FOR decades, York Press photographers and journalists have been reporting on the daily lives of ordinary people in York.

They reported on the big, momentous occasions, of course – Royal visits, the Minster fire, the Pope’s visit to Knavesmire.

But they were also on hand to record the everyday – travelling children at St Nicholas Fields, a busker playing his harmonica on the streets of York, bookmakers setting up at Knavesmire on a blustery August day.

Many of those photographs were taken, printed in the next day’s newspaper - and then virtually forgotten about.

But now, thanks to the efforts of local historian Paul Chrystal, almost 350 photographs which had been filed away in The Press archives have been dug out and brought into the light of day.

They will be printed, many of them for the first time in decades, in a new book – York through the Lens of The Press - due to be published next month.

Paul was granted unprecedented access to The Press archives, which were hidden away in a basement.

He spent weeks trawling through old folders and paper files stuffed full of glossy prints – and not even a lengthy interruption caused by Covid could stop him.

It was, he admits, a ‘great experience’.

“I’d be going through a box of photos, and I just didn’t know what was going to be in there,” he said. “It could have been anything!”

He was struck by the range of material he found. It wasn’t all just dignitaries posing self-consciously for the camera.

“There were some amazing photographs of homeless people; lots of photographs of the travelling community – every aspect of life in York was there!” he said.

He scanned his favourite of the images, and they have all made their way – complete with informative captions – into his new book.

Because so many of the photographs have not been seen since they were first published in the newspaper, York Through the Lens of The Press provides an unrivalled opportunity to look back at the York of yesterday – and to induilge in some unashamed nostalgia.

The book will be published on October 27 – and York Press editor Nigel Burton can’t wait.

“It is wonderful that so many of these old Press photos are seeing the light of day again,” he said.

“They give a unique glimpse of everyday life in York going back decades, as observed by Press photographers.

"Every bit of human life is here. This really is a wonderful testament to the role local newspapers like The Press play in recording the daily lives of ordinary people.”

York Through the Lens of The Press, published by Destinworld, will be released on October 27, and will be available from all good booksellers.