Following a successful application to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council for Big Lottery money set aside to commemorate the end of World War II, YAT brought the travelling exhibition ‘Their Past Your Future’ to the City. The exhibition and a host of special events were staged at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet at Naburn. The exhibition ran for 6 weeks in October and November, coinciding with Remembrance Day on the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. This enabled us to develop strong links with the British Legion and members of other veterans’ organisations as well as the armed forces, notably the Army at Fulford Barracks and RAF at Linton on Ouse. Particularly memorable was a flypast by young pilots from Linton at the launch of the exhibition while a NAAFI van dispensed strong tea in the autumn sunshine.

In addition to events at Naburn, YAT worked closely with the York Castle Museum, who kindly lent objects for display at Naburn, and extended their own WWII temporary exhibition. With the City of York Archives and Central Library an exhibition was mounted in the foyer of York City Central Library under the title ‘York in the War’ and special events held at York Minster and St Helen’s church.

Their Past Your Future was generously supported by businesses and staff at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet who monitored visitor numbers. Over 377,000 people visited the exhibition space, and people spent more time at the centre than they did in previous years.

Home Front Recall was a second 20th century history project run by YAT. Again the Big Lottery fund provided resources that enabled YAT to contact and record the memories of people who lived in and around York in WWII. The focus here was not on military operations, but the experiences of ordinary people who lived through the war years. Short snippets of recordings were transferred onto MP3 players and made available to visitors at McArthurGlen. During the winter the recordings were edited and selected highlights were developed into two websites special designed for local schools. We were greatly assisted in this by local history teacher Sarah Blease from Archbishop Holgate’s School and Mike Shaw of Bootham School.

Blansby Park

Work has continued steadily at this important and little understood area of the North York Moors. YAT volunteer Colin Sheppard carried out important work with the air photography section of the English Heritage York office under the guidance of Dave MacLeod, and produced articles for the CBA and Yorkshire Archaeology Today. Two students from the University of Bradford undertook the task of updating the computer database and studying stone finds from the Harrison Collection.

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