History of York

1963 film by May Webb
Yorkshire Film Archive

HoY now has movies!  

A recent upgrade means that we can now show short film clips on the History of York website.  The first footage comes from the marvellous collection of the Yorkshire Film Archive.

It was taken by an amateur York filmmaker, May Webb, in 1963.  The film features several different key sites around York, including the much-photographed view from Station Rise, as well as outdoor Shakespearean theatre on High Petergate and another theatrical event outside the Female Prison building. 

As a filmmaker and owner of a camera shop in York, May Webb considered the camera to be a major part of her life documenting both public events around York as well as gatherings with family and friends.  In conjunction with other York-based filmmakers, she produced many narrative films including The Yellow Balloon and Love’s First Flush.  As an avid scuba-diver as well as filmmaker, May also developed innovative equipment for underwater filming capturing truly unique underwater images from around the Yorkshire Coast.