity and Tramways Committee.

Function gained from Electricity and Tramways Committee in 1923. Shared provision of bus services with West Yorkshire Motor Car Company from 1934.

Contracts for the sewerage work were finalised in 1891, and a new engineer, inspector of works and inspector of construction of machinery were appointed. The work was split into multiple contracts, No.1 Pumping Station and Engines, No. 2 City Sewers, No.3 Pumping Station buildings, No. 4 Rising Main and Outfall Works at Naburn and No. 5 Sludge Pressing plant.. The work cost more than expected and application was made to the Local Government Board in 1895 for a extension of the capital expediture loan repayment period.
See also Drainage and Sanitary Improvement Act Committee (1852-1888)

Formed from merger of Parks Committee and Allotment Commitee in 1961.
Formed from merger of Parks Committee (1913-1961) and Allotments Committee (c.1924-1961).

Joined with corporation in 1934 to form a joint committee to run bus services in and around York.

The committee initially recommended that £600 be distributed to existing providers such as the York Institute of Science (Mechanic Institute), the York Art School and the Railway Institute. However, the corporation bought the York Institute in 1891 and ran its own City of York School of Science and Art to continue and expand technical education provision. It also opened the first free library in 1891 in Clifford Street, based on the Institute's inherited bookstock plus solicited public donations.
Library management functions transferred to Library Committee in January 1904. Art Gallery management functions transferred to Museum and Art Gallery Committee in 1912. Instructed City Librarian. Instructed Art Master.

The York Education Committee was founded in 1903 and comprised of a mixture of council and co-opted members. It was a busy committee that operated through a number of long-lasting sub-committees. This official was created to support the committee.
Reported to York Education Committee (1903-1970s).

Managed Education Department. In the mid twentieth century the department was responsible for secondary and primary education places, York Technical College, school meals, staffing, purchasing, school health service, caretaking and cleaning, monitored attendence, youth employment service and child guidance clinic. Supported by a deputy and large staf.

Member of the Cabinet.

Known as Cabinet Member for City Strategy between May 2011- August 2012.
Member of the Cabinet.

This company began trading in 1800, and by 1901 was operating from premises at 2 Coney Street, York. The business was taken over by the Wright family in 1934. In 1972 Jeremy Wright took over the business and transformed it into a perfumery. It was later purchased by June Yeo and her husband Leonard in 1997. When Mrs Yeo decided to retire in 2011, her former supplier Hanus Wolf bought the business and began trading in October 2011.

The shop closed in July 2017.

The NUJ was founded in 1907. In 1911 it became an Approved Society under the National Insurance Act which enabled it to provide unemployment pay, hardship benefits and legal aid. In 1926 it joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) along with twelve other nations. In 2006 membership numbers surpassed 40,000.

Provided public canteens to provide economical meals to the public during rationing.

A community magazine for residents in Acomb and the surrounding area.

The first William Fairbank was a quaker and surveyor who with the help of his son made plans of estates in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. His two sons William and Josiah carried on the business and after that, Josiah and his son took over in 1833. After his son's death in 1848, the company was wound up.
The Fairbanks were involved in the construction of enclosures, railways, canals, roads and waterworks. They operated in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and even Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire.

The York Academic Trust was incorporated (as a company, limited by guarantee) in March 1956. A legally distinct entity, the Civic Trust transferred ownership and management of the institutes, and the property and funding held by the Civic Trust on the Academic Development Committee's behalf, to the new 'York Academic Trust'. A Governing Council was established from the key members of the former Academic Development Committee and this was chaired by Dean Milner-White and had as its secretary, John West-Taylor (later secretary to the York University Planning Committee and first Registrar of the University).

The York Academic Trust felt the time was right to consider another approach to the University Grants Committee (UGC) in December 1957, updating them on York's achievements to date and developing plans. In July 1958 an approach was made to the Chair of the UGC, Sir Keith Murray, via an intermediary. While Murray's response to the renewed proposal for a university at York was not wholly encouraging, the rapidity with which events were changing nationally, and the increasing pressure the UGC faced to expand university provision led to another informal approach and an invitation to Murray to visit York to discuss York's case for a university. Murray came to York in July 1959 and was shown the two institutes, and a possible site for the university at Heslington Hall (purchased by the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust in 1956) and further potential accommodation at King's Manor). Following a successful and encouraging visit the York University Promotion Committee was established in November 1959 (UOY/F/YUPC). A York deputation met with the UGC on 16 December 1959 and presented a formal memorandum to present the case for a University of York. The YUPC was informed of the success of its application for a university on 19 April 1960.

