100 years ago

LONDON railway stations presented a strange scene of contrast. Thousands of English people, flying from the scenes of war, rubbed shoulders with as many thousands anxious to reach the front.

These latter were Germans, French, Austrians and Russians. All day long they besieged the offices of the traffic superintendents at Victoria, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, and Waterloo with anxious inquiries as to how they could best get to their native lands. Over 10,000 people it was estimated had arrived the previous day from the Continent.

 

50 years ago

YVES Saint Laurent, the last of the leading Paris houses to present his winter collection, confirmed very feminine fashion trends. The new tall and fitter silhouette, featuring tunics and flared skirts, bore a simple and relevant name - “Woman.”

She had a natural shoulder line, restrained high-necked bodice, a loosely-belted waist and slim straight skirts treated to horizontal cuts. Triple-tiered skirts had an accordion-pleated hemline and feature panelled tunics were over underskirts edged with furs.

 

25 years ago

THE York Festival and Mystery Plays, it was hoped, could soon be given the go-ahead for 1992 at a crunch meeting of the Festival Board.

Fears the event might be scrapped altogether now looked unlikely after board chairman Councillor Ken King gave his support for the festival’s reappearance. “While I want a full and thorough debate, I hope the board will come out in favour of a 1992 festival,” he said.

Councillor King was speaking hours before the vital meeting to debate the future of the festival, which the previous year had made a loss of nearly £80,000. And the chairman said he felt “pretty confident” York City Council would again agree to back the event financially. “I believe at the moment the indications are that everyone wants a 1992 festival.”