Old photos from Acomb and Foxwood, York, since 1950s

Our gallery begins in 1952, pictured below, when smiling neighbours on Danesfort Avenue came together for a street party to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Fast forward to March 1977, and the mood was very different. Soaring inflation meant prices were rising, making everyday essentials and energy costs increasingly expensive.

Our photo captured the discontent, with the caption reading: ‘Angry, placard-brandishing housewives from the Foxwood Lane estate occupied a room at the city council housing services department today in protest over massive electricity bills’.

Their determination reflected the grit of families facing tough economic times.

Children’s play was never far from the headlines. In November 1974, locals voiced anger over the state of the playpark at the Thanet Road end of Foxwood Lane, where mud was reportedly three feet deep. Even simple pleasures could be hard-earned.

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In happier times though, the snowfall in December 1975 gave children a more appealing play area on Acomb Green. Is this still one of the best place for sledging in York? What are your memories?

Our collection shows new roundabouts at Front Street and Wetherby Road in 1985, signalling modernisation. Community spaces also tell their own story. The Acomb Adult School, pictured in 1973 before its sale, had been a hub for learning for generations. Founded by Quakers as part of the Adult School Movement, it offered reading and writing classes for working-class adults who had missed out on formal schooling. Joseph Rowntree himself taught there.

Meanwhile the opening of the purpose-built Acomb Library in 1969, at a cost of £28,500, marked a proud investment in knowledge for this growing community. Acomb’s library service had previously operated in makeshift locations, with poor heating, ventilation, and lighting.

Our photos give an insight into how shopping habits changed as well with Presto supermarket bringing the convenience of modern retail to Front Street. Do you remember its arrival?

Love York’s past? Join the conversation in our Facebook group: Why We Love York – Memories.