The Workers Educational Association or WEA was established in 1903, and there was branch in York from at least 1912. From 1912 to c1920 the WEA held meetings and classes at the St Mary's Educational Settlement. However, during the interwar years the relationship between the two institutions was an uneasy one. The WEA was suspicious of the Educational Settlement due to it's financial reliance on the Rowntree family, which it believed prevented the settlement from running on genuinely democratic lines. The Settlement was also considered 'bourgeois', 'middle class' 'capitalist' and 'reactionary' by the WEA. In 1921, they began to hold meetings at the Co-operative Society Hall on Railway Street, although WEA classes continued to be held at the St Mary's Settlement.
Connected to the Educational Settlement at St Mary's and the York Community Settlement Players.
See Also - York Settlement Community Players
See Also - York Educational Settlement

The York Trades Council was formed in 1890. The majority of York's Trade Unions were affiliated to the Council. By 1899 it consisted of 18 affiliated societies representing nearly 2000 members. It brought a coherence to the trade union movement in the city and was one of the main forces behind the rise in labour representation. Its activities included 'labour demonstrations, [and] running labour candidates at municipal school board and board of guardians elections'. The Council supported the General Strikes in the 1920s. The organisation still exists today as the York and District Trade Unions Council and is a branch of the national TUC.

The York Sunday School Committee was founded in 1786 largely by William Richardson who ministered at St Michael-le-Belfrey and consisted of several members of the clergy and laymen. The committee opened 10 schools for boys and girls. By 1841 over 1000 pupils attended eight of the schools. By the 1950's they began to decline and became closer to that of the modern Sunday schools. The committee also managed three schools set up by the John Dodsworth Educational Trust.
The John Dodsworth Educational Trust

The first Yorkshire Music Festival was held in 1823, with the main performances given in the minster and additional evening concerts in the Assembly Rooms. As the Rooms turned out to be too small for this purpose, the following year a group of interested parties purchased adjoining property for the erection of a new concert room. It was decided that a second music festival should be held in order to meet the cost of this new space, and that any profit from future concerts should benefit of the York County Hospital and the Leeds, Hull and Sheffield infirmaries. In 1829 the directors of the concert room received about £2,550 from the proceeds of the third music festival of the previous year. The final music festival was held in 1835, when the concert room was again used for evening concerts.

The plays were originally performed in York from the middle of the 14th century until 1569 when they would be performed and funded by local trade guilds who would each take responsibility for one play. The end of the feast of Corpus Christi in England after the Reformation meant the plays came to an end. Performances of individual elements of the Plays started again at the beginning of the 20th century but it was not until 1951 that they were fully revived by the York Festival of Arts as part of the Festival of Britain. The plays were then initially staged every three years, later being staged every four. Due to financial and practical reasons in 1992 and 1996 the Plays were held indoor at the York Theatre Royal. The modern Guilds of York, heirs to the original Mystery Plays presenters, were formally associated with an outdoor production for the first time in 1998. In 2002 they took charge of the production themselves. The Plays have toured outside ever since.

Archbishop Holgate's School was founded by Robert Holgate, Archbishop of York, in 1546, on a site between Ogleforth and the City Walls in the shadow of York Minster. The site was chosed as it was on land owned by Holgate himself.

In 1858 the school moved to a new site at Lord Mayors Walk, before moving to its current location on Hull Road in 1963.

Until 1985, Archbishop Holgate's was an all-boys' grammar school. With the reorganisation of education in York in 1985, the school changed its name to Archbishop Holgate's School, and became a co-educational comprehensive school. During this transition period the outdoor swimming pool was converted to an indoor pool, a new sports hall was built, and upgrades were made to music, design and technology, home economics and other facilities.

In 2009 a £4.3 million two-storey learning centre with landscaping, parking and bike storage, called the LearningCentre@AHS was built, and now serves as the home of the school's sixth form facilities.

