Edna Annie Crichton: York’s First Female Lord Mayor, by Dorothy Nott

Edna Annie Crichton: York’s First Female Lord Mayor, by Dorothy Nott

Edna Annie Crichton was York's first lady Lord Mayor from 1941- 42, only five and a half centuries after the office was created in 1389. Described as a ‘little woman with the heart of a lion’, her term of office spanned the air raid on York of 29 April 1942. For her handling of that crisis, she was created the first woman alderman in the city's history. As a committed Quaker and a city councillor from 1919, Edna took a great interest in housing and chaired the housing committee from 1933 to 1954. She was indefatigable in her public service, as was recognised by the granting of the Freedom of the City to her in 1955. Dorothy Nott will explore the life and career of this truly remarkable woman.

Changing Conceptions of Childhood 1870-1914: The York Mount School by Ruby Hogan

This episode explores the intertwined histories of childhood and education through the lens of the Mount School, a Quaker girls’ school in York. Drawing on themes of gender, personal experience, and the future shaping of young lives, the research considers how evolving ideas of childhood shaped education in England. We’ll hear about the school’s distinctive approach to gendered learning, the diary of student Hannah K. Hodgkinson that opens a rare window onto daily life, and how twentieth-century educators designed schooling with adulthood firmly in mind. Together, these threads reveal how conceptions of childhood were not only influential in the classroom but also central to the way education itself was imagined.

The life, letters and legacy of Noel Terry

By Stan Young While the popularity of the ‘Chocolate Orange’ has made Terry’s a well-known name, it is not widely recognised that the company’s origins date back to a York apothecary shop opened in 1767. Here, Noel Terry’s great-grandfather began his career before establishing himself independently as a supplier of lozenges, citrus fruit, liquorice, and boiled sweets. His company later expanded into a high-end catering business and a beloved restaurant, eventually producing quality chocolate that became a national brand exported worldwide. This was the inheritance of Noel Terry (1889-1980), who started working for the family firm in 1911 and eventually became Chairman, retiring in 1970. Meanwhile, he served and was injured in the First World War, oversaw a substantial expansion of the company, built an Arts and Crafts house, and played an active role in York’s civic life. Originally delivered as the Sheldon Memorial Lecture 2025.

Trailer: Introducing Borthwick Papers

Introducing Borthwick Papers - a new podcast carrying on the legacy of the publication series that began in 1951. We'll explore aspects of Yorkshire history based on our fantastic archives. Join us on this new journey into our shared past!