User:Lionelfullwood/Sandbox4

England York

Guide to York history, family history and genealogy parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.



DESCRIPTION
The picture above shows the world famous York Minster, the second most important Cathedral after Canterbury, in Britain.

York is a historic walled city at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The municipality is the traditional county town of Yorkshire to which it gives its name. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events in England throughout much of its two millennia of existence. The city offers a wealth of historic attractions, of which York Minster is the most prominent, and a variety of cultural and sporting activities making it a popular tourist destination for millions.

The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Northumbria and Jórvík. During the era of Viking aggression, it became a pivotal city in the fight to keep Saxon England free, under the reign of King Alfred. The conflict was ongoing almost to about 950 AD when there was some cessations to the hostilities, and York could become again a British city.

In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading center and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained.[2]

In the 19th century, York became a hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing center. In recent decades, the economy of York has moved from being dominated by its confectionery and railway-related industries to one that provides services. The University of York and health services have become major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy.

From 1996, the term City of York describes a unitary authority area which includes rural areas beyond the old city boundaries. In 2011 the urban area had a population of 153,717,[3] while in 2010 the entire unitary authority had an estimated population of 202,400.[1]

Ref: Wikipedia, and Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples.

HISTORY
The city of York is very ancient, being originally, as far as documented history is concerned, a Roman Fort in 71 A.D. which was the capital of the region the Romans called Britannia Inferior. The Romans named it Eboracum. The name York came much later.

It was listed in the Domesday book of 1086 A.D., as being under the control of the crown and the Archbishop of York. The first minster church was built in York for the baptism of Edwin, King of Northumbria, in 627. Around the year 1080 Archbishop Thomas started building the cathedral that in time became the current Minster. York Minster is considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world, and is the largest example of this style in Northern Europe.

The modern history of the city started when the railway promoter George Hudson brought the railway to York in 1839. Although his career as a railway entrepreneur ended in disgrace and bankruptcy, the promotion of his own railway company, the York and North Midland Railway and of York over Leeds, helped establish York as a major railway center by the late 19th century.

The introduction of the railways established engineering in the city. At the turn of the 20th century, the railway accommodated the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway, which employed more than 5,500 people.

York is the location for the National Railway museum. The museum has replicas of the original Stephenson's "Rocket. This was the first train to run in the world, and traveled from Liverpool to Manchester. The link for further information on the National Railway Museum follows: http://www.nrm.org.uk/

For York cemeteries, visit the following links:

UK Cemetery Fulford Parish Council

History of York

York cemetery

York Road Cemetery

For genealogical assistance, consider the following:

Genuki York

Rootsweb York

York Family History

For known ancestors, the following link can be really helpful:

Find a Grave

The following link provides references for all Yorkshire parishes:

Yorkshire Parishes