On 1 April 2011, Archbishop Holgate's School officially gained academy status. The school built new two-storey English block which opened in late April 2014. The school development is for expansion due to a larger intake of students because of the closure of Burnholme community college and new housing estates.

The school's ethos is the idea that having a Christian foundation at the centre of all it does give the school an extra dimension, an additional facet, giving it a distinctiveness compared to most community schools. Church status does not provide a context for evangelising; those committed to Christianity will, on the other hand, often find many ways in which their faith can find expression through the corporate values of the school.

The York Musical Theatre Company is York's longest established amateur theatre company. It was founded in 1902. It was originally called the York Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society. It was renamed the York Musical Theatre Company in 2002.
The group gave its first performance in April 1903
The Society's meetings and performances were suspended during World War I 1914 - 1919, and reconvened in 1920. During World War II 1939-1945, performances were again suspended, but started up again from 1946 During the April 1942 air raid on York, many of the early records of the society(1902 - 1939) were destroyed.
The group gained charitable status in 1978.
See Also - York Musical Theatre Company

The Parish Council represents the local community at council level and is responsible for local matters such as planning applications as well as local facilities including the upkeep of public spaces in the village.

Queen Anne Grammar School for Girls was originally founded in 1905 as Brook Street School, a pupil-teacher centre. The new centre was approved by the Board of Education, and replaced the evening and weekend classes held in Fishergate Board School. In 1906 the school became known as the Municipal Secondary School for Girls, and it was officially recognised as a secondary school two years later.

The Brook Street premises were closed in 1909 and the school moved to a new school building on Queen Anne's Road, Clifton. The new site opened in January 1910, and in 1920 the name officially changed to Queen Anne Grammar School.

The school was converted into a co-educational comprehensive school in 1985. It closed in July 2000.

Although the firm of J.W. Ruddock's tailors was established c1881, members of the Ruddock family were tailors in York from at least 1851.
John Ruddock was born in c1823 and had four sons: George (b. c1844), John William (1) (b. c1852), Tom (b. c1855) and James (b. c1859).
John William Ruddock also had four sons - George Ruddock (b. c1882), John W. Ruddock (2) (b. c1883), Harold W. Ruddock (b. c1887), and Henry Ernest Ruddock (b. c1893).

There were three generations of Robert Andersons who worked as tailors in York.
Robert William Anderson (1) was born in 1803. His son Robert Anderson (2) was born in 1839. His son, Robert Walter Anderson (3), was born in 1869. He also had a son named Robert W. Anderson (4) who was 15 in 1911.

The Committee was set up in 1914 by the Lord Mayor as part of a national scheme to support local people during the First World War. The Committee continued to provide support locally until 1935.

The York City Rowing Club was founded in 1863 and continues today with a membership base of over 200.

In September 1967, Redfearn Brothers Limited of Barnsley merged with National Glass Works (York) Ltd. The company was named Redfearn National Glass Limited.
See Also - National Glass Works (York) Ltd.
See Also - Redfearn Bros. Limited

The idea of a setting up a friendly society was proposed at an annual meeting of the York Mechanics Institute on 26th June 1832. A committee was appointed to establish one in connection with the Institute, with this same committee being incorporated with the Committee of the Institute. At a public meeting on 21st August 1832 in the lecture room of the York Mechanics Institute the proposed rules and regulations of the Mechanics Friendly Society was adopted with the Society being established in October that year. In August 1850 it was first proposed that a meeting be held to discuss the dissolution of the Society and to best divide up the remaining funds. The last of these funds were distributed by October 1850 after which time the Society was no longer in existence.
See Also - Mechanics Institute / Technical College

Poppleton History Society was started in February 1989. In 1998, the Society agreed to establish an archaeology section as a five year pilot project for York Archaeological Forum (YAF). Over the following years, the very successful Greater York Community Archaeology project was developed by YAF, with HLF funding for the initial position of Community Archaeologist. A highlight for the Poppleton Archaeology Group was the visit of Channel 4`s Time Team to Nether Poppleton in 2004.

Haxby Town Council was officially created when the Local Government Act of 1894 formed Parish Councils. The new Parish/Town Councils assumed responsibility for local civic and social welfare which was previously managed through ecclesiastical parishes.

