Changing Blossom Street: The shops, characters and stories of a lost York

Cars in Blossom Street in around 1980 - photo from YEP

A new book explores York's changing Blossom Street history. By Susan Major

You might think of Blossom Street as a busy route, full of traffic heading towards Micklegate Bar and York Station, but it’s one of York’s most historic streets, and for many local people it evokes many memories of well-known shops and traders.

Wright’s butchers, Hannon’s greengrocers, Woolgrove’s bakers and Shearsmith’s motor bikes are all fondly remembered. You might spot a trace of some of these if you take a close look, as some old decoratively tiled doorways have survived.

There are still a few pubs left, the Windmill, the Bay Horse and the Punch Bowl, but many are long gone – do you remember the Lion and Lamb?

The Lion and Lamb on Blossom Street was first mentioned in 1783. In 1987 it was renamed The Nickel and Dime, but was closed in 1988 and subsequently converted into offices - Photo from YAYAS

The history of the street is documented in a new book, Blossom Street: the Royal entrance to York, written by Clements Hall Local History Group, and available from Wednesday, October 21.

The street is only short, around 300 yards long, but it widens once it passes away from the Bar, signalling an impressive entrance into the city centre. To the south west it becomes the Mount, after the junction with Holgate Road and East Mount Road. Importantly Blossom Street has been the entrance to York for most of our monarchs, greeted at the Bar by the Lord Mayor and the Sheriff’s Army.

Royal Visit York..28th June 1971..1900 celebrations...Blossom Street...the Queen arrives at Micklegate Bar.

There are some impressive buildings – the Bar Convent has a long history, the oldest living convent in the UK and the oldest surviving place of Catholic worship after the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century.

More recently the Odeon Cinema. which opened in 1937, is considered a classic and distinctive example of Odeon Art Deco design. It’s generated many fond memories from local people about the Saturday Club for children.

There were some well-known people living in Blossom Street in the 19th century, reflecting York historic themes: railway and chocolate. Members of the Rowntree family, with Joseph Rowntree in the 1840s and Henry Isaac Rowntree in the 1870s, and the Terry family in the 1890s, were all living here briefly.

Bay Horse pub in Blossom Street in 1935 - photo from Explore York

There were significant railway players, such as George Leeman MP (famous opponent of ‘Railway King’ George Hudson) and William Bell, North Eastern Railway architect. Other important railway men at the time included Thomas Meynell Jnr (Stockton and Darlington Railway), railway contractor Joseph Crawshaw and railway engineer Thomas Cabry (York & North Midland Railway).

Recommended reading:

• The forgotten train station that vanished – York's hidden railway story
• York’s most famous street and the 'celebrities' that once lived here
• How these York brothers brought us the KitKat and built a world full of chocolate

Key residents helped to shape the history and face of York, usually as a brief interlude before moving further out to airier districts. Famous architects based here included Charles Watson and James Pigott Pritchett in the early 19th century. John Keswick was a well known York builder with a considerable impact on the built environment of York.

The newspaper proprietor and historian of York, William Hargrove, was here in the 1840s, and it was his son William Wallace Hargrove who founded the Yorkshire Evening Press, still published today as the York Press. While here he may have been talking to confectioner Joseph Rowntree and comb manufacturer George Steward Jnr. Combmaking was an historic industry for York, and the Steward family firm were based in Blossom Street for much of the 19th century.

Cover of new book on York's Blossom Street (Image: Supplied)

Angela Wheatcroft told us about Prince Monolulu: "I remember people standing at the corner of Holgate Road, not far from where Wright’s butcher’s was, buying racing papers like the racing pink. A feature of many race meetings was the presence of people who offered tips away from the course. And one of these was Prince Monolulu. He was a racing tipster and you couldn't miss him. He had presumably made up his whole appearance to attract attention. He was a black guy, and everyone knew him as Prince Monolulu. He had a turban with feathers, the whole image was one of Eastern mystery, that he knew things that we didn't and he could give you the right horse to win the race. His trademark call was ‘I gotta horse, I gotta horse’ ."

But the character of Blossom Street has changed from the 1960s, with various phases of demolition. The rise of out-of-town retail and online shopping, together with the closure of independent businesses with a direct interest in their local community, has brought about significant change here over the last 50 years.

Blossom Street: the Royal entrance to York, by Clements Hall Local History Group, is available now, priced £15 from a range of stockists including Waterstones, Toppings, Explore York, Blossom St Gallery, Bar Convent, Pextons, and Frankie & Johnny’s Cookshop. Contact clemhallhistory@gmail.com for mail order details.