DO you recognise this parade of shops in York?
Our photo today shows Walmgate in the 1970s.
The large shop on the right Brian Wilson Ltd – a painter and decorators.
70 Walmgate when it was part of a larger interconnected shop called Brian Wilson Ltd. Photo from City of York Council planning application
Readers have fond memories of the business.
David Boag said: “Yes. Painters & Decorators etc. Painted the outside of our house in Acomb. Late 60s. Brian also owned a few flats in George Street, Walmgate. Next door to Walmgate Sandwich Bar. Late 70s.”
Dougie Weake shared his memory – also on our Facebook page, Why We Love York – Memories – : “Brian Wilson painter and decorator, later he was into selling cycles.”
John Shaw wrote: “I found a sale of property in 1821. The Black Bull was next door (off the right of your photo). John Melrose was a relative of James Melrose, who is well known as he lived to 100. I’m fairly convinced that in the early 1800s the Melrose family owned it, hence Melrose’s Yard next door.”
Philip Hewitt posted: “You can’t see it on this photo but there is an opening to an alleyway and down there is or was a warehouse occupied by Frank Geary of F N Geary & Co. This was a small company set up by Frank when W Dove & Co went bust in the 1960s. Frank was assisted by his daughter Cynthia in the office and I worked there in university summer hols. I think the office address was either 66b or 56b – can’t quite remember.”
In the 1980s, the building was taken over by Age UK and more recently has been converted back to its original use as a Georgian townhouse. You can read the fascinating story and see all the photos here: Through the keyhole – the York address full of secrets and puzzles
Share your memories
If you love delving into York’s past and seeing photos and reading stories from yesteryear then make sure you check The Press every day for its regular nostalgia stories. And don’t miss our eight-page nostalgia supplement every Wednesday in the paper.
We also have more than 3,000 members in our online nostalgia group on Facebook, Why We Love York – Memories. It is free to join and you will find us at www.facebook.com/groups/yorknostalgia/.
It would be great to see your old photos of York – and they don’t have to be from centuries ago. We all love seeing old photos from our recent past, and some of our more popular stories with readers date from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Share your memories and photos of Walmgate – or any other nostalgia story, please email maxine.gordon@thepress.co.uk.
