Over 100 years standing tall
Established in 1889
Henry Tennant established the York Railway Institute on the site of the old Railway Tavern in 1889 next to the locomotive and carriage works on Queen Street.
Its dining room sat 400 people, it had a library, a smoking and games room and three classrooms where railway workers could improve their education.
In the 1920s
Part of the locomotive erecting shop next door in the carriage works was converted into a gymnasium as the use of the educational facilities decreased and demand for physical activities increased.
Predominantly used as a boxing ring until the 1950s, this photo shows the grandeur of the old carriage works, that today hosts nine wood sprung badminton courts.
The first badminton court was marked out in 1926, and it has been in constant use ever since!