People gathered around the wireless on 3rd September 1939 to hear Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announce that Adolf Hitler had not withdrawn his troops from Poland and so he declared that ‘this country is at war with Germany’. The first …

Second World War in York Read more »

Presents that I remember from childhood include ones made by my dad – a wooden doll’s house, ironing board, and metal slide. Other presents were farm animals from Precious’s’ toy shop down Petergate, York, a bike, a blue rabbit, a …

Did you find these underneath the Christmas tree? Read more »

My great uncle Derrick Gosley’s family was from the West Cottingwith/Holme on Spalding Moor area. Many of his relatives were in the pub trade. The Gosleys married into the Hairsine family. Charles William Hairsine was publican at the Anchor Inn, …

Ancestors and York pubs….1 Read more »

One of Terry’s chairmen was Noel Goddard Terry. He was badly wounded in the First World War (5th West Yorkshire Regiment) but survived. He had a house built in 1927 near the racecourse, called Goddards. It is now owned by …

Random food facts, York Read more »

A lot of my dad’s side of the family worked for the railway. I stumbled upon a useful resource when I was looking for one of mum’s ancestors. I was looking for George Aspinall who was assistant station master at …

Useful family history websites Read more »

There are a surprising number of buildings still standing in York that were previously used by the railway industry. Here are some of them. The Yorkshire and North Midland (Y&NM) Railway opened in 1839. Y&NM loco works One of the …

York’s railway history – there to see in current buildings Read more »

We bought a few items from Beverley Antiques and Collectors Centre last week. One is a postcard of Walmgate Bar. It had been posted to Mrs Beckett, Barton-le-Willow, near York on 11.7.1908. Looking at census records, I think this was …

Walmgate Bar, Police and Fire, York Read more »

This pattern for a slip and half-slip was from before elastic was used in waist bands. The half-slip fastened with a 5/8” button. The side opening of the slip was fastened with press-studs. This wartime pattern reminds professional dressmakers to …

Old lingerie and nightwear sewing patterns Read more »

Since posting this, I’ve done an update to some of the text here https://suegough.net/victorian-and-edwardian-photographers-in-york-part-3 I am fascinated by old photographs. I’m lucky that my uncle Derek gave me some in the 1980’s when he emptied his aunt’s home. It’s fun …

Victorian and Edwardian photographers in York…part 2 Read more »

Photographers in York In the White’s Directory of 1840 no photographers are listed in York. William Webster was at 9 St Saviourgate in 1858. Henry F Newell at 7 Railway Street in 1858. By the 1871 census he was living …

Victorian and Edwardian photographers in York…part 1 Read more »