President's Weekend in York

President’s Weekend Visit to York

10 to 12 April 2015

What a beautiful city and a wonderful place for a Presidential weekend.  Most of us have been to York on at least one previous occasion, but it was still a delight to return.  President Paul and Stephany did a fine job in organizing a most interesting and enjoyable weekend for all those who were able to attend.

Our accommodation, the Royal York Hotel, was a great venue as it is situated just outside the city wall and within easy walking for all the cities major attractions.  We all arrived at the splendid Royal York Hotel in good time on Friday afternoon, although some were able to get there a day or so earlier.  After booking in we had plenty of time to do a little exploring and to take tea at one of the numerous local tea shops dotted around the city.

The original (First) Royal Station Hotel was built in 1852 and the current hotel is on a slightly different site and was opened in May 1878.  The hotel was built soon after the opening of the magnificent Railway Station.  The Royal Station Hotel (its original name) is a magnificent five-story building, no problem as there are now lifts to take weary travellers to their rooms, built of yellow Scarborough brick , with Tadcaster stone dressings.  It was built to accommodate the aristocracy of the North as well as the wealthy Yorkshire industrialists.  I’m not sure where we humble Rotarians fit into this scheme.  It features elegant high-ceilinged, banqueting rooms for social functions.  The entrance and spacious reception were enhanced by the wonderful flying (unsupported) staircase to the upper floors.  Some redecorations were underway and necessitated some Rotarians asking to be move away from the over whelming smell of fresh paint.

On Friday evening we met at the Golden Fleece for drinks and eats from a varied and plentiful menu.  The Golden Fleece is reputed to be the most haunted pub in York.  However, we later found that all the pubs in York are haunted, this no doubts goes with their extreme age.  The Golden Fleece was first mentioned in the city archives in 1503.  I saw no ghosts, but then I didn’t have a lot to drink.

Saturday required an early start to enjoy the full English at the hotel before departing for the York Castle Museum.  This was a real time tunnel experience as is takes you back to bygone ages.  We were able to wander through recreated Victorian Streets, where respite was enjoyed by most of us (see appropriate pictures) and to meet a rather amusing pharmacist in the pharmacy store, with all his wonderful collection of medicines.  We also visited the prison cell of Dick Turpin, another misunderstood Essex boy, and saw the true horrors of fighting on the front line in the First World War.

As Saturday afternoon was free we took advantage of a reduced fare on the on-off bus that took as around the city with plenty of relevant information.  This included the story of our holocaust that took place at the Clifford’s Tower in 1190.  The local Jewish communities were the moneylenders and were consequently subjected to considerable religious prejudice.  The King offered them protection, provided that all the Jewish property and debts ultimately belonged to the King.  A local lord, who owed considerable sums to a powerful Jewish merchant, inflamed anti-Jewish sentiment and set the mob onto the Jewish community.  They took refuge in the wooden keep of Clifford’s Tower.  Their Rabbi proposed an act of collective suicide to avoid being killed and mutilated by the angry mob.  The castle was then set alight, and the majority of the Jews took their own lives.  Around 150 Jews died in the massacre.

The on-off bus took us back to our hotel, where we later joined the President Paul and Stephany for pre-dinner drinks in the Hotel bar.  Saturday evening meal was in the hotel and was enjoyed by all.

The next day was rather chilly but we were able to view the city from a different angle, as our President had organized a York City Cruise from the Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse.  There are some photos above that show the cold Rotarians about to board the cruise.  Afterwards we made our way to the Black Swan Inn for a substantial lunch.  Before going up to the dining room we all enjoyed the warmth of the huge open log fire in the bar.  The Black Swan Inn dates back to the 15th century and was used as a horse refuge in WWII.  In 1884, a York brick maker “sold his wife here, over a glass of ale, for 1s 6p”.

It was now time to leave York, after a most enjoyable Presidential weekend.  It only remains for me, on behalf of all the Rotarians on the tour, to thank Paul and Stephany for all the considerable time and effort they put into organizing our visit.

Stan Evans