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The York Guild of Building was established in 1954 under the guidance of Sir Peter Shepherd and a number of other leading citizens connected with the construction industry, as well as professional organisations within the city, to represent and provide a forum for all the skills which are required in the construction and maintenance of buildings. This representation inspired the Guild logo.
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The builders of medieval York included masons, glaziers, plumbers, plasterers and tilers and the largest of the entire group who worked in wood, variously described as carpenters, sawyers, joiners and carvers. Of these only four crafts became organised into Guilds: the Carpenters, the Masons, the Tile Thatchers and the Plasterers. However these Guilds came to an end in York in the early nineteenth century.

The Guild operates with a Court of Assistants under the leadership of the Master for the year, assisted by Senior and Junior Wardens. Five members of the Court are elected annually by the membership. In addition several organisations connected with the construction industry nominate representatives, together with York College. Membership is open to any person involved in any aspect of building and associated activities. The day to day running of the Guild is in the care of the Honorary Clerk.

The Guild is committed to the advancement of design, management, science and craft in building and the better understanding of the problems and achievements of those engaged in building.
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To support the objectives of the Guild a very full programme of lectures, talks and visits, complimented by a range of social activities is produced by the court each year.

York Scribes was established as a group in 1990 to promote calligraphy, illumination, and lettering through informal meetings, lectures, workshops, and other events. The group was aimed at participants across North Yorkshire, both beginners and experienced calligraphers. Pauline Hall, a professional calligrapher, chaired the group for the first few years before being made Life President in 1996.

An initial open meeting was held to gauge interest, which attracted 30 attendees. This group went on to establish the York Scribes and write a constitution. Membership later grew to, and stabilised at, around 60-70 members.

The group was established with the support of the London based group the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and of the Bar Convent's education programme. Meetings and workshops were held at the Bar Convent until 1993.

The York Society of Magicians was founded in 1945 by the then Lord Mayor of York, Harold Chapman de Bourg. De Bourg was a magician and wanted to establish a magic society in York to meet likeminded people. De Bourg invited other amateur magicians to Mansion House, where the inaugural meeting of the Society was held on 8th March 1945. At that first meeting the York Society of Magicians was established.

The society’s first headquarters were in the Rechabite building and then afterwards Middleton House in Monkgate.

The society started its ‘Night of Magic’ shows at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in 1951, which were held annually until 1987. The Society’s other activities include annual dinners, and monthly meetings where members discuss magic and share magic tricks.

The society includes amateur magicians, hobbyists and professionals. In some periods the society has had an active junior department as well as an adult society.

The society was closed down in 2021.

The Mister Ladies Bowls Club was established in 1971. The club was named after The Minster Inn on Marygate, York, where the club members used to meet. The club originally used Exhibition Green to bowl, which was located behind the York Art Gallery, before moving to Clarence Gardens, where they paid to use the facilities. The club was closed in 2017.