READING your Yesterday Once More feature of April 22, headlined “Floating down the Seventies” brought back many a fond memory, particularly the photo of the Roman sewer down Swinegate.
My family name of Deamer had a long history down Grape Lane (Swinegate runs into Grape Lane). My grandfather, George Deamer, was first on the voting register in 1930 and my grandmother Gertrude (Girtie) left in 1972, having lived in numbers 9 and 21 (now Wilde’s Bar) for 42 years.
My father, Len, and brothers Trevor, Reg and Phillip all lived and played down the street. Next door to number 21 was then a fruit warehouse (now Mulberrys).
One day a wagon manoeuvering in the yard had one of the wheels break through into a tunnel, the tunnel running one way to the Minster (the Roman headquarters) and the other direction down to the river.
Girtie knew of the sewer and also spoke how Patricks Pool received its name. A sewer had collapsed allowing the area to flood. The bit in between may have been found in 1972, but my grandmother knew of its existence years before.
I often wonder how many more things are waiting to be rediscovered.
D Deamer, Penleys Grove Street, York.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here