In 1794 the Fishergate Glassworks was formed by a York jeweller, John Prince who promoted his business until his death in 1818. The site was taken over by the York Flint Glass Company in 1835 by Chemist Joseph Spence specialising in medical and pharmaceutical wares. In 1930 the site was purchased by the National Glass Company who produced bottles on automated machines. Increased post-war production led to the building of a warehouse complex in Tadcaster in 1963.
See Also - Redfearn National Glass Ltd.

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

Conservative Associations were formed after the 1832 Reform Act by members of the Conservative Party.

The York Central Conservative Club was founded in 1881 in order to consolidate the party after the defeat of The Right Hon James Lowther at the General Election in 1880 who had represented the city in Parliament since 1865. For many years the club met at the Ebor Rooms, Coney Street. However, this became too cramped due to social requirements of numbers and in 1909, moved to the De Grey Rooms, St Leonard's Street where they added an extension onto the rear of the building in 1910. The club had over 500 members in 1933 and the De Grey Rooms were more appropriate due to the size.

The club moved again from De Grey Rooms to Museum Street in March 1986 until their closure in 1991. The club finally closed in 1991 after a period of financial difficulty and the archives were subsequently transferred in 1994.

There were also four ward Conservative clubs in the city. These clubs, along with the Central Conservative Club formed a valuable asset in party politics. In 1969, the club abolished the 'male only' member policy and allowed females to become members 80 years after the club's foundation. The club also actively took part in international snooker tournaments.

Quarter sessions were generally formed from the 16th century onwards. Courts were held four times a year and presided over by the county magistrates. Anyone with a grievance could complain regardless of their social standing. The courts were heard by magistrates and dispensed summary justice (i.e. without a jury). Higher level crimes were heard by the assize courts. Many types of cases were referred to the Police Courts during the 19th century but Quarter Sessions continued to sit as criminal courts for non-capital offences until 1971.

The general records of Quarter Sessions include Sessions Minute Books (the summaries of the events of each session), sessions rolls (the evidence presented for each case) and order books (the decisions of the court on every item of business).
See Also - York Subscription Library

The River Foss Amenity Society was founded on 23rd July 1973 by W K Sessions. The first meeting was held at the Folk Hall, New Earswick, and the group was founded with the aim of focussing attention on practical ways of improving the footpaths and other amenities of the River Foss for the benefit of naturalists, fishermen, ramblers, and local residents.

In 1994 it was agreed to drop the word 'Amenity' from the name, and the society became the River Foss Society.

The Society continues to operate today.
See Also - York Subscription Library

The Kingsway Area Residents Association was formed in 2007 to feed back information to City of York Council about grass roots issues. In particular, it is tasked with feeding back housing concerns, repairs, community issues, environment and crime.
Reports to York Residents' Federation.
See Also - York Subscription Library

The Clifton Cycling Club was founded in 1895. Its first club run was held in Spring that year. The first club event was the '50 mile record', introduced in 1896. In 1906 a 100 mile Sealed Handicap was also introduced. During the early 20th century Clifton Cycling Club also developed a very strong hill climb team.

A Ladies section of the club was founded in 1902, before ladies were admitted to full club membership in 1923. Combined club runs were held monthly.

During the Second World War Clifton Cycling Club supported the City of York Council 'Holidays at Home' scheme, which encouraged families to have holidays in their local area rather than travelling further afield. The cycling club programme consisted of Sunday afternoon bike rides for all ages.

The 60s and 70s was an era of exceptionally high achievement for the racing members of the club. Pete Smith rode the World Championship and Commonwealth Games Road Race and won the King of the Mountains Jersey in the Tour of Britain. John Watson also rode the Worlds RR and won the British Best All Rounder competition. Roy Cromack along with John and Pete made up three of the four man British team to ride the Team Time Trial at the 1968 Olympics. They were joined by Ian White and Dennis Pickard in breaking all the British Time Trialling records from 50 miles to 24 hours and winning a plethora of major team competitions.

In 2006 the Clifton CC York were ranked number 1 Road Racing team in the Yorkshire Region.

The club has published its own magazine, The Cliftonite, twice a year since 1936.

'Rowntree Players' is the oldest amateur theatre company in York and one of the oldest in the country. The company was established in 1912 as the 'Cocoa Works Dramatic Society' by workers from the Rowntrees Chocolate factory.

