Author: Julie-Ann Vickers

The Anglian Tower and its excavation

Here is the second guest blog from Eva Barker, one of our brilliant York St John's University placement students Plan of Anglian Tower excavations c1970 The site around York Library has a dense history, many of the buildings previously on this site still have visible remnants today, including the Mint Yard, St Leonard’s Hospital’s crypt … Continue reading The Anglian Tower and its excavation →

Conserving York’s Bar Walls

Guest blog from Eva Barker, one of our fabulous York St John's placement students. Recently I had the privilege of volunteering at York Explore’s archives where I came across a photographic survey conducted in the 1970s by Mr C. Richards. They were a perfect example of the incredible conservation work the city carries out to … Continue reading Conserving York’s Bar Walls →

The Nuisance Inspector – from archives to script

The Nuisance Inspector – from archives to script

The story behind our much-loved audio play, now available as a podcast It is the summer of 2019 (i.e. a lifetime ago!) and we have asked a local scriptwriter, Paul Birch, to come and view a sample of items from York’s civic archives. Laid out on the table are a selection of records, but Paul … Continue reading The Nuisance Inspector – from archives to script →

Read about some of the fascinating research being carried out on our recently catalogued  Poor Law records...our guest blogger from Clements Hall Local History Group tells us about their project.   What was it like to be poor in 19th century York?  Clements Hall Local History Group is using recently catalogued Explore York Poor Law … Continue reading →

York and the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Influenza Pandemic

One hundred years ago, the ‘Spanish Influenza’ attacked York Hello, I'm Chloe - from January to March of this year I've been on a placement at York Explore, researching the impact the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu had on York. As a History Masters student, I'm used to research, but this has been a new and exciting … Continue reading York and the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Influenza Pandemic →

York’s sanitary inspection books – more than just old drains

York’s sanitary inspection books – more than just old drains

It has been a busy start to the autumn for the Past Caring team. Tiffany, our conservator, has been working hard along with her volunteers to repair, clean and package the Poor Law records. Meanwhile I have moved on to the records of York’s Medical Officer of Health and the Health Department, which date from the … Continue reading York’s sanitary inspection books – more than just old drains →

Archive volunteers needed!

Archive volunteers needed!

We have a new opportunity to volunteer with our fabulous Past Caring archives project at York Explore. You will be helping us to catalogue and conserve York’s healthcare records dating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience working with original archives in a friendly group environment. Volunteers for this … Continue reading Archive volunteers needed! →

Improving York one street at a time

Improving York one street at a time

York's City Commissioners (aka the Improvement Commissioners) Many of you may not be familiar with York’s City Commissioners, a group of officials who had the unenviable task of improving the condition of York’s streets in the first half of the nineteenth century. At the moment I am working on the catalogue for their records and … Continue reading Improving York one street at a time →