JUNE 24, 1958: a launch cruises down the River Ouse, while, in the foreground, one barge is unloaded and a second - the Rapidity, belonging to James Wilby Ltd - awaits its turn.

The photograph, which comes from The Press’s own archive, neatly captures the two potential uses of York’s principal river: transport, and leisure.

The Romans settled here

almost 2,000 years ago partly because the Ouse was

navigable.

The Vikings made good use of that fact, with their heavily-laden ships coming right into the heart of Jorvik.

By the time this photograph was taken just over 60 years ago, however, there were already concerns that the city was no longer making enough of its river.

“Critics say we don’t take sufficient advantage of this waterway,” says the caption on the back of the photograph.

If that was true then, how much more true is it today?

Stephen Lewis