The first performances by the Society were staged in the factory's lecture hall, before moving to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in 1935. To this day the majority of productions take place in the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

The company is community-based and includes members of all ages and abilities from all over Yorkshire. It specialises in all genres of theatre productions, although it produced muscials infrequently compared to other types of theatre. The company continues to stage an annual pantomime.

The Royal Voluntary Service was originally founded in 1938 as the Women's Women's Voluntary Services for Air Raid Precautions, and is the largest volunteering organisation in British history.

WVS was initially formed to help recruit women into the ARP movement assisting civilians during and after air raids by providing emergency rest centres, feeding, first aid, and perhaps most famously assisting with the evacuation and billeting of children.

By 1943 the organisation had over one million volunteers and was involved in almost every aspect of wartime life from the collection of salvage to the knitting of socks and gloves for merchant seamen. After the war Royal Voluntary Service transformed to become a leading organisation in the field of social care, pioneering the practices that formed the cornerstone of modern social services.

In 1966 in recognition of the service WVS and its volunteers had given to this country the organisation was granted the honour of adding 'Royal' to its title by Her Majesty the Queen.

In 2013 the organisation changed its name to the Royal Voluntary Service. The RVS is now a major service provider giving practical help, particularly for older people, to enable choice, independence and dignity so people can enjoy an improved quality of life - all with the help of around 35,000 volunteers.

The exact date of foundation for the York branches in unknown.

Appointed by York Corporation as Ouse Navigation Trustees.

The York City Mission was formed to promote knowledge of the Bible amongst the poorer classes of York, without any reference to particular denominations or the government of Christian churches. It also recommended sanitary improvements in the houses of poor families.

The mission employed its own staff to carry out the work, who were each assigned a district. Missionaries were responsible for reading the scriptures to people, engaging them in religious conversation, promoting observation of the Sabbath, and attending public worship. They were also responsible for handing out copies of the scriptures to the people in their areas.

The City Mission was administered by a committee, consisting of an equal number of members from the Established Church and of Dissenters. The mission also had a number of Examiners of Missionaries, consisting of an equal number of clergymen and dissenting ministers. The mission also recruited members who were willing to pay an annual subscription to support the work of the organisation.

The York Choral Society was formed in 1833 to provide a more democratic group for music making as opposed to the York Musical Society. They were an amateur group consisting of around 300 members and performed at the Festival Concert Room on Museum Street, York. Practice meetings occurred weekly, and they performed four concerts per year. Members included the Archbishop of York and gentry of the city and neighbourhood. It continued until the end of the 19th century when around this time it merged with the York Musical Society.

Bishophill Action Group was formed in the 1970s as a protest group against City of York Council proposals for an inner ring road just outside the city walls. The group were against the destruction of properties in the Bishophill area to make way for the road, and protested accordingly. Once the ring road plan was finally settled, the group turned its attention to other issues in the area, including the proposed building of a multi-storey car park, the demolition of properties in Buckingham Street and the renovation of 26-34 Skeldergate.

The group appears to have ceased functioning in 1995.

Raimes was a chemist firm which was based in Micklegate, York. It was definitely operating by 1939.

Built beside and behind Fairfax House, a Georgian house built in 1732 for Viscount Fairfax and designed by York architect John Carr, the St. Georges Hall was opened as a cinema on 7 March 1921 with 'Three Men in a Boat'. Seating was provided in stalls and circle levels, with the projection box located at the rear of the stalls, under the circle. The decorative scheme included oak panels on the walls.

The cinema was taken over by the Provincial Cinematograph Theatres chain (PCT) in 1922. In 1928, a Jardin 'straight' 3Manual 27 stops organ was installed. The instrument had previously been installed in the Tivoli Theatre, Strand, London. It was opened by organist Frank Olsen.

In February 1929, PCT were taken over by the Gaumont British Theatres chain. The St. George's Cinema also boasted a large ballroom and cafe, located on the first floor of Fairfax House.

The St. George's Cinema was closed by the Rank Organisation on 6 November 1965 with Elizabeth Taylor in 'Cleopatra'.

