IT stopped being his home in 1930, but the former owner of York Treasurer’s House is still making his presence felt.

Wealthy industrialist Frank Green left the house and its collection to National Trust back in 1930, having spent the previous 30 years restoring it into a series of rooms to display his collection of fine furniture, fabrics and artefacts.

He was known for being very particular about how things were kept, so conservation staff were not too surprised recently to find a note in the pocket of a hunting jacket strictly instructing them not to wash it.

Tom Johnson, house steward, said: “Frank Green was passionate about hunting and we have one of his jackets, called hunting pink, along with his riding boots in our collection. When carrying out an inspection of the jacket with two conservation volunteers we discovered a handwritten note, tucked away in the inside pocket.

"It read ‘do not clean it!’ signed Frank Green. We think Frank was keen to preserve its muddied state and the faded colour, to show off how much wear it had.

Frank Green was quite a character and has left us with many instructions about how to present and look after his collection, including putting studs in the floor for every piece of furniture to show where it should stay. “ Meanwhile, a French newspaper from September 4, 1904, has also been found in the back of a picture from the South Dressing Room when it was sent away for conservation.

As a large map and hand-written notes on display at the house show Mr Green travelled France extensively, Mr Johnson said: “It’s really intriguing to wonder if he picked this painting up on his travels as a souvenir.”

Treasurer’s House is open daily from 11am to 4.30pm, but closed Fridays.