Take a walk in yesteryear’s winter wonderland

The reality of the winter we are in might be one of short days and weather that makes it difficult to get to work or school or the shops – but when we look back, it is difficult not to view winters of the past through a pair of bright, clear, frost-tinted glasses.

So, get a warm drink, sit back and reminisce with these chill-inducing images selected from North Yorkshire’s archive.

These archive images are among more than 6,500 available at the County Record Office – including many more winter scenes. Browse the collection or buy photos.

If you have any further information about any of the images on this page, our archivists would be keen to hear about it. Please email yny@northyorks.gov.uk

The first five images were all taken by Bertram Unné (1913-1981), a Yorkshire photographer who was active from the 1940s until his retirement in 1979.

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Family sledging along Main Street, Coxwold

A family sledges along Main Street, Coxwold.

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Snow on The Stray, Harrogate, 1958.

Snow on The Stray, Harrogate, 1958.

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Sledging at Ripley, 1963.

Sledging at Ripley, 1963.

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Snow drifts at Middlesmoor village, Nidderdale, 1953.

Snow drifts at Middlesmoor village, Nidderdale, 1953.

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A Hawes district postman on his rounds, Cotterdale.

A Hawes district postman on his rounds, Cotterdale.

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Children tobogganing in Harlow Moor Drive, Harrogate.

Children tobogganing in Harlow Moor Drive, Harrogate.

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Etching of a storm at Scarborough in October 1824. The lifeboat is assisting the Brig Hebe.

Etching of a storm at Scarborough in October 1824. The lifeboat is assisting the Brig Hebe.

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Ice-skaters on The Mere, Scarborough.

Ice-skaters on The Mere, Scarborough.

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Snow at Sutton under Whitestonecliffe, March 1933.

Snow at Sutton under Whitestonecliffe, March 1933.

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An etching of a storm at Scarborough in February 1836.

An etching of a storm at Scarborough in February 1836.

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Summary of Met Office weather report, Whitby Lighthouse, January to October 1886.

Summary of Met Office weather report, Whitby Lighthouse, January to October 1886.

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A page from an almanac from 1717 containing a wealth of information, including not only a calendar, but also observations on the weather as well as astronomical and astrological facts.

A page from an almanac from 1717 containing a wealth of information, including not only a calendar, but also observations on the weather as well as astronomical and astrological facts.

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A second page from an almanac from 1717 containing a wealth of information, including not only a calendar, but also observations on the weather as well as astronomical and astrological facts.

A second page from an almanac from 1717 containing a wealth of information, including not only a calendar, but also observations on the weather as well as astronomical and astrological facts.

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Sledging across a lake in China depicted in an image comes from a collection of glass-plate negatives on ‘Life in China’ in the Dr Arthur Raistrick photographic collection.

Sledging across a lake in China depicted in an image comes from a collection of glass-plate negatives on ‘Life in China’ in the Dr Arthur Raistrick photographic collection.