The York Musical Society was founded in around 1767 by several York musicians including the Organist of York Minster John Camidge (1734-1803). It is the oldest musical society in England. Originally the society was quite exclusive, being limited to sixty members and was more concerned with instrumental music. The original YMS was hostile to any public awareness, and still more scrutiny, of its activities. However during the nineteenth century the YMS relented a little on this policy. Women were admitted to its anniversary concert from 1826 and members were involved in music festivals in York in 1791, 1823, 1825, 1828 and 1845. The Society also publicly sponsored at least one choral concert in 1832.

It is unknown whether the original York Musical Society folded in the early 1850s, and the gap was replaced by the York Amateur Musical Society, or whether there is a direct link between the two (there was certainly a direct connection with some individuals being committee members of both organisations). In 1873 the York Amateur Musical Society agreed to accept vocalists as members and commenced organising public choral concerts.

In 1876 the York Amateur Musical Society was reformed as the York Musical Society. The driving force behind this was the Dean of York, though links with the Minster were otherwise coincidental until 1892 when John Naylor (Minster organist since 1883) became the conductor. 'This young society' (to quote the York Herald) presented The Messiah for its first concert in December 1876 with Handel's Acis and Galatea the following April.

At the end of the 19th century it merged with the York Choral Society and with the addition of conductor Thomas Tertius Noble in 1900, membership increased to over 200. It remains a large choir to this day.

The York Society of Engineers was founded by Albert Crocker, City Electrical Engineer and Charles Minter OBE, the York City Engineer. As a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers Crocker had been finding travelling to Leeds for meetings inconvenient, and so asked prominent engineers in York whether they would like to set up a local group from various disciplines.

The objects of the Society are to promote and facilitate the dissemination and interchange of information on engineering matters and provide social intercourse between engineering executives. It is one of the few remaining engineering societies in the United Kingdom.

During the winter the Society arranges a series of lectures on engineering topics. During the summer they also plan a series of visits to places of engineering interest.

The society logo was designed and approved in 1963. The emblem includes the natural forces of heat, electricity and water/ The President's badge of office also includes the white rose of Yorkshire to emphasise the association with the City of York.

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.

A major report on services and policies for childcare and equal opportunities in the United Kingdom was published in 1988. The report highlighted the inadequacies in policies and policy co-ordination. Following its publication, a group of parents in York began to make a determined effort to bring the issues from the report into the public arena.

York Childcare Ltd was formed in 1990 out of this group, to provide childcare for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. It is a non profit registered charity with the aim of providing quality childcare for families in York and is run by a committee of voluntary Trustees. The out of school management service manages clubs across the city providing breakfast, after school and holiday clubs for children aged 16 months - 12 years.

The first reference to a Butchers' Guild structure in York appears in the Freemen's Rolls of 1272, with thirty-six names that include two citizens, Robert Withenskirtes and Nich. de Nunnewk, registered as Freemen Butchers. However, there must have been Freemen before that date as Nicholas of Clifton claimed his Freedom by patrimony.

Guild organisation and control were by co-operative agreement between the leading members and the burgesses of the city. Any regulations agreed were incorporated in the Ordinances of the Guild, and enforced by the Searchers of the Company. The Butchers' Gild held sway in matters of hygiene, weights and measures, meat restricted days and fast periods, and over 'foreign' (i.e. non-guild) butchers. The Gild Searchers operated as overseers for the good of the trade with powers of search of shops and stalls, of imposition of fines and of application of correction and punishment.

Standards of workmanship were protected through the apprenticeship system. In London (1556) the authorities decided that:
'Until a man grows unto the age of 24 he has not grown into the full knowledge of the art that he professeth.'

Seven years was generally agreed as the minimum period of training and servitude before the apprentice became a 'freeman to ply his trade'. Apprentice registration was controlled so that children of freemen had priority of admission to the learning of a craft. Guild Masters were responsible for the Indenture and for the entry of apprentices in the City's Register, following one month's probationary period.

Trades would tend to congregate their shops in one area of a town or city. The Shambles in York is well known as the butchers' street, but the trade area also extended over St. Andrewgate and St. Saviourgate.The Butchers may well have been responsible for a civic duty – that is, to act as the City executioners.

