From our archives:

85 years ago

Members of the House of Commons vowed to tackle the problem of capital punishment, one of the important clauses in the Children and Young Persons Bill.

It had been decided, by 23 votes to 13, that the age of the death sentence should be raised to 18, with an amendment to move the limit to 21.

Interesting views on the punishment of crime were also expressed in the course of the debate.

It was urged that capital punishment was “a safeguard of civilisation,” and that it was the means of keeping the criminal classes within bounds.

A church at the hospital of St John of God, Scorton, held its official opening of its £4,500 extension which included a new tower sacristy and parishioners’ wing.

50 years ago

Newsagents had introduced golf-caddy style carriers for delivery boys to try to solve the problem of the overweight papers.

Heavier newspapers, including the Sunday “qualities” and those with mid-week supplements, were discussed by 85 North-east newsagents at a meeting in York.

Concerns had grown not only with getting the papers out but also with the welfare and well-being of the boys who delivered them.

The National Federation of retail Newsagents, Booksellers and Stationers, had come up with the idea of a news caddy so that the boys could wheel their bags instead of shouldering them.

East Riding police had again warned householders about thieves posing as rating officials.

This followed an incident that week when three smartly dressed men robbed an elderly Beverley shopkeeper.

20 years ago

Red Nose funsters in York had found themselves in another fine mess after losing Stan Laurel.

York Theatre Royal Panto favourite Martin Barrass was due to play Oliver Hardy’s sidekick on Red Nose Day.

But Martin had landed a role in a show to be staged in Vienna, with the Woods English-Speaking Theatre Company and had to spend the next couple of weeks rehearsing in London.

An appeal had been issued for a “Stan-d in” to accompany Patrick Smith during York Sixth Form College’s 12-hour indoor bounce-a-thon.

More than 1,000 council workers voted to resolve their long-running dispute over working hours and workloads.

A uniform 5pm finish every weekday for City of York Council office workers had been agreed, as members voted 809 to 252 to support the principle of an offer from their city council employers