But from the darkness have sprung snapshots of joy and triumph. Here are some photos which capture a year like no other in Yorkshire and further afield.
1. Flooding despair
Colin Fidler, landlord of the Kings Arms, King's Staith, York, peers from his window as floodwater from the River Ouse is pumped out of his pub. Photo: James Hardisty
2. Dead streets
Deserted streets of York on Easter Sunday, as the UK continues in lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Photo: James Hardisty
3. Dancing away the blues
Jack Dodsley, 79, dances with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home, Sheffield. Photo: Tom Maddick/SWNS
4. Grief in the time of Covid-19
Relatives of Covid-19 victim Dennis Clapham attend his funeral service at Guardian Funerals in Shipley, West Yorkshire. Photo: Christopher