The York Butchers' own hall lay behind The Shambles in Gell Garth, an area now occupied by York market. This property was owned by the Gild until 1929 and the last remnants cleared away in the 1950's. Their traditional church was Christ Church, at the west end of The Shambles, where they were responsible for a chapel. The church was demolished in 1937 to form what is now King's Square. It is believed that the execution sword was housed in the church.

In York, the Mystery Plays were a most important part of the life of the craft guilds., under the control of the Corpus Christi Guild. These plays were performed on a procession of pageants at various stations throughout the city, on the Feast of Corpus Christi. The Butchers enacted 'The Death of Christ', reflecting their role as executioners.

The guilds had voting rights in the elections for Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriff. The Butchers, considered as one of the lower fifteen guilds, contributed one voting member, usually the Senior Searcher.

There were 96 craft guilds in York in 1415, at the peak of guild control of trade and civic life. By the late 16th century, guild numbers dropped as specialisation in crafts was ending and some mergers occurred, as 'foreign' (i.e. outside the city) traders were allowed within and as monopoly was curtailed in law. Although records indicate that the Butchers' Gild appointed three searchers in 1826, the 1835 Municipal Reform Act finally abolished all guild trade privileges [1]. In York, guilds withered and nearly all passed away except for two with property. These, The Merchant Adventurers and The Merchant Taylors, converted into social and charitable institutions. A third, the Butchers, struggled on into the 20th century, with just a single member by 1940.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Butchers' Gild membership fell - from thirty or forty in 1812 to just two in 1929, and just one remaining by 1940. In 1929, the City Authorities purchased the Gell Garth site for £932 and the records and Ordinances of the Company were passed into the hands of the Corporation for preservation in the City archives.

In 1940, Mr. F. Wright, butcher of Goodramgate, York, and Mr. C. N. B. Crombie, solicitor of York, persuaded the last remaining member to swear in new members. As a result, the present Gild is able to claim continuous membership from its mediaeval roots. The first Court of the modern Gild was held in 1940 at the Hermitage, Stockton on the Forest, the first Feast was held in the Davy Hall, Davygate on Shrove Tuesday, 1941 and the first new-era Master took office in 1943.

Membership has gradually grown since that date, but with the slow decline in numbers of craft butchers, the Gild now draws its members from a wider geographical area than the City of York and now includes the County of York, neighbouring counties in the North of England, and from further afield, so long as the member is able to commit to guild life and functions. The Company considers that its membership should retain strong links with the craft of butchery or the meat trade.

The City Council was able, in 1950, to provide The Gild with a suitable hall, appropriately in The Shambles. However, in 1991, the authorities looked for a 'commercial rent'. The Gild was unable to match the sum proposed and moved out (although the doorway in the Shambles is still carved with the name 'Butchers Hall'). The Gild was fortunate in being able to move into, and furnish, the recently renovated ‘Jacobs Well’ in Trinity Lane, Micklegate.

In common with all the other York guilds, the Company now worships in All Saints’ Church, Pavement.

The Charitable Trust was properly constituted in 1992.

During the late 1990’s, the Gild debated and accepted the notion of the entry of Lady Members. (History indicates that this was always acceptable and was particularly applied when a widow continued the running of a business after the loss of her husband). The first three ladies in the modern era were admitted to the Company on Shrove Tuesday, 2002.

Today, the membership extends to over one hundred persons.

York Inset Scooter Club was formed in 2003 by a group of individuals with a common interest in scooters and scootering. It is always on the look out for new members and meets in Heworth every Tuesday night.

The club also does ride-outs throughout the year, often for charity fundraising, multi-club meets and entourage at events.

The club supports many charitable causes, including the York Normandy Veterans, who are honorary members of the club.

Under the Local Government Act of 1929 the Public Assistance Committee assumed responsibility for administering the Poor Law which had previously been the remit of the York Poor Law Union (1837-1930). Some committees, including the Boarding-Out/Children's Committee, had a continuous existence and function under both the York Poor Law Union and its successor body the Public Assistance Committee.
One of the sub-committees of the Public Assistance Committee (1929-1948). The Boarding-Out Committee underwent the following name changes: Boarding-Out Committee (1930-38); Children's Committee (1938-1947); Children's and Boarding-Out Committee (1947-1948).

The City of York was covered by three relief districts, with a Relieving Officer for each district. Each Relief Committee dealt with applications in one of the relief districts for a four-month period before moving on to the next district.

The Visiting Committee appears to have been a full committee that had an intermittent life along with the Workhouse Committee (see Relationships below). After 1914 there were several visiting sub-committees which inspected various aspects of the workhouse and reported directly to the Workhouse Committee.
Replaced the Workhouse Committee (?mid-19thc-(1906); then was replaced by the Workhouse Committee, which was reinstated in 1914.

Served the Boards of Guardians of the Yorkshire Poor Law Unions. Previously named the Yorkshire Joint Vagrancy Committee.

LNER York Employees Amateur Swimming Club was established by June 1920. Until 1928 men's and women's sections trained and were administered separately.

The club was founded in 1938.

York Against The War is a branch of Stop the War Coalition and was established in October 2001 in response to the launch of military strikes on Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 Terror Attacks. The branch opposes military solutions of the problems of terrorism and promotes peaceful alternatives. It still maintains an online presence in the form of a blog on latest initiatives and campaigns.

In 1980, a steering group was formed by members of some of York's surviving guilds, to discuss the possibility of using the building as a new guild hall. Shortly afterwards the Company of Cordwainers, the Gild of Freemen and the York Guild of Building formed the Bedern Hall Company. The company raised the funds to add further facilities to complement the Hall, and a modern annexe was added to ensure that the building was equipped for the needs of future generations. Among the most striking of the modern additions are the stained glass panels in the windows, commemorating Guild members.

Since restoration, the Hall has been used by a variety of organisations as a venue for dinners, meetings and conferences. In 2005, it was licensed for civil wedding celebrations. It is also used as a meeting venue and events space.

The origins of the firm lie in the partnership of John Carr and Peter Atkinson in York in the late eighteenth century. Peter Atkinson’s son, also Peter, joined the practice as a partner in 1801.

After the deaths of Peter Atkinson Senior (in 1805) and John Carr (in 1807), and following unsuccessful partnerships with Matthew Philips and Richard Hey Sharp, Peter Atkinson Junior went into partnership with his eldest son, John Bonas Atkinson, in 1831. His younger son, William, joined as partner in 1837, and together with his brother established the firm as a significant architectural practice. They were later joined by James Demaine in 1874 and Walter Henry Brierley in 1885.

The work of Brierley made the name of the firm. Between 1885 and 1926 it was responsible for over 300 buildings, including churches, houses and civic buildings in York and across the North of England. These include Northallerton County Hall, Scarcroft School in York, and Goddards on Tadcaster Road, built for the Terry family in the 1920s.

The firm was continued by his partner from 1911, James Hervey Rutherford, with Brierley's place taken by John Stuart Syme, who later entered into partnership with John Keighley and Cecil and John Leckenby.

Today the firm lives on as Brierley Groom, an architectural practice still based in York.

Community Health Councils were set up in the 1974 NHS reorganisation to represent the interests of consumers in the health districts. Their role was to investigate, inspect, advise and comment on local healthcare facilities. Each year they were to report to their establishing authority. As originally constituted Community Health Councils were composed of 30 members, half of which were local authority appointees, and of the remainder, two thirds were from voluntary organisations and one third were appointed by the regional health authority. After the NHS restructuring in 1982, CHCs were reduced in size to 24 members, but with the same proportion of representatives. CHCs also employed a small number of offiers.

The Community Health Council for the York Health District was established by, and reported to, the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority. In 1974 it was coterminus with the York Health District, and from 1982, with York Health Authority. Through subsequent reorganisation it continued to represent people in York Health District, an area covering York, Easingwold, Selby and Tadcaster. In 2002 a Parliamentary Act was passed to abolishh the Community Health Councils, and to replace them with Patients' Councils.

York Celebrations Choir was formed in the 1960s out of a desire to amalgamate York's many small and medium-sized choirs. The aim was to create a 'choir of large forces which would be able to undertake major choral works.' The plan was to have around 400 voices. After a series of meetings the choir was formed and the first concert took place on 7 November 1970 in York Minster. The choir became a major element of the York 1900th celebrations in 1971.

The choir took part in numerous concerts and had nine appearances on Yorkshire Television's Stars on Sunday programme. This led to formal recordings, and the release of three LPs.

The choir formally ceased to exist in 1976.